Hello,
I've been taking Zantac 75 for about 3 years. Pepsid never worked for me, but Zantac works great, every time. I generally go out drinking at least once a week. Prior to discovering this antidote, my face would turn red and blotchy with only 1/2 a glass of wine. I’m not talking about rosy cheeks red, I looked like somebody splashed hot oil on my face. Before using Zantac, I was always embarrassed every time I consumed alcohol. Also, I sometimes felt as though my throat would close up. Does anybody else experience this?
I am now wondering if anybody has spoken to a doctor about mixing alcohol with Zantac. I’d appreciate any comments.
FYI, I'm Half Japanese, Half Caucasian. So, I obviously do not fall into the SE Asian Catagory.
Regards,
Jennifer
Oh, and I found this article to be rather informative: It was copied from the NY Times Magazine, March 2001
"Dear Doctor,
Can you please settle an argument? Is it true that there is a biological reason Asian people turn bright red when they drink?
T.C. Scraton, PA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear T.C.,
Yes, it is true. The metabolism of ethanol (alcohol) is one of the simpler biochemical pathways in the human body. As seen in the figure, once ethanol has entered the bloodstream, it travels to the liver where hepatocytes (liver cells) transform it into a compound called acetaldehyde using the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase. Acetaldehyde is than transformed into acetic acid with the aid of another enzyme, aldehyde dehydrogrenase. Both of these reactions form the electron carrier NADH which can then enter the electron transport chain to form ATP, the body’s primary source of energy.
Some people of Asian descent (perhaps as much as ½) carry a “defective” copy of the gene for aldehyde dehydrogenase which works slower than normal, causing a bottleneck effect during the metabolism of ethanol. The net result is a build-up of acetaldehyde, which can lead to flushing, nausea, malaise, and headache, a reaction sometimes referred to as “Asian flush”. However, this does not contribute significantly to decreased alcohol tolerance, as ethanol is broken down at nearly the same rate.
Some scientists have speculated that the relatively low incidence of alcoholism among those of Asian descent may be a result of this mechanism. In effect, they feel too sick to continue drinking before they actually become drunk.
Pharmaceutical companies have actually capitalized on this effect in the development of a drug called disulfiram, better known as Antabuse. This drug inhibits aldehyde dehydrogenase, resulting in the same symptoms as above. It is meant as an aid in the treatment of chronic alcoholics. If regularly taking disulfiram, they can rapidly feel very ill following the consumption of alcohol which, in theory, helps prevent them from resuming their habit.
The Doctor "