Alcohol Intolerance: Definition, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

The alcohol flush reaction can be extremely uncomfortable. Personally, my face actually breaks out in blotches and blemishes, and it feels like my heart is going to burst out of my cheeks. What’s more, research shows that some people have a gene variant that prevents the body from producing aldehyde dehydrogenase, an enzyme that helps break down alcohol. So if your heart races and your body temperature skyrockets after drinking, your liver may not be able to manage the concentration of alcohol in your body effectively. Because the condition is inherited, there is no way to cure or treat it. Your healthcare provider can recommend ways to limit unpleasant symptoms. People often confuse alcohol intolerance and alcohol allergy, but they aren’t the same condition. Some people experience allergy-like reactions to sulfites. Some types of sulfites might also trigger an asthmatic attack if you have asthma.

If someone experiences a severe allergic reaction, they should go to the emergency room immediately. If they do not have an epinephrine injection to treat anaphylaxis right away, it could be fatal. If a person thinks they have an alcohol allergy, they should eliminate alcohol from their diet and consult with a healthcare professional. With an alcohol allergy, a person’s immune system overreacts to alcohol.

Symptoms of Wine Allergy

For more tips from our Medical co-author, including how to get tested for an alcohol allergy, read on. He received his Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) from the Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2012. Dr. Kramer is a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Sober Home Medicine and is board certified. A blood test can measure your immune system’s response to certain foods by seeing if your blood contains antibodies for a specific substance. For this test, your doctor will send in a blood sample to a medical laboratory, where different foods will be tested.

All of these tests will help your doctor rule out any other conditions that may be causing your adverse reaction to alcohol. It’s best to find a doctor who specializes in alcohol-related conditions to get an accurate diagnosis. Even in people who don’t have alcohol intolerance, a build of acetaldehyde in your body is what causes you to feel sick when you’ve had too much alcohol. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles.

Alcohol Intolerance (Or Asian Flush)

If you drink too much alcohol, acetaldehyde is a toxic substance can cause vomiting in healthy people too. Or maybe that beloved pint of beer suddenly turns into a stuffed nose? Then you might have developed a sudden intolerance to alcohol. Alcohol intolerance can be caused by anything that affects the function of alcohol dehydrogenase. Incorrect function in alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes can be caused by genetic changes, chemical changes or heredity. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health. If necessary, treat an alcohol allergy like you would any type of allergies. This means that you might have to carry an epinephrine auto injector in case of alcohol exposure or wear a medical identification bracelet for emergency situations. Wine and beer also contain sulfites, which are compounds that can also trigger allergy symptoms.

Every person’s body chemistry and make-up is different, so a person’s response to alcohol can vary greatly. If you notice this or any other symptoms of alcohol allergy or intolerance, bring it up with your healthcare provider—and avoid drinking in the meantime. Alcohol intolerance can cause immediate, uncomfortable reactions after you drink alcohol. signs you’re allergic to alcohol The most common signs and symptoms are stuffy nose and skin flushing. Itchiness, including hives or red flushing of the skin, is a common symptom of alcohol intolerance. It’s a sign that your body is negatively reacting to alcohol or an ingredient in alcoholic drinks. Wine, beer, vodka, and alcohol allergies, in general, are extremely rare.

Does Your Hangover Mean You’re Allergic to Alcohol?

So it’s best to stick to less than 5 alcoholic drinks per week if you experience these symptoms. You may notice that even after drinking a small amount of alcohol, you don’t signs you’re allergic to alcohol feel great. These might be signs of alcohol intolerance, an inherited disorder. While there is no cure for this condition, avoiding alcohol helps you stay symptom-free.

This may be another way to distinguish between symptoms of over-consumption and allergy. Unfortunately, nothing can prevent reactions to alcohol or ingredients in alcoholic beverages. To avoid a reaction, avoid alcohol or the particular substance that causes your reaction. Generally, the symptoms of an alcohol allergy can be very similar to those of a food allergy. Either way, it can be very serious and even life-threatening. If you think you may have an alcohol allergy, it’s vital to speak to your doctor before drinking alcohol again. On the other hand, you could be suffering from a more-general type of alcohol intolerance. Alcohol causes blood vessels to widen and expand, which can cause skin flushing in some people.

But you shouldn’t be wrestling with intense pain just because you had a few beers. Now, it’s time to talk signs and symptoms of an allergy to alcohol…. One too many glasses of rosé might not be the only thing to blame for those horrible hangovers — you could also be allergic to alcohol. Learn the signs and symptoms to keep an eye out for and why certain bevvies might affect you more than others. If you’re allergic to another ingredient contained in certain alcoholic products, switching to a different drink might be an option. For example, barley is typically found in beer but not wine. Normally your body produces an enzyme called diamine oxidase to break histamine down.

An alcohol allergy is rare but could potentially be fatal. However, a person is usually allergic or intolerant to certain ingredients in the drink, rather than the alcohol itself. Symptoms of alcohol intolerance can make a person feel uncomfortable. In contrast, an alcohol allergy could become life threatening. People may also have an allergic reaction to specific ingredients in alcoholic drinks rather than the alcohol itself. If you start to experience swelling while drinking, be warned. Due again to the reaction from histamines, it’s not uncommon to experience swelling when you have an alcohol intolerance. You’ll have those same symptoms and a more intense reaction, wheezing, difficulty swallowing, low blood pressure, and heart palpitations, he says. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, having a flushed face immediately after drinking can be a key sign of an alcohol allergy. Your healthcare provider will ask you about the symptoms and reactions that occur after you drink alcohol.