Why Drinking Affects Some More than Others

The common myth that Asians turn red when drinking might have some traction behind it, as just proved by biochemist Kenneth Warren, Ph.D, who states that, “alcohol tolerance/sensitivity is independent from the gene.” If this is the case, there is a gene that makes it impossible for some people to form an addiction to alcohol – mainly because their body cannot handle it.

The enzyme that is responsible for causing alcohol to turn into acetaldehyde is called ALDH2 – which causes mayhem in your body. This is because the enzyme essentially tries to get rid of the alcohol as quickly as possible; however, some people have a deficient version of this enzyme, which causes the acetaldehyde to slowly metabolize. This means that the poison stays in your system for an extra-long time, causing your skin to turn red, a fainting feeling, nausea, a rapid heartbeat, and an increased risk for esophageal cancer.

However, Warren attests that, “while the acetaldehyde makes you feel awful, it is not, technically, a hangover.” Since East Asians who inherit two good copies of the gene don’t experience a flush, about 50% of the Asian population are affected by this deficient enzyme. Even worse, about 5-7% of the population inherit two bad copies of the gene, which is the worst version of the deficiency. Warren states that, “they get very nauseous. They feel terrible. They will usually stop drinking at that point. It’s not a pleasurable experience.”

Unfortunately, those with the defective copies of the gene are prone to passing the gene on to their child. If one parent has a good copy of the gene, while the other has a bad copy, then their child has about a 50% chance of inheriting the condition. Warren suggests that overall, “it is best to avoid alcohol.” While these individuals may never experience an alcohol addiction, they should still be equally conscious about how much alcohol they consume.