Have you ever asked your friend why he or she looks like a Mr. Crabs after half a beer? Your friend will probably answer your question by referring to it as an allergy or asian glow. The scientific term for this phenomenon is alcohol flushing and it affects around 36% of East Asians (Brooks, Enoch, Goldman, Li, and Yokoyama 2009).
The alcohol flushing response occurs due to a deficient aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 gene(ALDH2) (Brooks et al., 2009). The physiological response in someone with the ALDH2 gene deficiency is nausea, tachycardia, and the “glow” (Brooks et al., 2009). Once alcohol(ethanol) enters your body, it gets metabolized into acetaldehyde which is a carcinogen that can damage DNA (Brooks and Theruvathu, 2006). This is where ALDH2 comes in and converts acetaldehyde into acetate, this means that in individuals with the deficient ALDH2 gene will lead to an accumulation of acetaldehyde in their body because the rate of conversion is slower (Crabb, Matsumoto, Chang, and You, 2004). This saturation of acetaldehyde in the body can cause damage to DNA and lead to esophageal cancer (Lewis,2005).
There are dietary supplements out there that claim to reduce the effects of the alcohol flushing response, and the results are inconsistent. Sunset flush support is advertised as such, it seems to help some individuals, while having no effects on others. I think that the ways these supplements are advertised is wrong because there is no research to prove that they work. In fact, the FDA loosely regulates the supplement industry. They do not monitor the supplements during development and they cannot do anything about a noxious product until it is in the hands of the consumer.
Sure, taking the supplement might allow you to have a night out without being asked why your face is all red, but is it worth using your body as a science experiment?
Brooks, P. J., Enoch, M. A., Goldman, D., Li, T. K., & Yokoyama, A. (2009). The alcohol flushing response: an unrecognized risk factor for esophageal cancer from alcohol consumption. PLoS medicine, 6(3), e50. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1000050
Brooks, P., & Theruvathu, J. A. (2006). Acetaldehyde-DNA Adducts: Implications for the Molecular Mechanism of Alcohol-Related Carcinogenesis. Alcohol, Tobacco and Cancer, 78–94. doi: 10.1159/000095017
Crabb, D. W., Matsumoto, M., Chang, D., & You, M. (2004). Overview of the role of alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase and their variants in the genesis of alcohol-related pathology. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 63(1), 49–63. doi: 10.1079/pns2003327
Lewis, S. J. (2005). Alcohol, ALDH2, and Esophageal Cancer: A Meta-analysis Which Illustrates the Potentials and Limitations of a Mendelian Randomization Approach. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, 14(8), 1967–1971. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.epi-05-0196
I have several friends who have this deficiency as well as a friend who is not of east Asian descent who is also allergic to alcohol. The few times I've seen this friend drink, she has taken an allergy pill, which reduces the breakdown of alcohol into acetyl aldehyde via antihistamine blockers (H2 antagonists). Though I rarely see her drink, I thought that was an interesting action to take just to enjoy a margarita. I never would have thought that an allergy pill would help suppress the symptoms. Though there are several allergy medications (such as Zantac), heartburn medications such as Pepcid are also H2 antagonists and can also help with the "glow". Though there are generic medications for allergy and heartburn related issues which drive costs down, I find it interesting that the supplement being directed specifically for "Asian glow", Sunset Alcohol Flush Support is a whopping $48.00! Though drinking in excess can increase cancer risks, those with an ALDH2 deficiency are at greater risk given the DNA damage being done when consuming alcohol. Allergy medication and or these "flush supplements" are only exasperating the risk of cancer. USC has done a study in which the use of allergy medications decreases the symptoms of "Asian flush," which then correlates to more alcohol being consumed. This means that the risk of cancer is even greater in the populations of people with ALDH2 deficiency who are using supplements to suppress symptoms for the sake of having a drink. Not only is the risk of cancer increased, but other symptoms can be masked with the use of a supplement. When lacking an enzyme to break down the alcohol, your body is naturally telling you there is something wrong; however, by blocking those responses, there could be a buildup of ethanol in the body which can cause extreme intoxication as well as alcohol poisoning.
ReplyDeleteThough it's unfortunate in that so many social norms are based around drinking, the deficiency of this enzyme in certain populations of people is supposed to be a safeguard to not have them consume as much alcohol. However, of the people I know who lack this enzyme, it does not stop them from continuing on and just dealing with the red flushed face and the hangover side effects that come later. I think more studies need to be performed on these supplements, but I think they are dangerous overall because though they help with symptoms of flush, they are not relieving the actual effects that alcohol has on one’s body.