There are several ways that alcohol may be harmful to you. One is through immediate effects. You get intoxicated and make poor decisions: you feel sleepy with a cigarette in your hand; you trip and smash your head.
If you can drink a lot, you are less likely to have these immediate effects. If you drink too much for a long time, you are more likely to get a lot of chronic diseases, like heart disease and a number of cancers.
It makes no difference whether you have a tolerance to alcohol or not. In fact, having a high tolerance often means you’ve drank a lot, making you more likely to develop a chronic condition.
But for certain individuals, daily alcohol drinking may be more harmful than binge drinking.
Recent research suggests that those who have a gene that inhibits their bodies from metabolizing alcohol may also be at increased risk for cardiovascular disease.
Scientists say that about 1 in 12 adults have the gene that makes it hard for the body to break down alcohol properly.
Now, researchers have shown that this variant also inhibits the dilation of blood vessels, a key step in the development of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death worldwide. It prevents the ALDH2 protein from functioning. According to New Scientist, cases tripled among carriers who routinely drank.
The findings were derived from a thorough examination of hundreds of thousands of biobank participants in Britain and Japan, offering the possibility of implementing a screening program.
The enzyme feeds cancer- and diabetes-causing free radicals as well as inflammatory reactions.
The main conclusion: “If you’re missing this enzyme,” warns Lead author Dr. Joseph Wu, “try not to drink.
“If you drink consistently,” according to the lead author, “you are at much higher risk of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and cancer.”
Patient.info lists the following as alcohol intolerance signs and symptoms:
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Rapid heartbeat
According to the text, alcohol allergy may also result in the aforementioned symptoms as well as:
- Low blood pressure – causing dizziness
- Facial flushing – causing your face to get red
- Hives (urticaria) – itchy, red skin lumps.
- worsening asthma or breathing issues
- Anaphylaxis
An effective ALDH2 eliminates alcohol’s harmful byproducts and neutralizes DNA-damaging free radicals.
In a group of volunteers, the US researchers also discovered that drinking improved the capacity of those with the standard gene to widen their blood vessels.
However, dilation decreases in individuals with the mutant variant. This might seem strange, since people who can’t handle alcohol flush when they drink.
Dr. Wu said that the flushing is caused by chemicals called histamines that are made by the immune system.
In laboratory trials on endothelial cells that line blood arteries, the mutant version of ALDH2 was associated with increased inflammation and free radicals.
Additionally, they were less able to produce nitric oxide, which facilitates blood vessel relaxing.
All of these effects got worse when the human cells were exposed to alcohol.
According to experts, avoiding drinking is currently the only effective method for treating symptoms caused by alcohol allergy or intolerance.
If you think you’re having a reaction, write down what you drank, what else you ate at the same time, and whether or not you worked out.
If all alcoholic beverages have an impact on you, it could be due to an overstated reaction to the alcohol or a worsening of an existing condition.
If not, attempt to narrow the field down to certain beverages or drink/food combos to avoid the offenders.
Certain medications necessitate abstaining from alcohol while you’re taking them. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist.
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