Alcohol Intolerance: Symptoms, Tests & Alcohol Allergy

An alcohol intolerance rash looks like red, itchy bumps or hives on your skin. Hives can also what causes alcohol intolerance signal an alcohol-related allergy, so be on the lookout for other symptoms that are exclusive to alcohol intolerance. If you’re unsure whether you have an allergy or intolerance, consult with your healthcare provider.

Medical professional hub

Alcohol intolerances are usually genetic but may also occur without a known cause. This involves limiting consumption to two drinks or fewer per day for males or one drink or fewer per day for females. However, if they want to have tests to check their alcohol intolerance, they can contact a doctor to ensure they are drinking safely.

Can alcohol intolerance develop suddenly?

• Read beverage labels to see whether they contain ingredients or additives you know cause a reaction, such as sulfites or certain grains.
• Avoid the beverage or beverages that seem to cause your reaction until your doctor’s appointment.
• The most effective treatment is not drinking alcohol at all, or drinking only occasionally and in small amounts.
• Anaphylaxis is a life threatening condition that involves a series of symptoms, such as a rash, low pulse, and shock.
• The nickname “Asian glow” comes from the prevalence of alcohol intolerance among East Asians.
• These might be signs of alcohol intolerance, an inherited disorder.

Sudden onset alcohol intolerance can be perplexing and concerning when it develops. Genetic alcohol intolerance will be present during your entire life, so if it suddenly starts, it is typically due to another reason. The most common cause is starting a new medication that inhibits the enzymes needed to metabolize alcohol, leading to new intolerance symptoms. Metronidazole (Flagyl) and disulfiram (Antabuse) are the most common medications that cause this. Alcohol intolerance is distinctly different from having a lower tolerance for alcohol’s intoxicating effects, although the two are often confused.

Skin Rash/Itchy Skin

You may notice a feeling of warmth in the skin of your face as the blood flow increases. The immediate symptoms of alcohol intolerance will occur right after drinking alcohol. They will typically happen rapidly enough that there is no question as to if it was the alcohol that caused it or not. Some people with Hodgkin’s lymphoma experience pain after drinking alcohol. Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a type of cancer that can affect your lymphatic system. Many people with Hodgkin’s lymphoma develop enlarged lymph nodes.

• One of the primary symptoms of alcohol intolerance is facial flushing.
• Malted barley is used to make beer and some other alcoholic drinks, such as whiskey, and some alcoholic drinks contain wheat.
• If you’re wondering how to prevent a stuffy nose after drinking, try drinking water before, during, and after consuming alcohol.
• A 2023 study found that individuals with CFS are more likely to experience alcohol intolerance.

• The same applies to distilled alcohol made from wheat if you have a wheat allergy.
• In very rare cases, reactions to alcohol may be a sign of Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
• An alcohol allergy is a rare toxic reaction to alcohol that can be fatal in rare cases.
• Excessive drinking has numerous impacts on your body and mind, ranging from mild to severe.
• Long COVID is a type of PVF that involves new or worsening COVID-19 symptoms months or years after the initial infection.

Here’s some information to help you get ready for your appointment. Rarely, severe pain after drinking alcohol is a sign of a more serious disorder, such as Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Alcohol intolerance occurs when your body doesn’t have the proper enzymes to break down (metabolize) the toxins in alcohol. This is caused by inherited (genetic) traits most often found in Asians.

Some people with ADH enzyme variants may not even notice any symptoms, while others will have the same symptoms they would have with ALDH2 deficiency. The symptoms of alcohol intolerance are unpleasant but rarely dangerous and will eventually go away on their own. However, if asthma symptoms occur with alcohol intolerance, it is good to see your doctor and ensure you manage your asthma correctly. Otherwise, you should see a doctor if you need help managing other symptoms of alcohol intolerance. Accompanying the symptoms of alcohol intolerance will be a rapid heartbeat.

When to see a doctor

Symptoms may occur within seconds or minutes of alcohol exposure and could trigger after exposure to even tiny amounts of the allergen. This connection could provide insights into how long COVID might contribute to alcohol intolerance. In a March 2021 blog post, neurologist Georgia Lea discussed the potential connection between long COVID, specifically the PVFS type, and alcohol intolerance.

General Health

Often, it is not actually an allergy to alcohol itself but to a component of the alcohol, like grapes or hops. The symptoms are caused because the body’s immune system becomes overactive and attacks something found in the alcohol. Very rarely, a person may have a “true” alcohol allergy, meaning they are allergic to the ethanol in alcohol. In people with true alcohol allergy, as little as 1 milliliter (mL) of pure alcohol can trigger an allergic reaction.