Some people's faces turn red when they drink alcohol, and this is definitely not a good sign. Everyone who turns red after drinking alcohol has a special reaction to alcohol. Every time they drink alcohol, they are literally poisoning their body.
Here we offer you the answer to why some people turn red when they drink alcohol. We call this medical condition alcoholic flush and side effects include inflamed skin, headache, and rapid heart rate.
The cause is formation acetaldehyde in the body. Acetaldehyde is a highly toxic and known carcinogenic chemical compound. When alcohol affects the liver, it is metabolized into acetaldehyde.
It is usually quickly converted to a safer form, ie. acetate. But people with a reaction to alcohol are different. Their body converts alcohol to acetaldehyde faster and it stays in their liver longer to convert acetaldehyde to acetate.
The consequences are: less intense effect of alcohol, more severe side effects due to acetaldehyde poisoning and a long-term higher risk of oral and pharyngeal cancer.
Alcohol reaction or alcohol flush it is a genetic condition. It originates from central China, where it spread throughout East Asia over the centuries. It is estimated that 1/3 of East Asians have this genetic trait.
Because the reason is genetics, there is no cure for this medical condition. And what to do if you are sensitive to alcohol. Avoid excessive drinking and be really careful not to become an alcoholic.
