Allergic to alcohol. Please help!!

[ayoub_ibrahim]

unfortunately it would appear that you are one of the group of people referred to as "slow acetylators". About 50% of Asians have an inactive ALDH(a liver enzyme), and experience toxic reactions to the ingestion of alcohol, including headache, nausea, vomiting, and hypotension.
There is also an increased risk of potentially serious side effects from medications including general anesthesia, anti-tuberculosis treatment, local anesthetics and other medications.
I should add that studies suggest that approximately 50% of the North American population are slow acetylators so you are not alone.
Sorry to be the messenger of bad news but short of a liver transplant, there is no cure!

[Gurm]

Yeah, you have two strikes against you. Not only is your liver slow, but you have an adverse reaction as well!

This is not a good thing. I wouldn't even try. If someone pressures you, just say you have to drive. Or better yet, tell them to sod off, you don't need to be around people that force other people to drink.

- Gurm

[TransformX]

Coke IS for kids.
Water on the other hand (and in the right glass) is quite another story... (you can call it Vodka or anything else you fancy)

Usually it's not the drink, it's the glass that makes the impression.

Besides, you aren't missing much. Trust us.

If you want alcohol for the side effects of loosening up etc, you don't really need alcohol for it. For too many people, alcohol is more of an excuse than a reason for doing silly things.

[DentyCracker]

WyWyWyWy you are a victim of the English culture. I know how you feel but you are not the one with the problem the others are. I drink. When I feel like that is. I have no qualms about drinking coke or lemonade. If they ask me why I just say I am not drinking tonight, and that's it. Your liver does not produce Aldehyde dehydrogenase like a lot of Asians. The ethanol gets turned into ethanal (acetaldehyde) which then normally gets turned into carbon dioxide and water. In your case the ethanal is very slowly broken down and this is what your immune system picks up and goes all awry. Anyway the point is not to try to find ways of safely drinking alcohol but to avoid doing so. You are better off for it.

[WyWyWyWy]

Thank you guys

As I said before, I don't like drinking too... can't stand the smell after drinking... not to mention the hangover.

Denty you are quite right... victim of British culture :~(~ In fact I haven't been to pubs and nightclubs for almost 2 years.

As you all can see, MURC is really a nice place
Always warm and a lot of knowledgeable people here too!

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By the way, why only Asians lack that kind of enzym though?