Feel like you “can’t handle your alcohol?”
Are you nauseous, flushed, or have a racing heart after enjoying even small amounts of your favorite cocktail?
These could be signs that you have an inherited intolerance to alcohol — and a mutated gene could be to blame, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
This gene mutation blocks the body’s ability to produce an enzyme that helps break down alcohol and eliminate its byproducts from the body, health experts said.
Testing for alcohol intolerance
A home DNA test can reveal if you have the mutation that causes this alcohol disaster.
The test looks for mutations in the ADH and ALDH genes, which affect metabolism, according to several websites of the laboratory companies that make the test kits.
The test kit, which costs about $150, involves wiping the site and sending the sample to a lab company to see if gene mutations are present.
Results usually come in less than two weeks, according to some of the testing companies’ websites.
“A simple oral swab is all we need to find out if you’ve inherited DNA changes that affect your ability to metabolize alcohol and can increase your risk of serious health complications,” Genex Diagnostics, a Seattle, specializing in DNA testing. it says on its website.
Dr. Frances Lee — a hepatologist (liver doctor) specializing in alcohol-related liver disease at Mount Sinai Health Systems in New York City — is not affiliated with any of the lab companies, but commented to Fox News Digital about these test kits .
“The genes in question are ADH1B, ADH1C and ALDH2,” Lee told Fox News Digital.
The ADH1B and ADH1C genes help break down ethanol (alcohol) into the chemical acetaldehyde, he said. The ALDH2 gene then helps oxidize acetaldehyde to acetic acid.
“This is an important step in ethanol metabolism because acetaldehyde is toxic and inflammatory to cells,” Lee said.
“Changes in the ALDH2 gene can cause acetaldehyde dehydrogenase to work at a slower rate, leading to a build-up of acetaldehyde levels in the body.”
Acetaldehyde is also linked to some of the unpleasant symptoms of alcohol intoxication, such as headaches, flushing, hives and nausea, according to Lee.
This type of genetic test can give an individual at least a partial explanation for their alcohol intolerance, Lee told Fox News Digital.
Potential disadvantages of genetic testing
All genetic tests should be approached with caution, as they can sometimes lead to more questions than answers, according to Lee.
Other health experts told Fox News Digital that there are pros and cons to this type of genetic testing.
“I can envision a case where this test could encourage someone to drink less if a previously unknown heterozygosity in ALDH2 is detected,” Mount Sinai’s Lee told Fox News Digital. “If that happens, I would consider this test a useful result.”
However, there is a chance that the test will not detect any genetic variation, which could be interpreted as a license to drink even more.
“That would be an example of a detrimental outcome,” Lee said.
While the DNA test can confirm that someone has the defective gene that makes them more susceptible to the effects of alcohol at lower doses, “it should not be used to encourage others who may drink more. [alcohol] without consequences,” said Dr. Fred Davis, associate of emergency medicine at Northwell Health in Long Island, New York, to Fox News Digital.
Tips for responsible drinking
For those who want to enjoy a casual cocktail, Makenzi Mollitor, a registered dietitian and sports nutritionist at Long Island University in Brookville, New York, has some advice.
“If you’re someone who feels like their body is screaming at them even after one drink, then abstaining from alcohol may be best for you,” she told Fox News Digital. “However, alcohol-DNA mutation or not, I urge anyone who wants to consume alcohol to consider the quality and quantity of their drinks.”
Mollitor recommends choosing a quality alcohol, such as orange wine or other naturally fermented wines, that are low in sugar and high in beneficial polyphenols with anti-inflammatory properties.
Spirits that have a higher alcohol concentration, such as vodka, whiskey and rum, can make symptoms worse, the nutritionist warned.
“No matter what you choose to drink, try to limit your alcohol intake to the recommended one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men,” Mollitor advised.
Alcohol-related liver disease is the leading cause of liver transplants in the United States, Lee told Fox News Digital.
Efforts to reduce risk and prevent alcohol-related morbidity and mortality are “equal to improving population and individual health,” according to the liver transplant specialist.
“For people who are concerned about developing liver disease as a result of drinking alcohol, talking to a liver specialist should be the first step,” advised Lee.
Fox News Digital reached out to several lab companies that sell DNA test kits for further comment, but did not hear back.
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