It’s Friday — a day many people look forward to every week. You may be inviting a few friends over or heading out to the bar to kick-start your weekend. After a couple of sips of alcohol, you start to feel off. You’re feeling nauseous, have a headache, and your face feels hot, even though you’ve just started drinking.
Is something wrong with my drink?
Am I allergic to it?
Can you develop an alcohol intolerance?
You may be surprised that yes, some people may suddenly have adverse reactions to alcohol. We’re here to help you figure out if you have an alcohol intolerance and what your next steps may be.
In this article, we’ll explain a few possible causes of your sudden intolerance to alcohol. You’ll discover ways that you can minimize the abrupt new symptoms of alcohol or eliminate them by seeking treatment to guide you to an alcohol-free life.
Why Am I Suddenly More Affected by Alcohol?
Sudden alcohol intolerance is a real condition that may unexpectedly affect how your body reacts to alcohol. Your body might begin to reject alcohol for various reasons such as genetic factors, age, medications, and certain medical and health conditions.
What Is Sudden Onset Alcohol Intolerance?
Sudden onset alcohol intolerance is when your body can no longer tolerate alcohol. Your body may begin to have adverse reactions immediately or shortly after drinking an alcoholic beverage. Symptoms occur due to the body longer being able to break down certain components or toxins in alcohol, showing outwardly through negative physical reactions.
Symptoms of alcohol intolerance may include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Red or flushed face
- Low blood pressure
- Headache
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Diarrhea
If you’ve developed any of these symptoms, it is best to consult your healthcare provider.
Avoiding alcohol can help you manage your symptoms. If you’re finding it hard to quit alcohol and want to seek professional guidance, call Ray Recovery and let us be your ray of hope as you navigate through the darkness of addiction to a life of sobriety.
Are Alcohol Intolerance and an Alcohol Allergy the Same?
Although symptoms may be similar, having an alcohol intolerance is different than having an alcohol allergy. Being intolerant to alcohol means your digestive system is unable to break down the toxins or certain components within the alcoholic beverage, while an allergy is an immune system response.
Other symptoms that may mean you have an alcohol allergy, not an intolerance, include:
- Hives
- Facial swelling
- Anaphylaxis
- Difficulty breathing
6 Reasons You Might Develop an Alcohol Intolerance
#1: Medications
If you are on certain medications, it may disrupt your body’s ability to process alcohol. When taking medication and consuming alcohol at the same time, there is a chance that it can affect the metabolism of the medicine and/or alcohol. Talk to your health care provider to find out about any possible interactions before starting a new medication, or if you’ve developed symptoms that point to a sudden alcohol intolerance.
Types of medications that can interact with alcohol and cause an intolerance include:
- Antibiotics
- Antifungal
- Blood thinners
- Medicine for diabetes
#2: Age
Can you develop an alcohol intolerance later in life?
Yes, age may play a part in developing an alcohol intolerance. As we grow older, our body’s ability to metabolize alcohol begins to change. Our liver slows down the production of enzymes, which are a key component in breaking down alcohol. A change in body mass and bodily functions may also increase the risk of becoming intolerant to alcohol.
With age comes other health conditions and medications, some of which can increase the risk of being diagnosed with an alcohol intolerance. You may realize that as you grow older, limiting or abstaining from alcohol may be the change you need to live a more vibrant and healthy life.
#3: Health Conditions
Your health and how well your body functions can affect the way alcohol is absorbed and metabolized.
Health conditions that may result in alcohol intolerance include:
- Liver disease
- Celiac disease
- Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Gastrointestinal disorders
- Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)
If you’ve developed an alcohol intolerance and do not have any known health conditions, it may be wise to talk to your healthcare provider to rule out an undiagnosed condition.
#4: Genetics
Some people have a genetic predisposition, a specific variant of the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) gene. This gene is responsible for how well enzymes break down acetaldehyde, a toxic compound contained in alcohol. People who have a less active or inactive ALDH2 variant have reduced enzyme activity, which results in a slower metabolic rate of alcohol. When your body breaks down alcohol at a slower rate, it can lead to a buildup of acetaldehyde, which causes the unpleasant symptoms of alcohol intolerance.
#5: Enzyme Deficiencies
An enzyme deficiency can be present in your body your whole life or can develop later in life due to changes in the body. When the body has an alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and an aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) deficiency, it becomes less efficient at breaking down alcohol.
#6: Allergies or Sensitivities
Although alcohol intolerance differentiates from allergies or sensitivities, identifying and avoiding specific ingredients may help with your symptoms. Sensitivity to histamine or sulfite, both of which can be found in alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine, can exacerbate alcohol intolerance symptoms.
#7: Hormones
As hormonal shifts occur, your body may become more sensitive to alcohol due to the influence hormones have on digestive enzymes.
Causes of hormonal changes that may decrease alcohol tolerance include:
- A rise in estrogen, which is possibly caused by an underlying condition, medications, weight gain, or other factors.
- Fluctuations in estrogen, typically seen in women going through menopause or menstruation.
- A dysfunctioning endocrine system, which is responsible for hormone regulation.
Can Alcohol Intolerance Go Away?
Unfortunately, alcohol intolerance cannot go away. Although there is no cure, avoiding alcohol can prevent the symptoms of alcohol intolerance. If you do continue to consume alcohol, some methods may minimize the symptoms, but they cannot eliminate them.
How To Minimize Symptoms of Alcohol Intolerance
Identify and Avoid Triggers
Identifying and avoiding triggers can be a crucial step in removing alcohol from your life. By taking alcohol out of the picture, you no longer are consuming the substance that causes your alcohol intolerance.
Ray Recovery offers treatment plans that will help you every step of the way. Our team is here to support and guide you as you examine your life and identify what triggers you to consume alcohol.
Take Approved Medications
If your intolerance comes from histamine sensitivity, taking an antihistamine can help reduce itching, redness, and congestion symptoms associated with alcohol intolerance.
Enzyme supplements, particularly those involving ALDH2, may help your body metabolize alcohol more successfully. Taking these supplements may potentially provide minor relief if your intolerance is due to genetics.
Address Underlying Conditions
Managing your health conditions may help improve your body’s ability to process alcohol. Seek advice or a treatment plan from a professional in order to understand and manage your condition.
Make Changes in Your Diet
Depending on your health conditions, adjusting your diet may help your overall health and intolerance to alcohol.
Changes in your diet can be beneficial with:
- Celiac disease – Removing gluten from your diet will help your small intestine absorb vital nutrients.
- Liver disease – Maintaining a well-balanced diet to support your liver with detoxification and reduce inflammation.
- High-histamine sensitivity – Limit or avoid foods and drinks high in histamine such as:
- Beer and wine
- Processed meats
- Fermented products
- Tomatoes
- Chocolate
- Aged cheese
Stress Management
Managing your stress may help you reduce the symptoms of alcohol intolerance by minimizing your body’s reactiveness to alcohol. Stress emotions can change the enzymes in your stomach, affecting how your body metabolizes alcohol.
A few ways to manage stress are:
- Yoga
- Meditation
- Therapy
- Exercise
Seek Professional Help
Addiction, especially coupled with alcohol intolerance, can be challenging. Finding a recovery program to guide you through the difficulties of becoming sober can benefit you beyond the management of your alcohol intolerance symptoms.
Choosing an alcohol-free life can improve your physical and mental health. Seeking a professional treatment facility will give you the support, tools, and hope to help you on your journey through sobriety.
Learn to Manage Your Symptoms of Alcohol Intolerance With Help From the Professionals at Ray Recovery
If you feel that alcohol use disorder is affecting your life and leading you to experience symptoms of alcohol intolerance, seeking help to begin your journey to sobriety may be your answer.
Our treatment facility offers Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), Dual Diagnosis Treatment, one-on-one, group, and family therapy, as well as Virtual Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and Executive IOP for those who need a flexible schedule.
Contact Ray Recovery to discover which treatment plan will work best to achieve your sobriety goals.
The content in this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
