funky_house Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 I had never heard of "Asian flush" before. Apparently it is the reddening of the cheeks after drinking alcohol. Does it happen to you? If so, this is why apparently: Roughly half of all people of east-Asian descent (including Chinese, Japanese, and Korean) lack an enzyme necessary for the efficient metabolism of alcohol. For readers who like biology stuff, this enzyme is known as the low-Km aldehyde dehydrogenase isoenzyme, or in short, ADH. The absence of this enzyme is the culprit for your flushed cheeks and feelings of sickness in response to alcohol use. Without this enzyme, the byproduct of alcohol (the toxic aldehyde dehydrogenase) cannot be removed from the bloodstream nearly as well as it is in people who do have the enzyme. The aldehyde accumulates in a person's system as a result because it cannot be broken down as quickly. A person with this condition is likely to experience toxic effects such as flushing, rapid heartbeat, headache, nausea, drowsiness, swelling and skin itchiness. In addition, it is easier to get drunk upon consumption of even just a few alcoholic beverages. While this condition can be seen as an inconvenience, epidemiological studies have shown that because of these adverse side effects, people of Asian descent tend to consume less alcohol, and therefore rates of alcohol use and incidence of alcoholism are lower than those of other ethnic groups. Me? I just tend to pass out, sometime after being sick, and the room spinning. :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LasseDK Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Im not getting it as im not asian, but got 2 friends of korean origin here in denmark, and both have this problem. For one of them its pretty extreme, even one beer can cause it, and it kinda ruins their evening when it hits, but it vary's in strength apparently. So she only rarely drinks something. Besides the flush they are like getting instant drunk for a short moment even by a small amount of alcohol that i wouldnt even register, and followed by blackouts and sick hangovers. Not a fun thing to have, but bet they end up laughing last in the end - its a healthy lack of enzymes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alvish Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Remember having a drink with a few thai mates in Tiger Tiger, London... we had to make a space on the seats before our 1st drinks for one of the guys to collapse then sleep after his 1st drink... originally thought he was just a light weight but apparently it happens all the time and he was up drinking again after a few minutes. Similar happens to another Thai mate of mine but this is more to do with being shot with a shotgun when younger and his insides are ruined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chatty Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Wanna try my grandfather's recipe'? :wink: He did "Lao" by himself... It's illegal in Thailand but people in a village in Chaiyapoom included my grandfather liked to do. The first time that my dad went to visit my grandfather (my dad his son in law, and he is a Bangkokian) It was the first time he tried a drink of the village... he told me that the world was spinning around him... and then he threw up, got sick for a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeusbheld Posted March 8, 2009 Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 as a whitey, apparently i metabolize alcohol alright. although after seeing Ciaran knock a few back, i wonder if any studies have been done on the Oirish--they must have about 3x the norm of that enzyme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andon Posted March 8, 2009 Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 Well in my experience in Thailand, drinks there are served with very little alcohol for example whisky with water is actually a glass almost full of water and a bit of whisky. The beers are widely served with ice and with the hot and humid weather there, the beer tends to be water also. In addition many of the thai people I know don't drink alcohol at all, and if they do maybe just one drink. So maybe what you say is true about southeast asian people. There's a very significantc difference if I compare that to the way alcohol is consumed in the Caribbean where I live. Here is just strong (you name it whisky, vodka and the local favorite rum), and beer has to be serve almost in icy conditions to be rated as good. Putting ice to the beer won't happen at all, it may be considered a sin haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CocoaBrotha Posted March 8, 2009 Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 Thai Whiskey....Ooooh, never ever ever again!.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeusbheld Posted March 8, 2009 Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 as a whitey, apparently i metabolize alcohol alright. although after seeing Ciaran knock a few back, i wonder if any studies have been done on the Oirish--they must have about 3x the norm of that enzyme. But you can always find where he is...he leaves a trail of DVD's at all the bars he visits (until he runs out and has no more DVD's). always wondered a) where the dvds came from and how he found his way home. i always thought the breadcrumb trail was how it was supposed to be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CherieAtwood Posted March 8, 2009 Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 Thai Whiskey....Ooooh, never ever ever again!.. Was that a reason why you were carrying a woman's purse, walking around the bar for the whole bloody night? :shock: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeusbheld Posted March 8, 2009 Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 Thai Whiskey....Ooooh, never ever ever again!.. Was that a reason why you were carrying a woman's purse, walking around the bar for the whole bloody night? :shock: nah last time i saw D in New York he had a woman's purse too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle Posted March 8, 2009 Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 Thai Whiskey....Ooooh, never ever ever again!.. Was that a reason why you were carrying a woman's purse, walking around the bar for the whole bloody night? :shock: nah last time i saw D in New York he had a woman's purse too. he is sort of stylish , So ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuck Posted December 26, 2009 Report Share Posted December 26, 2009 Well in my experience in Thailand, drinks there are served with very little alcohol for example whisky with water is actually a glass almost full of water and a bit of whisky. True that I went drinking with my girl and her buddies the first time and smashed a bottle of black amongst us I didnt feel a thing as I was away at the pisser most of the time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalcat Posted December 26, 2009 Report Share Posted December 26, 2009 Thai Whiskey....Ooooh, never ever ever again!.. its actually Rum. a very foul tasting Rum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyphil247 Posted December 27, 2009 Report Share Posted December 27, 2009 Thai Whiskey....Ooooh, never ever ever again!.. its actually Rum. a very foul tasting Rum. Maybe he was referring to Mekong Whiskey? Though given a choice, I'd prefer Sangsom (Rum) as I actually quite like the taste, :oops: Also, double shots taste much better than single shots :wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crustyjuggler Posted December 27, 2009 Report Share Posted December 27, 2009 So for those of us who don't seem to have the enzyme, how exactly can we produce it? Or do we just suffer the flushing and headaches for eternity? I'm not a big drinker by far but I always ruin the following day after little amounts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renaldo Posted August 8, 2012 Report Share Posted August 8, 2012 (edited) Well in my experience in Thailand, drinks there are served with very little alcohol for example whisky with water is actually a glass almost full of water and a bit of whisky. The beers are widely served with ice and with the hot and humid weather there, the beer tends to be water also. fitness Des Moines Edited August 11, 2012 by renaldo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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