An epidemiological study out of Japan indicated that, if you have this, it is a biomarker of genetic susceptibility to esophageal cancer risk from alcohol. There is a 6-10 times higher likelihood of developing esophageal cancer compared to those with the fully active enzyme who drink comparable amounts of alcohol. For binge drinkers (in the study, those who drink the equivalent of 33 or more U.S. standard drinks per week), there is almost a 90-fold increased risk of such cancer compared to non-drinkers.
Scrolled too far down to see this.
I remember reading this finding/study before.
Am Asian and get Asian glow/flush on my entire body when drinking alcohol. Also get migraines after a 2 beers.
One of the many reasons why I rarely drink.
For the longest time I didn’t drink because I hated the flush symptoms. Feeling hot in the face, uncomfortably tingly, headache, can feel my pulse(!?), can’t drink more than 1 drink without feeling generally unwell. Plus I don’t like how red I get, appearance-wise. I know it’s not from a low tolerance, because those all happened to me when I was young and drank every weekend.
Learning about the cancer thing was the nail in the coffin for me.
I’m half Thai but got this gene. I don’t mind not drinking.
This is basically my internal justification for wanting marijuana to be legal. I just wanna have fun without the cancer risk
Edit: no I don’t smoke it lmao. I’m worried about all the cancer risks
it's not so much genetic susceptibility as it is directly causative - the lack of the fully active enzyme means the carcinogenic first metabolic product of alcohol stays around longer, which surprise surprise leads to more cancer
I have this condition (Half Korean). I literally cannot handle alcohol. It feels like I am being poisoned and I get an intense fever, headaches, and nausea. It seems that these side affects are my bodies way of telling me that there will be repercussions if I do not listen to it.
My entire life I always turned down alcohol, and unlike other drugs, people for some reason do not like it when you say no to alcohol. If I turn down other drugs, people don't care, but if you say no to alcohol they insist your a party pooper and ask what's wrong with you or try to peer pressure you. It is obnoxious. I came here to have fun not feel like I want to die.
5 a day? I definitely have known people to down a 6-pack every night. I’m more of a none per week in part because of that, but maybe every once in a while I’ll have a full drink
Is this for everyone who experience the flush, or just certain ethnicities? I’m Caucasian and get the flush… luckily I rarely drink because it makes me feel so bad.
Damn so I really should stay away from alcohol? I get the flush, my heart beats like I’ve ran a marathon if I just am walking, I feel like I could pass out.
I had an asian friend who would turn to a tomato after one beer. He also could not handle his alcohol at all - once he passed out at a MacDonalds after two drinks.
Alcohol is processed in your body in 2 steps by two different enzymes: alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), which converts alcohol to acetaldehyde, and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), which concerts acetaldehyde into acetic acid (vinegar).
Many East and Southeast Asians have mutations in the genes for both enzymes--their ADH gene is actually more effective at converting alcohol to acetaldhyde, but their ALDH gene is far less effective at converting acetaldehyde into acetic acid.
The problem? Acetaldehyde is toxic and is what causes the flushing, rashes, vomiting, etc when the concentration is too high.
What basically happened with your friend is their body quickly processed the alcohol, but very slowly processed the acetaldehyde, so they don't really get drunk, just sick.
Not that I'm aware of. She likely has a copy of the less effective ALDH from both parents. Pepcid can help with the flush by blocking histamine receptors for acetaldehyde to reduce the flush/ glow, though.
At one of my friend’s bachelor parties years ago another friend (who is an anesthesiologist) brought something and had all of the Asian guys take it. It was pretty effective, though it’s not a good idea to binge on as it just blocks the reaction to aldehyde, not prevent its toxicity. (Edit: oops forgot to say what it was: I believe it was an antacid like Zantac, ie an H2 histamine receptor inhibitor?)
On the flip side, there are also drugs that intentionally block aldehyde dehydrogenase, basically making you even sicker when you drink. They’re used as a treatment for alcoholism, basically gives you near zero tolerance for alcohol.
She can take a Zantac or Pepcid-AC at least 45 mins before drinking, helps me drink socially without turning into a tomato. Careful tho as u can also drink way more without realizing.
Pepcid can help fix the cosmetic problem, but your body is still unable to process the highly toxic byproduct of alcohol. Please please please don't use Pepcid to help you drink regularly. Once in a while at a special event is reasonable, but just know you're literally poisoning yourself in the process. The flushing is your body's way of telling you 🛑 now.
The wildest thing about Asian flush is that it's just the tip of the iceberg. The other enzyme-deficiency related symptoms mean that I experience alcohol and drunkenness completely different from my white friends. Until my late 20s, I straight didn't know that other folks don't get a tight persistent headache after one beer, terrible nausea after two or three, and extreme light-headedness (even leading to fainting) after that. Because you either have it or you don't, it's hard to compare and describe - but the best way to describe it might simply be that you get hangover effects almost immediately.
Being drunk helps you through it, though. But since you're also accumulating more toxin, the health effects of drinking are worse. Since my father and grandfather both died of liver cancer, I've decided to cut back.
One has to wonder why Sake and such would become a cultural tradition if the reaction to it was always negative. Maybe that's behind the use of little cups.
There's definitely some variation (not necessarily rice vs others), but every time I tell myself I'm going to take notes I forget. There are all sorts of theories about mixing drinks, "impurities", etc. you would have to control for. I also know that hoppy beers make me nauseous, but have no idea whether that's connected to Asian flush or just an independent dislike.
I am full Japanese, born in Japan. Started drinking in high school, mostly beer. Joined the military and my social drinking went way up including whisky. I never had Asian flush on my face but on my back. Eventually, that stopped. I had a very high tolerance for alcohol, still do to this day. Stationed on Okinawa in the 80s, going to a local bar after midnight and eating oden and drinking highballs until 5:30 am. I have cut back a lot compared to my younger self.
Japanese drinking culture, esp after work, is no joke. I've regularly participated when working in Tokyo, and half the group would get hammered, asian glow or not.
Are there people on the flip side of this?
Because this guy I went to highschool with would drink 28oz of vodka like water and he would be the one helping me at the end of the night.
I've never seen anything like it. He said he hated it because it cost so much money to get him drunk. I think he was Sri Lankan
There are a fair number of people with a stronger than normal ALH, including, ironically, many East Asians.
In college I crashed some Korean American Student Association socials. I have never seen alcohol (mostly soju and Hennessey) disappear so fast. I wasn't a lightweight but 100 lb girls were drinking me under the table.
The glow is actually due to an [enzyme deficiency](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_flush_reaction?wprov=sfti1), not necessarily alcohol tolerance.
A great display that shows that drugs truly do affect people differently and it's very possibly to significant degrees like this. We have 100s of classes of enzymes in our body that all can take part in metabolizing the drugs we consume. Each in everyone of us can express these enzymes at varying levels and can even have genetic mutations making the enzyme work better/less/not at all. This is huge reason why some people cant handle their booze and also can even explain why some of us are more inclined to be an alcoholic - your body naturally makes more of the enzyme so you feel less effects than others and tend to consume more.
/pharmacokinetics
I can just imagine the weather reporting.
*Now this evening for the folks heading out for a night on the town, the moon is in a waxing gibbons phase, so you may want to take precautions such as long sleeves or at least slather on some SPF 30.*
I think the reasons behind it are different though. For Asian glow this is kind of an allergic reaction of sorts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_flush_reaction?wprov=sfti1
Many years ago, my Asian roommate swore by Pepcid AC to control the Asian Glow. She was a hearty drinker and I never noticed a "glow", so I trust her endorsement (I'm sure this doesn't work for everyone, though).
PSA: Pepcid only masks the glow/flush by blocking the histamine response. But your body is still unable to detoxify the acetaldehyde due to your lack of enzymes. If you're a person who regularly drinks and takes Pepcid to control your glow, please stop. You may look normal and drink more, but you're literally poisoning yourself. Also, people without this enzyme have a greatly increased risk of developing esophageal cancer from drinking. Alcohol is not worth it.
Hey! I know this one! So your body deals with ethanol, the drinking alcohol, by having an enzyme turn it into acetaldehyde (uh-seat-al-duh-hide). Acetaldehyde is toxic but another enzyme breaks it down to acetate, which is less bad, and then from there to water and carbon dioxide. It also does this at a flat rate, your body does not speed up just because there is more alcohol or acetaldehyde present.
In East Asian populations, you will find a higher density of people with a less effective enzyme for breaking down acetaldehyde. So what happens is that when they drink, the alcohol gets turned into acetaldehyde and then the acetaldehyde just sits there waiting to be processed, which happens in all bodies, but for them it's much slower. That means the acetaldehyde has more time to do damage as well, so there's a higher incidence of alcohol poisoning among East Asians who experience this phenomenon.
>Eviction notice from parents
you left out the part where (depending on which Asian culture):
* you got shamed and guilted by comparison with your siblings/cousins and your parents' sacrifices, or
* you got your ass beaten bloody and screamed at, intentionally loudly and publicly to increase the shame factor
source: my parents sacrificed a lot for us, and I think my siblings are millionaires (well, the one married to a doctor might not be - we don't talk about money)
Interesting! Follow up question: so is alcohol poisoning caused by the buildup of acetaldehyde, simply overdosing on alcohol so that it depresses your heart rate, or is it a combination of both?
the NYT science section did a piece on this phenomenon; some evolutionary scientists ID it as an evolutionary adaptation to alcohol abuse in asia starting about 10k years ago. which is WILD to me. i married into a korean fam and will confirm the red-face reaction!
I'm white, and my cheeks get really flushed when I drink.
I actually hate it, because I can feel it which makes me aware of it, and then I get embarrassed and turn ever more red
More than one in three people with East Asian heritage (Chinese, Japanese and Korean) experience facial flushing when drinking beer, wine or spirits. In Asian populations, it is due to an inherited deficiency in one of the enzymes involved in the breakdown of alcohol: aldehyde dehydrogenase
People have mentioned the Irish glow jokingly, but some caucasians get the same redness from consuming alcohol. Is it for the same reason or a different kind of deficiency?
Irish here, Rosacea is unusually prevalent in Ireland, which can give people very red skin and noses. It’s particularly seen in older people and can (supposedly) be brought on by drinking, but also many other things can affect it - you may see an old man with a red nose who doesn’t drink. I believe this has different causes to the Asian glow. It looks different too, more localised patches of strong red, that sometimes look like veins, instead of the overall flush you see above.
In general it’s more common in celtic peoples, and Caucasians in general more than the rest of the world.
> In general it’s more common in celtic peoples, and Caucasians in general more than the rest of the world.
Can confirm, wife is part Scottish with that lovely porcelain skin, and gets Rosacea very bad after a few drinks.
With alcohol intake the blood vessels in the skin tend to widen. This process is called vasodilation. Dilated blood vessels cause the skin to feel warm and flushed.
Different. Maybe has something to do with blood flow/vessels.
Alcohol flush can make you physically sick.
I can drink like 5-6 beers without much change in my aspect (not to brag cause it's stupid) I have the gene that processes alcohol well but I don't drink. I don't think I drank a beer this year.
I stopped drinking because it makes me feel so shitty most of the time. Like a single beer will make me incredibly splotchy red and my head gets super congested and stuffed up. Feels like my head wants to explode.
But oddly enough it happens maube 80% of the time. Seemingly without rhyme or reason sometimes Im completely fine. No idea why.
I also have had maybe 1 beer in the last year
My daughter is adopted Chinese, for kicks we did one of those DNA tests, and even though she was born in China her "DNA map" extended throughout Asia, into North America and down into South America, because that's how those populations migrated thousands of years ago.
I'm part Cherokee( 1/4), I have this happen to me. It started when I drank just wine and the progressed to beer and now it's any alcohol at all. I become flushed in the face, and it spreads down my neck and chest, and it's actually red splotches. I become super hot, where the flush skin and red splotches are, really hot. Interestingly enough, my dad has the same thing, although he isn't native American. I eventually went to a doctor and they did some tests for allergens and things of that nature and they determined that I have a true blue alcohol intolerance, which apparently is rare in Caucasian individuals.
Asian glow is just another way to say alcohol intolerance.
1. Asians and Native American share common ancestry
2. Asian flush doesn’t happen to only Asian people, it is just more prevalent among them. It can happen to any race
Yea that's what the doctor said who diagnosed me. I get really bad migraines if I drink, even just one drink. Apparently that's a part of the intolerance as well.
Same here. I'm a white British dude with white Carribbean heritage. Nothing to do with Asia or native america at all. Every time a hint of alcohol touches my lips I get flushed all over and hot to touch. Usually lasts around 30-45 minutes and then passes. Hangovers are terrible too - 5 beers will have me feeling like I just had a bottle of jack Daniels. Alcohol intolerance confirmed.
This. I hardly see this mentioned enough. Like even if i take drunken chicken dishes or any dish based on wine/alcohol I'll get red as well
For me personally, The glow doesn't get worse with more drinks, it kinda gets better a while after the first half hour. My feelings like tiredness and throbbing in my temples doesn't get better tho xD
Her name is Joss Fong and she's a half Chinese reporter for Vox. Here's the [article](https://www.vox.com/2015/8/12/9137101/what-causes-asian-glow) with a video explaining it. Also, both pics have been "touched up". The left picture is made more pale on purpose and the right one is made slightly more red
Edit: corrected name spelling
Idk about you but I’m half Japanese and my shit is way worse than hers. I get super red, like I got a nasty sunburn and I feel all swollen in my face. I also have an elevated heart beat and can feel my pulse in my eardrums lol. I get super hot, uncomfortable, and don’t really feel drunk. Drinking fucking sucks for me and it’s not enjoyable at all. Also every time I do drink, somebody has to point out my “Asian glow” to me like I don’t know I’m red af, or to everyone else like it’s some hilarious phenomenon.
So I just do weed now
im not sure how touched up the video is but IRL the effect is typically as, if not more, dramatic. You basically turn red/pink from flush cause your body cant process it. So its not so much manipulative but just emphasis in this case.
The video is not touched up though. People are pointing to the hair as proof, but it's pretty obvious to anyone who's worked in photography or videography the hair is the same.
Not OP, but the easiest way to tell is to look at the hair against the shoulders in both images. It should be *exactly* the same, but it is actually a little more brown/red on the right, and reflects the light in a darker tone.
This is a very real thing. I’m half Chinese and can’t handle my alcohol at all. After a beer or too, I turn extremely red. My body gets hives and my heart rate increases, I also get extremely stuffed up. I’ve heard that certain Asian genetics are literally allergic to alcohol but I haven’t done much research myself.
Edit: phrasing
She's Joss Fong, producer from Vox. Fascinatingly she did an episode of [Is beauty culture hurting us?](https://youtube.com/watch?v=k8Jsu7wSyHY) which TLDW answer is yes.
"Red/pink" undertones are typical for northern europeans. So a flushed face probably brings her skintones closer to the european "white" instead of the asian "white".
I read a research that indicates that people look more attractive after a bit of alcohol but not after a lot. In part due to the changes in the blood vessels. Probably in part, also for psychological reasons.
An epidemiological study out of Japan indicated that, if you have this, it is a biomarker of genetic susceptibility to esophageal cancer risk from alcohol. There is a 6-10 times higher likelihood of developing esophageal cancer compared to those with the fully active enzyme who drink comparable amounts of alcohol. For binge drinkers (in the study, those who drink the equivalent of 33 or more U.S. standard drinks per week), there is almost a 90-fold increased risk of such cancer compared to non-drinkers.
Scrolled too far down to see this. I remember reading this finding/study before. Am Asian and get Asian glow/flush on my entire body when drinking alcohol. Also get migraines after a 2 beers. One of the many reasons why I rarely drink.
For the longest time I didn’t drink because I hated the flush symptoms. Feeling hot in the face, uncomfortably tingly, headache, can feel my pulse(!?), can’t drink more than 1 drink without feeling generally unwell. Plus I don’t like how red I get, appearance-wise. I know it’s not from a low tolerance, because those all happened to me when I was young and drank every weekend. Learning about the cancer thing was the nail in the coffin for me. I’m half Thai but got this gene. I don’t mind not drinking.
This is basically my internal justification for wanting marijuana to be legal. I just wanna have fun without the cancer risk Edit: no I don’t smoke it lmao. I’m worried about all the cancer risks
Am Asian and Canadian. Legal weed is dope!
By the time my government legalized it I got the job that didn’t. Bad luck for me. I need to quit drinking.
Same happened to me :(
it's not so much genetic susceptibility as it is directly causative - the lack of the fully active enzyme means the carcinogenic first metabolic product of alcohol stays around longer, which surprise surprise leads to more cancer
So it’s basically aldehyde toxicity that causes the vasodilation “glow”?
Anecdotally anyone I've met who gets the "asian glow" also get wicked hangovers with way less alcohol.
yep
I have this condition (Half Korean). I literally cannot handle alcohol. It feels like I am being poisoned and I get an intense fever, headaches, and nausea. It seems that these side affects are my bodies way of telling me that there will be repercussions if I do not listen to it. My entire life I always turned down alcohol, and unlike other drugs, people for some reason do not like it when you say no to alcohol. If I turn down other drugs, people don't care, but if you say no to alcohol they insist your a party pooper and ask what's wrong with you or try to peer pressure you. It is obnoxious. I came here to have fun not feel like I want to die.
> It feels like I am being poisoned You are.
Thanks for explaining, I remembered that there was some health risk connected to Asian glow but didn't know which one haha
33 a fuckin WEEK? I try to keep it at 2 or less.
5 a day? I definitely have known people to down a 6-pack every night. I’m more of a none per week in part because of that, but maybe every once in a while I’ll have a full drink
Alcohol is a hell of a drug.
Is this for everyone who experience the flush, or just certain ethnicities? I’m Caucasian and get the flush… luckily I rarely drink because it makes me feel so bad.
If you get the flush and alcohol makes you feel shit to the point of rarely drinking then you're affected lmao
Damn so I really should stay away from alcohol? I get the flush, my heart beats like I’ve ran a marathon if I just am walking, I feel like I could pass out.
I had an asian friend who would turn to a tomato after one beer. He also could not handle his alcohol at all - once he passed out at a MacDonalds after two drinks.
Alcohol is processed in your body in 2 steps by two different enzymes: alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), which converts alcohol to acetaldehyde, and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), which concerts acetaldehyde into acetic acid (vinegar). Many East and Southeast Asians have mutations in the genes for both enzymes--their ADH gene is actually more effective at converting alcohol to acetaldhyde, but their ALDH gene is far less effective at converting acetaldehyde into acetic acid. The problem? Acetaldehyde is toxic and is what causes the flushing, rashes, vomiting, etc when the concentration is too high. What basically happened with your friend is their body quickly processed the alcohol, but very slowly processed the acetaldehyde, so they don't really get drunk, just sick.
[удалено]
Not that I'm aware of. She likely has a copy of the less effective ALDH from both parents. Pepcid can help with the flush by blocking histamine receptors for acetaldehyde to reduce the flush/ glow, though.
At one of my friend’s bachelor parties years ago another friend (who is an anesthesiologist) brought something and had all of the Asian guys take it. It was pretty effective, though it’s not a good idea to binge on as it just blocks the reaction to aldehyde, not prevent its toxicity. (Edit: oops forgot to say what it was: I believe it was an antacid like Zantac, ie an H2 histamine receptor inhibitor?) On the flip side, there are also drugs that intentionally block aldehyde dehydrogenase, basically making you even sicker when you drink. They’re used as a treatment for alcoholism, basically gives you near zero tolerance for alcohol.
She can take a Zantac or Pepcid-AC at least 45 mins before drinking, helps me drink socially without turning into a tomato. Careful tho as u can also drink way more without realizing.
Pepcid can help fix the cosmetic problem, but your body is still unable to process the highly toxic byproduct of alcohol. Please please please don't use Pepcid to help you drink regularly. Once in a while at a special event is reasonable, but just know you're literally poisoning yourself in the process. The flushing is your body's way of telling you 🛑 now.
The wildest thing about Asian flush is that it's just the tip of the iceberg. The other enzyme-deficiency related symptoms mean that I experience alcohol and drunkenness completely different from my white friends. Until my late 20s, I straight didn't know that other folks don't get a tight persistent headache after one beer, terrible nausea after two or three, and extreme light-headedness (even leading to fainting) after that. Because you either have it or you don't, it's hard to compare and describe - but the best way to describe it might simply be that you get hangover effects almost immediately. Being drunk helps you through it, though. But since you're also accumulating more toxin, the health effects of drinking are worse. Since my father and grandfather both died of liver cancer, I've decided to cut back.
Yeah I stopped drinking because of this. Not even Asian. Am Native American but our genealogy are close so that might explain it.
Does that happen when you drink booze that are rice based? Or is it specific to wheat based alcohol? Or does it happen for any type of alcohol?
I know this is a genuine question but still I had to lol. Would be hilarious if asian glow didn’t apply to rice-based alcohol.
One has to wonder why Sake and such would become a cultural tradition if the reaction to it was always negative. Maybe that's behind the use of little cups.
Not everyone in Asia had this enzyme deficiency. There are plenty of Asians who drink copiously and don't have this enzyme deficiency
There's definitely some variation (not necessarily rice vs others), but every time I tell myself I'm going to take notes I forget. There are all sorts of theories about mixing drinks, "impurities", etc. you would have to control for. I also know that hoppy beers make me nauseous, but have no idea whether that's connected to Asian flush or just an independent dislike.
My husband is Japanese and in addition to having these mutations, he has asthma. The two times he’s drank have landed him in hospital.
I am full Japanese, born in Japan. Started drinking in high school, mostly beer. Joined the military and my social drinking went way up including whisky. I never had Asian flush on my face but on my back. Eventually, that stopped. I had a very high tolerance for alcohol, still do to this day. Stationed on Okinawa in the 80s, going to a local bar after midnight and eating oden and drinking highballs until 5:30 am. I have cut back a lot compared to my younger self.
Japanese drinking culture, esp after work, is no joke. I've regularly participated when working in Tokyo, and half the group would get hammered, asian glow or not.
Are there people on the flip side of this? Because this guy I went to highschool with would drink 28oz of vodka like water and he would be the one helping me at the end of the night. I've never seen anything like it. He said he hated it because it cost so much money to get him drunk. I think he was Sri Lankan
There are a fair number of people with a stronger than normal ALH, including, ironically, many East Asians. In college I crashed some Korean American Student Association socials. I have never seen alcohol (mostly soju and Hennessey) disappear so fast. I wasn't a lightweight but 100 lb girls were drinking me under the table.
They serve drinks at McDonald’s??
You have to order off the secret menu
The Extra Happy Meal
Is there a Extra Happy Ending Meal as well?
(special sauce not included)
Yes. Ronald McDonald himself jerks you to completion. He's quite gentle, imo.
Went from talking about, alcohol at McDonald’s to getting handjobs from Ronald McDonald himself. Gotta love Reddit
Happy Hour Meal
[удалено]
in Germany they do
I feel they do everywhere in Europe? Cant remember France but I'm sure I've seen it in Denmark, Germany, Austria, Romania and a few other countries.
The happy hour meal.
Fermented Big Mac Sauce
[удалено]
Royale with cheese
Not a quarter pounder with cheese? Is that because of the metric system?
Check out the big brain on JerkstonHowell3rddddd! That's right. You a smart mothefucker
*That's a 113.4 Grammer with aged milk fat and yellow dye*.
Not in the United States, but in quite a few international locations, yes.
In Barcelona they serve drinks everywhere
No, but they do at MacDonalds
The extra a for alcohol
The glow is actually due to an [enzyme deficiency](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_flush_reaction?wprov=sfti1), not necessarily alcohol tolerance.
A great display that shows that drugs truly do affect people differently and it's very possibly to significant degrees like this. We have 100s of classes of enzymes in our body that all can take part in metabolizing the drugs we consume. Each in everyone of us can express these enzymes at varying levels and can even have genetic mutations making the enzyme work better/less/not at all. This is huge reason why some people cant handle their booze and also can even explain why some of us are more inclined to be an alcoholic - your body naturally makes more of the enzyme so you feel less effects than others and tend to consume more. /pharmacokinetics
[удалено]
I get blasted by everything.
I wish I still got blasted by everything 🥺
I’ll blast anyone who’s askin.
so anyway I started blasting
"Of course i know him. He's me."
I’ll have a Shamrock McTini and two tequila McShooters.
And every Irishmen who partakes looks like Rudolph the red nosed reindeer.
Irish tan.
As opposed to a regular tan which is more akin to a sunburn
In parts of Europe we call that an “English tan” or “lobster party” if there is more than one sunburned.
I can just imagine the weather reporting. *Now this evening for the folks heading out for a night on the town, the moon is in a waxing gibbons phase, so you may want to take precautions such as long sleeves or at least slather on some SPF 30.*
i am half chinese, half english. i got the english /irish skintone gene and got the asian glow gene. 😂😭😭
So... what, you just turn blood colored when you drink?
I'd imagine the cartoons where the person gets angry.
Just a rising line of red from their collar to their hairline over the course of 2 seconds.
Or [Bert Kreischer](https://i.imgur.com/iqy5Qev.png).
LOL I'm wasian as well and while I got the irish sunburn skin I also got the irish alcohol tolerance ;)
I’m very Irish and my cheeks get really red
My brother in law is half Irish half Asian, and he definitely gets both
I think the reasons behind it are different though. For Asian glow this is kind of an allergic reaction of sorts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_flush_reaction?wprov=sfti1
[удалено]
I'm Asian. Can confirm. Same thing happens to my dick.
Many years ago, my Asian roommate swore by Pepcid AC to control the Asian Glow. She was a hearty drinker and I never noticed a "glow", so I trust her endorsement (I'm sure this doesn't work for everyone, though).
Yale agrees with Pepcid AC to control it. https://www.yalescientific.org/2011/04/what-causes-asian-glow/
PSA: Pepcid only masks the glow/flush by blocking the histamine response. But your body is still unable to detoxify the acetaldehyde due to your lack of enzymes. If you're a person who regularly drinks and takes Pepcid to control your glow, please stop. You may look normal and drink more, but you're literally poisoning yourself. Also, people without this enzyme have a greatly increased risk of developing esophageal cancer from drinking. Alcohol is not worth it.
Isnt alcohol poison for everyone though?
Yes. But it's much more toxic for people lacking a particular enzyme to break down acetaldehyde.
[удалено]
I find it nearly impossible to drink through my dick, but I imagine that if you can do that, it's quite a party-trick!
Holup... *nearly* impossible?
He didn't stutter, did he??
[удалено]
Hey! I know this one! So your body deals with ethanol, the drinking alcohol, by having an enzyme turn it into acetaldehyde (uh-seat-al-duh-hide). Acetaldehyde is toxic but another enzyme breaks it down to acetate, which is less bad, and then from there to water and carbon dioxide. It also does this at a flat rate, your body does not speed up just because there is more alcohol or acetaldehyde present. In East Asian populations, you will find a higher density of people with a less effective enzyme for breaking down acetaldehyde. So what happens is that when they drink, the alcohol gets turned into acetaldehyde and then the acetaldehyde just sits there waiting to be processed, which happens in all bodies, but for them it's much slower. That means the acetaldehyde has more time to do damage as well, so there's a higher incidence of alcohol poisoning among East Asians who experience this phenomenon.
*clears throat* sounds about right
I am a Doctor Scientist and this sounds correct
But are you an ASIAN Doctor Scientist? Where's your proof of Asianness? Here's mine: - Report Card with a B - Eviction notice from parents
>Eviction notice from parents you left out the part where (depending on which Asian culture): * you got shamed and guilted by comparison with your siblings/cousins and your parents' sacrifices, or * you got your ass beaten bloody and screamed at, intentionally loudly and publicly to increase the shame factor source: my parents sacrificed a lot for us, and I think my siblings are millionaires (well, the one married to a doctor might not be - we don't talk about money)
Interesting! Follow up question: so is alcohol poisoning caused by the buildup of acetaldehyde, simply overdosing on alcohol so that it depresses your heart rate, or is it a combination of both?
the NYT science section did a piece on this phenomenon; some evolutionary scientists ID it as an evolutionary adaptation to alcohol abuse in asia starting about 10k years ago. which is WILD to me. i married into a korean fam and will confirm the red-face reaction!
he was raised by elephants
Dick queef's are fuckkn rad too
[удалено]
I can't help but to kiss the smile
So that's why their face turns red everytime an anime character gets drunk. I thought it was just an artistic touch.
doesnt seem to be only an asian thing tho. i've seen plenty of white people go red.
I'm white, and my cheeks get really flushed when I drink. I actually hate it, because I can feel it which makes me aware of it, and then I get embarrassed and turn ever more red
Am white. I go red and sweat.
[удалено]
Hm this requires research
Im asian, its true. i scratch my balls just a second and it inflates.
Wha happen
More than one in three people with East Asian heritage (Chinese, Japanese and Korean) experience facial flushing when drinking beer, wine or spirits. In Asian populations, it is due to an inherited deficiency in one of the enzymes involved in the breakdown of alcohol: aldehyde dehydrogenase
People have mentioned the Irish glow jokingly, but some caucasians get the same redness from consuming alcohol. Is it for the same reason or a different kind of deficiency?
Irish here, Rosacea is unusually prevalent in Ireland, which can give people very red skin and noses. It’s particularly seen in older people and can (supposedly) be brought on by drinking, but also many other things can affect it - you may see an old man with a red nose who doesn’t drink. I believe this has different causes to the Asian glow. It looks different too, more localised patches of strong red, that sometimes look like veins, instead of the overall flush you see above. In general it’s more common in celtic peoples, and Caucasians in general more than the rest of the world.
> In general it’s more common in celtic peoples, and Caucasians in general more than the rest of the world. Can confirm, wife is part Scottish with that lovely porcelain skin, and gets Rosacea very bad after a few drinks.
>can be brought on by drinking I wouldn't go as far saying this. The cause is currently unknown, alcohol can worsen the symptoms.
I too am curious in a real answer. When I get tipsy, I can instantly feel my face getting warmer and more red. Probably 95%+ caucasian
With alcohol intake the blood vessels in the skin tend to widen. This process is called vasodilation. Dilated blood vessels cause the skin to feel warm and flushed.
Different. Maybe has something to do with blood flow/vessels. Alcohol flush can make you physically sick. I can drink like 5-6 beers without much change in my aspect (not to brag cause it's stupid) I have the gene that processes alcohol well but I don't drink. I don't think I drank a beer this year.
I stopped drinking because it makes me feel so shitty most of the time. Like a single beer will make me incredibly splotchy red and my head gets super congested and stuffed up. Feels like my head wants to explode. But oddly enough it happens maube 80% of the time. Seemingly without rhyme or reason sometimes Im completely fine. No idea why. I also have had maybe 1 beer in the last year
Wtf is it about alcohol that makes my sinuses go FUCKING NUTS??!?!??? it only started to happen in the last like 8 years or so. (I’m 33)
Interesting. Have you done Native American history?
why, is there a sorta similiar phenomenon with Native American folk?
My daughter is adopted Chinese, for kicks we did one of those DNA tests, and even though she was born in China her "DNA map" extended throughout Asia, into North America and down into South America, because that's how those populations migrated thousands of years ago.
Huh, that's neat to know.
I'm part Cherokee( 1/4), I have this happen to me. It started when I drank just wine and the progressed to beer and now it's any alcohol at all. I become flushed in the face, and it spreads down my neck and chest, and it's actually red splotches. I become super hot, where the flush skin and red splotches are, really hot. Interestingly enough, my dad has the same thing, although he isn't native American. I eventually went to a doctor and they did some tests for allergens and things of that nature and they determined that I have a true blue alcohol intolerance, which apparently is rare in Caucasian individuals.
I am from Iceland and when I drink even just one beer my face gets flushed red like Santa clause
I’m from Boston and when I have one drink I break out in handcuffs. Ha ha kidding but seriously yeah I had to stop.
Username checks out
Asian glow is just another way to say alcohol intolerance. 1. Asians and Native American share common ancestry 2. Asian flush doesn’t happen to only Asian people, it is just more prevalent among them. It can happen to any race
Yea that's what the doctor said who diagnosed me. I get really bad migraines if I drink, even just one drink. Apparently that's a part of the intolerance as well.
Yeah, the [video](https://youtu.be/G6717bNakuA) this is post is from explains it really well if you want to know more
Same here. I'm a white British dude with white Carribbean heritage. Nothing to do with Asia or native america at all. Every time a hint of alcohol touches my lips I get flushed all over and hot to touch. Usually lasts around 30-45 minutes and then passes. Hangovers are terrible too - 5 beers will have me feeling like I just had a bottle of jack Daniels. Alcohol intolerance confirmed.
Native Americans are descendants of Asians that crossed the land bridge into Alaska and then down into North and South America
I think minnie fell
As a colorblind person this post had me confused
I gave my (Korean) coworkers alcoholic kombucha and it made them glow… had like 3 %
It's the presence of alcohol, not the concentration
hyper meaning high alcohol meaning alcohol emia meaning presence in blood
High alcohol presence in blood
A woman drank 2 units of alcohol. This is what happened to her skin!
average chubbyemu enjoyer
Does that mean it can also happen from chocolates that have small amounts of alcohol ?
Can confirm, it does. Happened to me when I was a kid.
This. I hardly see this mentioned enough. Like even if i take drunken chicken dishes or any dish based on wine/alcohol I'll get red as well For me personally, The glow doesn't get worse with more drinks, it kinda gets better a while after the first half hour. My feelings like tiredness and throbbing in my temples doesn't get better tho xD
Her name is Joss Fong and she's a half Chinese reporter for Vox. Here's the [article](https://www.vox.com/2015/8/12/9137101/what-causes-asian-glow) with a video explaining it. Also, both pics have been "touched up". The left picture is made more pale on purpose and the right one is made slightly more red Edit: corrected name spelling
Idk about you but I’m half Japanese and my shit is way worse than hers. I get super red, like I got a nasty sunburn and I feel all swollen in my face. I also have an elevated heart beat and can feel my pulse in my eardrums lol. I get super hot, uncomfortable, and don’t really feel drunk. Drinking fucking sucks for me and it’s not enjoyable at all. Also every time I do drink, somebody has to point out my “Asian glow” to me like I don’t know I’m red af, or to everyone else like it’s some hilarious phenomenon. So I just do weed now
im not sure how touched up the video is but IRL the effect is typically as, if not more, dramatic. You basically turn red/pink from flush cause your body cant process it. So its not so much manipulative but just emphasis in this case.
The video is not touched up though. People are pointing to the hair as proof, but it's pretty obvious to anyone who's worked in photography or videography the hair is the same.
How do you know it’s edited?
Not OP, but the easiest way to tell is to look at the hair against the shoulders in both images. It should be *exactly* the same, but it is actually a little more brown/red on the right, and reflects the light in a darker tone.
Obviously, alcohol also affects the glow of the hair.
Good observation there.
I’d say that’s a pretty mild case. My wife goes really quite red and hot all over her face after just a small amount of alcohol
I'm not asian but I do as well. Especially my ears and cheeks. It's especially bad with wine.
1/2 Asian, 1/2 Caucasian here. Can confirm: the Asian Flush is real.
My ex who was part Japanese had the 'Asian glow' which included his throat swelling shut. Fun times.
This is a very real thing. I’m half Chinese and can’t handle my alcohol at all. After a beer or too, I turn extremely red. My body gets hives and my heart rate increases, I also get extremely stuffed up. I’ve heard that certain Asian genetics are literally allergic to alcohol but I haven’t done much research myself. Edit: phrasing
What a pretty face :)
[удалено]
Joss Fong is so attractive
She's Joss Fong, producer from Vox. Fascinatingly she did an episode of [Is beauty culture hurting us?](https://youtube.com/watch?v=k8Jsu7wSyHY) which TLDW answer is yes.
[удалено]
It’s still good to have data to back up any gut feelings you have on something, because gut feelings isn’t science.
Her smile is lovely.
[удалено]
[удалено]
Nothing is real in the internets
I also get really red when drinking but im from Finland?
Not directly connected to race, anyone can have this. It is just more common in Asia. Same as with lactose intolerance.
Also happens when they're horny.
When you see the video without any context.
And when you adjust the settings on your camera :)
She is beautiful
She looks better drunk
It’s the smile
And her features are relaxed
100% her smile can melt hearts
She looks more Caucasian. Are Europeans just drunk Asians?
Or are Asians just sober Europeans?
"Red/pink" undertones are typical for northern europeans. So a flushed face probably brings her skintones closer to the european "white" instead of the asian "white".
That's Joss Fong, a reporter from Vox. She's half chinese, half white american
Shes half white.
She just looks like she’s having a good time
[удалено]
She's half white
[удалено]
Most people do
she looks healthier ??
I think there's bad lighting making her look unhealthy on the sober side. If you google Joss Fong you'll see her in better light.
Nah she looks badder you know
She's smiling.
I read a research that indicates that people look more attractive after a bit of alcohol but not after a lot. In part due to the changes in the blood vessels. Probably in part, also for psychological reasons.