Alcohol allergy, to be precise, should be called alcohol intolerance. It belongs to a kind of food intolerance, due to the lack of the enzyme acetaldehyde dehydrogenase involved in the metabolism of alcohol (also known as ethanol), so that ethanol metabolism product acetaldehyde in the body to accumulate, the whole body of blood vessels, nerves, muscle tissues, etc. to produce stimulation or even toxic damage and trigger a series of adverse reactions.

We often refer to alcohol allergy as a broad sensitivity, which belongs to alcohol intolerance, rather than an allergic reaction (i.e., metamorphosis). An allergic reaction is a pathological reaction caused by an antigen (usually a large molecule such as a protein), mainly independent of the amount or dose of the antigen, and a small amount of exposure can cause an allergic reaction, or even a small amount can cause severe anaphylactic shock. Alcohol (ethanol) and its metabolite acetaldehyde are small-molecule chemicals whose adverse effects on the body's tissues are related to the amount ingested; the more alcohol consumed, the more severe the adverse effects.

Alcohol intolerance can be determined by the appearance of red face, dizziness, nausea and other discomforts after drinking alcohol, and the various discomforts become more and more serious as the amount of alcohol consumed increases. The root cause of alcohol intolerance is the accumulation of acetaldehyde in the body after drinking alcohol. Mild can subside on its own, no special treatment, if necessary, general internal medicine; such as rash, can also be treated in the dermatology department; severe acetaldehyde poisoning, resulting in respiratory, mental and behavioral abnormalities, need immediate emergency department treatment.

The only way to avoid the symptoms of alcohol intolerance is to avoid drinking alcohol or alcohol components. Alcohol intolerance is actually a protective response. Because the underlying cause is that acetaldehyde is not metabolized well in the bodies of these individuals who consume alcohol, the body alerts and prevents these individuals from ingesting more alcohol through a series of adverse reactions, thus avoiding the toxic effects of acetaldehyde on the tissues and organs. Alcohol intolerance is a genetically determined individual constitution that focuses on prevention and cannot be cured.

If you have alcohol intolerance, it is recommended that you try to avoid drinking alcohol or foods containing alcohol. If drinking alcohol intolerance symptoms, in addition to stop drinking alcohol, should be accompanied by observation of changes in symptoms; drink more water to dilute the concentration of acetaldehyde in the blood, reduce the stimulation of acetaldehyde on the body. Vomiting people, do not lie flat, try to lie on the side to avoid vomiting suffocation.