As many as one in two persons of Asian descent possess non-functional copies of the liver enzyme (ALDH-
2) needed to process acetaldehyde. Even a
single cocktail can lead to Asian flush, a painful and embarrassing condition resulting from acetaldehyde levels shooting up 6 to 20 times that of
people with normal ALDH-2. This burst of acetaldehyde triggers facial flushing, elevated
heart rate, headache, nausea, dizziness and vomiting.
Although most with this condition view it as a minor inconvenience, it has been suggested that those with alcohol flush reaction may be at higher risk for alcohol related conditions such as liver disease, asthma, and
cancer of the esophagus. Among flushers who are heavy drinkers the incidence of upper gastrointestinal tract
cancer is about 50 times higher than normal. Higher rates of head and neck
cancer have also been noted.
A functional shot/mixer supplement has garnered strong anecdotal evidence of efficacy against this condition. Google: "Cheerz IntellIShot Asian flush"