Drinking alcohol can give you a great buzz, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some side effects. One of the more well-known and discussed effects of drinking is having an Asian Glow (also called Asian Flush) reaction.
Learn about the science behind why you have a red or flushed face when consuming alcohol. Most importantly, learn how to prevent the glow or if you already have it, how to eliminate it.
(photo credit: Alcohol Flushing Response wikimedia)
Asian glow refers to the reddish color, or called lobster-red face, which appears on the face after a person drinks alcohol or has allergic reactions. A typical asian flush reaction is characterized by flushing of the upper body including the neck and face after drinking alcoholic beverages. It's a reddish color may increase in intensity, and red blotches can appear on different parts of the skin of those suffering.
The accumulation of acetaldehyde from drinking alcohol is what causes asian glow, which is blood vessels dilating, and therefore the face to turning red. Asian glow (asian flush) is a genetic trait that is caused by a deficiency in an enzyme called aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2). Acetaldehyde is shown to be actually more dangerous than alcohol itself.
Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) is the enzyme that help metabolizes alcohol and Asian Glow (Asian Flush) occurs when acetaldehyde accumulates in the body because a person doesn't have enough of the enzyme needed to break it down into harmless
Asian Flush occurs in many people whose ancestry is primarily of East Asian descent. Asians have a lower tolerance for alcohol than Caucasians and African Americans. This is due to the difference in their levels of the enzyme Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2), the condition is called an ALDH2 deficiency. It is estimated that approximately 35%-40% of East Asians (Chinese, Japanese and Korean) experience some form of Asian Glow when they drink alcohol in moderate amounts.
The symptoms of this Asian Glow reaction can include much more than just turning red. Here's a list of what symptoms or reactions you may see:
To avoid the embarrassment of getting a red face, many Asians will not drink without alcohol. Many don't know there's pills and tablets to help With Asian Glow.
Asian Glow or Asian Flush pills are a natural solution for relieving the symptoms. The most reliable and studied ingredient in Asian Glow Pills is the herb Hovenia Dulcis (also called Japanese Raisin), which contains the popularly known flavonoid named Dihydromyricetin (DHM). Hovenia Dulcis (DHM) has been used in traditional Chinese Medicine for alcohol, hangovers and liver detoxification for hundreds of years.
Science has proved in a 1999 study which suggests Hovenia Dulcis can increase the activity of two enzymes, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) — which both help break down alcohol in your body.
Hovenia Dulcis will then help Asian Glow by its ability to work on reducing the amount of acetaldehyde produced when alcohol is broken down in your liver. Particularly helping with the Asian Glow aldehyde dehydrogenase deficiency. This allows individuals to process alcohol more efficiently and lessen, minimize or avoid that flushing sensation on their face, neck and chest area.
Asian Glow pills can be taken either before or after drinking alcohol, depending on which time of day it is being consumed and how quickly an individual would like to experience relief from their symptoms. However, it is best to take the supplement before drinking alcohol, and then even more at bedtime.
Hopefully, after reading this post you now have a much better understanding of what causes the Asian Glow reaction. In addition, we explored one reliable way to help prevent this redness from ever occurring in the first place.
Asian Glow pills containing Hovenia Dulcis can be a very effective and harmless way to reduce the severity of these issues. If you’re looking for such a solution that's natural without harmful side effects, give them a shot.
Are you looking for an easy way to take Hovenia Dulcis? Try our great-tasting Recovery Chewables!
SOURCES:
1. Alcohol Allergies
https://www.healthline.com/health/allergies/alcohol
2. Semen Hoveniae extract protects against acute alcohol-induced liver injury in mice
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20673184/
3. Hovenia dulcis
https://examine.com/supplements/hovenia-dulcis/research/
4. The Alcohol Flushing Response: An Unrecognized Risk Factor for Esophageal Cancer from Alcohol Consumption
https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1000050
