How do you know if you have a beer allergy?
Allergy to beer is a rare medical condition. To better understand this situation, let's listen to the advice of a dermatologist at SignsSymptomsList!
How do you know if you have a beer allergy?
Beer is a drink often found on the party table on special occasions. Drinking beer makes the atmosphere more lively and many studies show that drinking beer in moderation has health benefits. Cases of allergies to beer are not many.
However, if strange symptoms appear after drinking beer, people should know if they are allergic or not to have appropriate treatment. To better understand this situation, let's listen to the advice of a dermatologist at SignsSymptomsList!
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- 1. What is a beer allergy?
- 2. What causes beer allergy?
- 3. Manifestations of beer allergy?
- 4. Diagnosing beer allergy?
1. What is a beer allergy?
What is a beer allergy?
Beer is an alcoholic beverage produced by fermentation. The main ingredient of beer is water, accounting for 80-90%. In addition, in beer there are many other ingredients such as barley, hops, yeast and flavorings.
When you are allergic to one or more ingredients in beer, you will be allergic to beer. However, this condition is rare. Then there will be symptoms in the skin and other organs.
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2. What causes beer allergy?
To understand why, we first need to know how the body processes beer. The alcohol in beer, after entering the body, will be processed in the liver. This process is done in two stages. First, the body secretes an enzyme called Alcohol dehydrogenase that converts alcohol into a toxic substance called Acetaldehyde. Then, another enzyme called Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2) is secreted, which will help convert toxic Acetaldehyde into safe acetic acid for the body. So the reasons that cause you to have an allergic reaction when using beer are:
2.1. Lack of alcohol metabolizing enzyme
When the body lacks the enzyme Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2), it will not convert Acetaldehyde (toxic) into Acetic Acid (safe). This leads to Acetaldehyde accumulation and damage to the body's organs.
Statistics show that Asians often lack this enzyme ALDH2. Therefore, allergies after drinking beer are more likely to occur in Asians than in other continents.
2.2. Allergy to ingredients in beer
In beer, besides water, there are many other ingredients. Allergy to one or more of these ingredients will cause an allergic reaction to beer.
Observational studies show that people with allergies or asthma, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, etc. will be susceptible to allergies when using beer.
2.3. Related to food allergy
People who are sensitive to a certain food will not experience serious symptoms when eating it. But when used with beer, there are allergic symptoms.
3. Manifestations of beer allergy?
Signs of skin allergy to beer
When an allergy occurs, symptoms appear very quickly. Allergic manifestations in the skin and other organs will appear almost immediately or within a few hours after ingestion. These symptoms can resemble a normal allergic reaction to a food, which is:
- Blush
- Itchy eyes, nose, mouth
- Rash, urticaria with itchy skin
- Nausea, vomiting
- Stomachache
- Diarrhea
- Wheezing, wheezing or difficulty breathing
- Low blood pressure causing dizziness, fainting
Allergic reactions do not depend on how much beer you drink. That is, you don't have to drink a lot of beer to cause an allergy. At that time, people with sensitive terrain can also be allergic to just 10 ml of beer.
4. Diagnosing beer allergy?
To accurately diagnose you with this allergic condition, doctors rely on the following factors, symptoms, and tests.
4.1. Suggestion factor
People with sensitive terrain, asthma, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis ... will be prone to allergies when using beer.
4.2. Symptom
Symptoms of rash, red skin, itching, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, difficulty breathing ... appear after drinking beer suggest an allergic condition.
4.3. Test
A patch test may be performed to look for allergic factors. Patch test is a test that uses a patch containing ingredients found in beer and applied to the skin. When there are symptoms of dermatitis at the paste site, it shows that the patient is allergic to this ingredient in beer.
A blood test that measures the level of IgE antibodies can help your doctor make an accurate diagnosis. However, if the test is positive, it just says that your body is having an allergic reaction to something. The test does not help determine if the allergic reaction occurred due to the beer.
Allergy to beer is a rare medical condition. Allergic reactions after drinking beer can be mild or very severe. Many of us are still confused about how to deal with this situation ourselves or a loved one. Please continue with SignsSymptomsList to learn how to treat and prevent effectively through the article " What to do when you have a beer allergy "!
Doctor Vo Thi Ngoc Hien
