Subjective feelings of alcohol intoxication in Asians with genetic variations of ALDH2 alleles.

Asian-American men who possess ALDH22 alleles and who experience a facial flush after consuming alcohol were carefully matched on drinking history and demographic variables with nonflushing Asian males with only ALDH21 alleles. Each man was tested following placebo and a challenge dose of 0.75 ml/kg alcohol. Following alcohol, flushers reported experiencing significantly more positive feelings of intoxication than nonflushers, despite equivalent blood alcohol concentrations. These data suggest that Asians who flush after drinking, particularly those with ALDH21/22 genotype, have a more intense, although not necessarily a more negative, response to alcohol than comparable nonflushing Asians. This alcohol sensitivity reaction that many Asian flushers experience may contribute to their lower tendency to drink excessively, even though their response to alcohol is not predominantly negative.