One too many glasses of rosé might not be the only thing to blame for those horrible hangovers — you could also be allergic to alcohol. Learn the signs and symptoms to keep an eye out for and why certain bevvies might affect you more than others. An alcohol allergy occurs when the immune system overreacts to alcohol entering the body. White wine tends to contain signs of alcohol allergies higher levels of sulfites than red wine and beer. Treatment providers are available 24/7 to answer your questions about rehab, whether it’s for you or a loved one. Submit your number and receive a free call today from a treatment provider. It won’t go away, but by taking some precautions, you can avoid the symptoms and enjoy a healthy, active life.

It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider. Alcohol allergy can be diagnosed using allergy testing specifically for alcohol and the sources that alcohol often comes from. Alcohol intolerance, however, is more difficult to test for.

Chemicals And Other Ingredients

Verywell Mind’s content is for informational and educational purposes only. Daily drinking can have serious consequences for a person’s health, both in the short- and long-term. Many of the effects of drinking every day can be reversed through early intervention. A person who has a deficiency of aldehyde dehydrogenase that breaks down the alcohol usually experiences flushing and can also experience nausea and rapid heartbeat. Often it’s facial swelling of the lips and tongue, says Dr. Glatter. The medication is injected to quickly relax muscles to open up airways. Isadora Baum is a freelance writer and content marketer, as well as a certified health coach.

If you have an alcohol intolerance, your digestive system does not process alcohol properly. You can also react to certain alcoholic beverages if you are intolerant to histamine or sulfites. In very rare cases, a reaction to alcohol can be a sign of Hodgkin lymphoma. Although a true alcohol allergy is rare, and the reaction can be severe, most allergic reactions to alcohol are due to an ingredient in alcohol. Every person’s body chemistry and make-up is different, so a person’s response to alcohol can vary greatly. As a highly addictive and toxic substance, alcohol brings many effects that impact your body’s health. In some people, drinking alcohol may also lead to an allergic reaction and while this is rare, it could still have a fatal outcome.

What are symptoms of alcohol intolerance?

If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol addiction in addition to alcohol intolerance, it’s essential to seek treatment. Enrolling in an alcohol treatment program is the first step to recovery. Having alcohol intolerance doesn’t preclude you from struggling with alcohol addiction. What happens in such a case is that you experience even more severe consequences than the average person with alcohol addiction.

Red wines contain relatively few sulfites; white wines are low in histamines. Because the condition is inherited, there is no way to cure or treat it. Your healthcare provider can recommend ways to limit unpleasant symptoms. Alcohol flushing syndrome is a major sign of alcohol intolerance.

Are You Allergic to Alcohol?

Depending on whether a person has an alcohol allergy or intolerance, they may need to avoid alcohol entirely. Symptoms of alcohol intolerance can make a person feel uncomfortable. In contrast, an alcohol allergy could become life threatening.