When I’m not studying like the good student I am, I occasionally will delve into the Dark Side and have a drink or two with friends before we head out for our weekend adventures. Although I shun beer and usually avoid liquor, I will happily sip Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay from my coffee mug with an air of pretentious classiness. At first, I admire the taste of $10 wine from Kroger and give myself a mental pat on the back for combing taste and affordability into a bargain deal. Then the feeling hits me: my face becomes flushed — I’m redder than a Chinese lantern — and my breathing becomes shallow, like I’ve been fighting a losing battle with first-year girls for the ice milk machine. My heart starts pounding as if it’s about to burst from my chest like that scene in “Aliens.” I stumble to the bathroom mirror and realize my eyes are bloodshot like a heroin addict’s. My face gets so hot, I am positive I could fry an egg on my skull and have enough heat leftover for bacon. My friends — Asian and non-Asian — laugh at my sudden coloring, and those who don’t know me fidget nervously with their cell phones, debating whether to dial 911 if I turn any redder.
No, I don’t have SARS or Mono. I have the Asian glow.
Asian glow, also known as the Asian flush or blush, is an uncomfortable (and often embarrassing) reaction to alcohol. Asian glow affects about 50 percent of those of Asian descent, causing anything from a slight pink coloring of the cheeks to nausea. The condition stems from a slight genetic difference; affected Asians cannot metabolize alcohol as easily as other people can.
Typically when alcohol enters the body, an enzyme known as aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) breaks down the alcohol into acetaldehyde. Some Asians, though, have a deficiency or mutation in the enzyme, which causes the body to metabolize alcohol at a slower rate. Because the body is not removing the alcohol quickly enough, the build up of acetaldehyde in the bloodstream may cause a series of symptoms: flushing, burning up, increased heart rate, sweating and congestion. Although I am a hapless victim of the Asian glow, many Asians do not experience the same symptoms and some are able to process alcohol without trouble.
“I heard that Asians do not have high tolerance for alcohol and they get drunk easier than other races,” said fourth-year College student Mino Kim, who is one of many Asians who do not experience Asian glow. Other Asians like me, however, are not so fortunate; it’s a well known fact that I have the alcohol tolerance of an infant and a little girl could drink me under the table and ask for seconds.
To reduce the symptoms of Asian glow, Asians can turn to over-the-counter medication that can help diminish the side-effects while still allowing the affected to enjoy themselves. Although there is no cure for Asian glow per se, antacids such as Pepcid AC and Tums have some success in reducing redness. My personal favorite technique, though, is to dim the lights. Besides creating a sexy atmosphere, the darkened room hides my embarrassing flush and allows me to enjoy my drink in peace without someone asking me every five minutes if I’m about to die. I also enjoy pretending to be so excited to see everyone that my face flushes with excitement.
Although I’m often the butt of many jokes, Asian glow just makes me treasure my life’s sober moments even more. I could give up alcohol and sip Capri Sun alone in the corner, but really, I would need to be inebriated before doing that.
Alex Truong is a fourth-year College student. He can be reached at a.truong@cavalierdaily.com.
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