6 signs you may be alcohol intolerant

For some, alcohol just doesn’t blend well with their bodies.

Alcohol intolerance is actually a genetic condition that doesn’t allow your system to break it down and this can lead to a medical emergency situation when things go wrong.

The only solution in this case is to avoid alcohol at all costs.

If you’ve ever wondered why your body shows these signs whenever you attempt to take a sip, you might be alcohol intolerant:

1. It triggers your asthma

When you have a respiratory condition like asthma, you can’t handle certain activities. And it’s been discovered that one of the risk factors to alcohol intolerance is being asthmatic.

Alcohol can cause an asthmatic attack or worsen your asthma symptoms so you should probably avoid it. Beer, ciders and brown liquor are high in histamines and sulfites which are known to trigger asthma symptoms.

2. You get headaches
After a night out of partying, many people get the dreaded hangover. The next morning (or afternoon or evening) when you finally wake up, you can feel a pounding headache which might force you to take a painkiller. In this case, it’s not that you are alcohol intolerant because alcohol is a diuretic in nature.

However, if you’re actually alcohol intolerant, any amount can trigger a headache or migraine.

3. You feel nauseated
This is another sign that might cause confusion. Just like the headaches, you can get nauseated after having one too many.

If you’re dealing with this condition though, you might get stomach cramps along with the nausea and possibly throw up even when you’ve just had a few sips.
These signs indicate that your body might not be able to breakdown the ingredients found in alcoholic drinks.

4. You get diarrhoea
Alcohol can also disrupt your digestive system when you’re intolerant. When your body is trying to tell you that it’s not able to handle liquor, the diarrhea might come quicker and more intensely.

This symptom can also come with others like cramps and nausea, and that is how you can tell.

5. Your skin reacts
The skin is usually quick to indicate that something is off. In fact, a patch test is often used to see how your skin reacts and whether it indicates you’re allergic or intolerant.

If you’re intolerant, you will start experiencing odd symptoms like redness and you might even breakout in hives. Another common symptom that is experienced is itchiness.

6. You get a stuffy or runny nose
A runny or stuffy nose is usually connected to a number of allergic reactions and the flu. But if it shows up whenever you’re drinking, there might be a deeper issue.

It’s not usual to feel congested when you’re drinking so you shouldn’t be alarmed if you keep getting this symptom.