apples and oranges

Here's a toast to aldehyde dehydrogenase, part of a group of enzymes that help us break down alcohol in our body into a variety of nasty substances.

I happen to turn as red as an apple when I consume moderate amounts of beer and other happy-inducing drinks. (In fact, several of my college buddies refered to me jokingly as an "orange"--a reference to my turning blood-red after drinking and my asian heritage).

The whole orange phenonemon is well studied: some people (myself included) have a genetic disposition where they can't produce enough aldehyde dehydrogenase ito metabolize alcohol as quickly as others. A study describes the symptoms best:

"Following alcohol ingestion, they exhibit more intense reactions to alcohol and generate higher levels of the metabolite acetaldehyde." In other words, I usually have nastier hangovers after drinking lots of vodka.

But there is one great side effect that the study found: I'm much less likely to be an alcoholic than most people.

"Asians with ALDH2*2 alleles drink less and are less likely to be alcoholic than Asians without this mutation...these results suggest that Asian Americans with ALDH2*2 alleles may experience more severe hangovers that may contribute, in part, to protection against the development of excessive or problematic drinking."