Some people feel unwell even after a small amount of alcohol: once again, it’s the genes to blame.

Many participants in holiday feasts worry about how to navigate the end of the celebrations without succumbing to the river of alcohol, meaning they want to maintain their health. Meanwhile, for some, the alcohol marathon will end before it even begins, as their bodies simply cannot tolerate alcohol.

Why Does This Happen?

For these teetotalers, even a small amount of alcohol can trigger nausea, headaches, fever, difficulty breathing, and a racing heart. Their faces flush, and they may feel dizzy, as reported by the Daily Mail.

Modern research has shown that the inability to metabolize alcohol is rooted in genetics.

Dr. Yiannis Mavrommatis, a nutritionist and geneticist at St. Mary’s University in the UK, confirmed that carriers of the so-called anti-alcohol DNA are programmed to feel terrible even after consuming a minimal amount of alcohol.

According to the expert, due to a mutated gene, these unfortunate individuals are unable to produce the enzyme that helps break down alcohol. Dr. Mavrommatis explained that when alcohol is metabolized by our bodies, it produces acetaldehyde, which is toxic to humans.

In most of us, an enzyme called aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) is responsible for eliminating this toxic byproduct from the body. However, some individuals have a gene variation that leads to the accumulation of acetaldehyde, noted Dr. Mavrommatis.

What Should You Do?

The expert strongly recommended that people with this genetic defect consume alcohol only in small amounts and wash it down with plenty of water.

“Make sure you maintain a balanced diet, avoid stress, and get plenty of sleep,” he added.

Meanwhile, Izabela Ramos, a dietitian with the MyHealthChecked research group, reminded us that strong alcoholic beverages like vodka, whiskey, and rum contain higher concentrations of alcohol, which can exacerbate symptoms.

“Some wines and beers, especially red wines and certain craft beers, have increased levels of congeners, which are byproducts of fermentation and can worsen symptoms,” she noted.

Experts also believe that mixing alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic ones, such as tonic water, can help reduce the impact of alcohol on particularly sensitive individuals.

“However, the safest option is to consume drinks with low or no alcohol content, which minimizes the amount of ethanol that needs to be processed,” asserts Ms. Ramos.