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Did you know how alcohol turns into a carcinogen in the body?
Alcohol consumption is ubiquitous in social culture, but its impact on health is often ignored. New research shows that the metabolism of alcohol in the body may lead to the production of carcinogens, especially under the influence of certain genetic constitutions. This is especially true in East Asians, because many East Asians have a genetic variant called aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2), which causes them to respond differently to alcohol metabolism.
Dieglycolaldehyde in the metabolism of alcohol is a strong carcinogen, especially its impact on esophageal cells cannot be underestimated.
Basic process of alcohol metabolism
After drinking alcohol, it first enters the liver for metabolism. Alcohol is converted to acetaldehyde by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and then to acetic acid by aldehyde dehydrogenase. For people with a normal ALDH2 gene, the process is relatively smooth. However, for about 30% to 50% of East Asians, this process is disrupted due to genetic defects, causing acetaldehyde to accumulate in the body.
Acetaldehyde is not only an intermediate in alcohol metabolism, it is also a known carcinogen that has been linked to an increased risk of esophageal and other cancers.
Why do some people react strongly to alcohol
Symptoms of alcohol flush reaction (also known as the "Asian flush") include facial flushing, nausea, headache, and increased heart rate. These symptoms result from excessive accumulation of acetaldehyde. In drinkers who are deficient in ALDH2, acetaldehyde concentrations can increase five to ten times, explaining the onset of this unpleasant reaction.
The relationship between alcohol consumption and esophageal cancer
For those drinkers with defects in the ALDH2 gene, research shows that these people have a four to eight times greater risk of developing esophageal cancer. Even though some people have another genetic variant that slightly reduces the risk, that risk still comes with high levels of acetaldehyde, which increases the chance of cancer.
These studies tell us that continued alcohol consumption increases long-term exposure to acetaldehyde, significantly increasing the risk of cancer in some groups.
How to diagnose and prevent
Current diagnostic methods include blood draws to measure acetaldehyde levels and genetic testing to determine a person's potential to react to alcohol. In addition, understanding your own genetic makeup and choosing whether to drink alcohol will be an important step in reducing health risks.
Summary and reflection
While alcohol brings us social pleasure, it also has hidden health risks. Especially in East Asian populations, abnormal alcohol metabolism puts these people at additional risk of cancer, so understanding their genetic background may become the key to future health management. How exactly do we balance social life with health risks?
