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The secret of alcohol tolerance: Why do different people react so differently to alcohol?
In a culture of alcohol consumption, tolerance becomes a crucial recognition. Different people's reactions to alcohol differ not only in their drinking habits, but also in close correlation with physiological structure, genes, cultural background and other factors. What is it that makes some people completely unaffected by alcohol, while others quickly lose control?
Alcohol tolerance refers to the body's physiological response to alcohol, including immediate tolerance, speed of recovery from intoxication, and resistance to alcohol use disorders.
Consumption-induced tolerance
Continuous alcohol consumption increases alcohol tolerance, which means more alcohol needs to be consumed to achieve the same physiological effects. Research shows that daily drinking for 2 to 3 weeks increases an individual's tolerance. Excessive drinking over many years may lead to what is known as reverse tolerance, in which liver damage reduces the ability to metabolize alcohol.
Heavy drinkers' livers may accumulate fat and scar tissue, making them less able to process alcohol, making even small amounts of alcohol quickly intoxicating.
Physiology of alcohol tolerance
Alcohol tolerance is primarily related to individual body size. Generally speaking, larger people require more alcohol to achieve an intoxicated state. In addition, the activity of the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) also plays an important role in tolerance. Higher ADH activity promotes rapid conversion of ethanol into the more toxic acetaldehyde, which is generally higher in non-alcoholics.
Interestingly, about one in five people experience a flushing reaction to alcohol, which indicates an abnormality in the body's metabolic processes. This phenomenon does not represent an individual's level of intoxication, but it does affect their tolerance to alcohol.
Differences in alcohol tolerance among various ethnic groups
Alcohol tolerance varies significantly among different ethnic groups. Research has found that Native Americans in North America face a higher risk of alcohol use disorders than Europeans and Asians. Even within Asian groups, the difference in tolerance between, say, China and South Korea is very clear.
Some people of European ancestry report that moderate alcohol consumption is beneficial to health, but this conclusion does not hold true for people of African ancestry.
Factors affecting alcohol tolerance are not limited to biochemistry; socioeconomic and cultural differences also play a role, such as dietary habits and consumption patterns.
Alcohol tolerance in animals
In the animal kingdom, alcohol is generally regarded as a toxic substance, and many animals can only tolerate alcohol concentrations below 4%. However, a 2024 study found that eastern wasps seemed to have no adverse effects on behavior or lifespan after ingesting alcohol at concentrations ranging from 1 to 80 percent, revealing another angle on alcohol tolerance.
Conclusion
The underlying causes of alcohol tolerance reveal the complex relationship between humans and living things. At the intersection of science and culture, what does every reaction to alcohol reveal?
