Can You Be Allergic to Beer and Alcohol

Yes, you can be allergic to alcohol or different types of alcoholic beverages. Do you wake up with a stuffy nose and itchy eyes after a night of drinking? You could be allergic to the alcohol you drank. You might be allergic to wine but not beer and you might not have an allergic today, but you might next year.

Can I be allergic to beer? Yes, you can be allergic to beer, wine, and all alcohol. The symptoms are usually minor and include stuffy nose, watery and itchy eyes and flushing of the face. It also depends on the brand of alcohol and which ingredients were used in the beer, wine or liquor.

Is It Possible to Be Allergic to Alcohol?

An actual allergy or allergic reaction to something is the result of your body’s immune system reacting to a substance that is not normal in your body. The most common allergic conditions are skin rashes, asthma, and hay fever.

The basic cause of allergies is unknown, though some say it is the immune system overreacting. It is not known why some people can become allergic to some things and not others.

Many normal symptoms associated with drinking alcoholare also signs of allergies or an allergic reaction including the red eyes, runny nose, reddening of the face and neck, itchy eyes, tight chest, hives, vomiting, and eczema.

Being intolerant or actually allergic to alcoholic beverages would depend on which alcoholic beverage makes you feel the worst since there are different ingredients in different alcoholic beverages.

Sulfur dioxide and sulfites

Being allergic to sulfur dioxide is rather common. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) has been added to wine for centuries to prevent the wine from turning to vinegar and having a longer shelf life.

It is added to white wine during almost every stage of its production. Sulfur dioxide is a sulfite and some people are allergic to sulfites. So much so that since 1987 wine sold in the United States must have a warning label stating that the product contains sulfites.

Sulfites are known to cause asthma-like symptoms in some people. There are also fairly high amounts of sulfur dioxide in most dried fruits such as dried apricots and grape juices, if you don’t have the same symptoms after consuming them, then most likely the sulfur dioxide in wine is not your problem.

Histamines

Histamine is a protein that is involved in the triggering of many allergic responses. Which is why so many allergy medicines contain anti-histamine to counter the histamine response in the body to an allergy.

Histamine occurs naturally in wine and there is usually more histamine in red wine than in white wine. If you are particularly sensitive to histamine, then this could cause allergy type symptoms.

Quercetin is a natural antihistamine that can be found in certain foods like apples, berries, broccoli, onions, and citrus fruits. You can also buy quercetin supplements that can help with allergies and allergic reactions to beer, wine, and alcohol.

Allergic to Beer

Do you get allergy type symptoms only when you drink beer, then you could be allergic to yeast. Symptoms can be sneezing, itchy throat, itchy eyes, stuffy nose to even throwing up. You could be allergic to the yeast in beer.

Though if you don’t have these symptoms with bread then you could possibly be allergic to the hops, malt, wheat or barley in beer depending on what ingredients the certain beer was made from.

If you find yourself having these allergic symptoms with a certain beer, you can try a different brand of beer. Beers can also change their ingredients at times without your knowing it, so if for years you drank one beer and then you get these symptoms, try changing to a different beer.

Allergic to Vodka

Vodka can have different ingredients. Vodka can be made with molasses, rye, wheat, potatoes, grain, soybeans or grapes. If you were allergic to any of those ingredients that would then show up as an allergy when you drank vodka.

Newer alcoholic drinks on the market such as Smirnoff Ice and Mike’s Hard Lemonade are all made with malt in the United States and with vodka in other parts of the world.

Are You Allergic to Alcohol

You could be allergic to the alcohol itself, which is possible, but more likely it is one of the ingredients in the alcohol that you are allergic to or have some intolerance for.

The best way to determine if you are allergic or have an intolerance to alcohol is to start a food and beverage diary, writing down everything you eat and drink and how it makes you feel, including the next day.

You could also go to an allergist and actually be tested for the above ingredients or alcohol itself to see if you are indeed allergic to any of them. 

Even if you have been drinking alcohol your entire adult life, you can develop an allergy or at the least an intolerance to any one of a number of ingredients in the alcoholic drink.

Allergy Relief

There are some supplements and natural remedies you can take to help alleviate the allergic reactions after drinking alcohol. 

Taking the supplement Quercetin is very helpful for any type of allergies including alcohol. Some people get relief from echinacea either in supplement form or drinking the tea.

About the Author

Sam Montana is a certified Food Over Medicine instructor from the Wellness Forum Health Center and certified in optimal nutrition from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Sam Montana © 2009-2019