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Snips about SNPs: Alcohol Flush

Does your face flush after a drink or two? The ALDH gene is responsible for the enzyme that breaks down acetaldehyde, which is a toxin that your body produces from alcohol.

While most people can get rid of acetaldehyde fairly quickly, for some, a genetic variant in the ALDH gene causes it to build up. This can cause your face to flush — known as an alcohol flush reaction. It also can make you feel bad when drinking…

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Check your genetic data for rs671 (23andMe v4, v5; AncestryDNA):

  • A/A: Alcohol flush reaction[ref], also, higher risk of lung cancer from smoking[ref]
  • A/G: Alcohol flush reaction
  • G/G: typical acetaldehyde metabolism

Members: Your genotype for rs671 is .

Want more details? Check out the full article on your alcohol drinking gene.

*SNP stands for Single Nucleotide Polymorphism, which is when one of the nucleotide bases (the A, C, G, or Ts) is replaced by a different nucleotide base in a gene.  Want to know more about your genes? Read through all the Snips about SNPs


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About the Author:
Debbie Moon is the founder of Genetic Lifehacks. Fascinated by the connections between genes, diet, and health, her goal is to help you understand how to apply genetics to your diet and lifestyle decisions. Debbie has a BS in engineering from Colorado School of Mines and an MSc in biological sciences from Clemson University. Debbie combines an engineering mindset with a biological systems approach to help you understand how genetic differences impact your optimal health.