A bit of a controversial post for some perhaps, but we’re gonna take a look at the genetic differences between human races in relation to alcohol. The idea came up when reading an article on Mayas (Indians in central America) and how they showed higher rates of alcoholism. Another good example are the native Australians, the Aboriginals. A teacher in university once said there is no such thing as different races. Well, tell that to the thousands of white runners following a few Kenyans in a marathon. Of course there are differences. And not all are as clear to see as a skin color or the shape of the eyes (not to mention other body parts). Let’s check out the racial differences where it comes to the use of alcohol.
So let’s start with the alcoholism part. How come native Americans and Aboriginals are in general more likely to get hooked on booze? It’s all because their bodies usually break down ethanol into water and acid way slower than the other races. Let’s first describe this process. When you drink alcoholic drinks the ethanol is metabolized (transformed) into something called acetaldehyde. This is being done by an enzyme in your body called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). So the more ADH your body produces, the faster the process. Apparently a lot of Native Americans miss out on this enzyme (according to analysis on chromosome 4 and 11) and that increases the risk of becoming alcoholic.
Unlike the American Indians the Chinese and Japanese produce a lot of ADH. 85% of their population produces unusual high activities of this enzyme. Where Caucasians score less than 21%, African Americans less than 10% and Native Americans as well as Asian Indians 0%. These numbers and further explanation can be found in the book Casarett & Doull’s Toxicology: The basic Science of Poison by Curtis D. Klaassen.
Now don’t jump to any conclusions that Asians are great drinkers. Because the metabolizing isn’t quite done yet. The acetaldehyde that originated after the first step still isn’t the acetic acid and water it’s supposed to be. This process is caused by another enzyme called acetaldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH 2). Now about half of the Chinese and Japanese (Koreans way less by the way) lack the normal amount of this second enzyme. The result is that in many cases the acetaldehyde builds up very fast when Asians start drinking. First of all because of the big amount of ADH and second because of the lack of ALDH 2. This is very unfortunate since acetaldehyde makes you way more sick than ethanol itself. This genetic disadvantage is the reason that a lot of Asians can’t hold their liquor. A clear sign of a high acetaldehyde-level is that the face turns extremely red.
Of course these are just generalizations. For sure there are plenty of small Asians that would outdrink any big guy and not every Indian is destined to become an alcoholic when he hits the booze. However this genetic differences between races should not be ignored. And of course it’s very interesting to find out why they are here. A common assumption that Native Americans lack a sufficient amount of ADH is that they weren’t exposed to alcohol until the Europeans introduced it. Just like the Aboriginals never tried it before Australia was discovered.
At least for the Indians in America this “alcohol evolution theory” seems off target. The Mayas drunk a corn drink called atole and balché, which is made out of honey. Aztecs had pulque, distracted from the agave plant and Incas also had their corn drink: chicha. All way before any European ever set foot on their continent. So this theory might work on the Native Americans in the United States or the Aboriginals, but definitely not everywhere.
There is still more research to be done about why the metabolism of certain races is different. And maybe even a solution can be found to optimize the alcohol related fun for everyone. I mean White people run the highest risk for skin cancer, while Blacks suffer most from prostate cancer and we’re looking for cures for that too right? So let’s not be racist and help the Indians and Asians too.
Micky Bumbar
Also check out why Jews in general drink very little alcohol.

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Other posts on LOTD you might like:
Acan and balche; alcohol in the ancient Mayan civilization
Alcohol in the Inca Empire; communicating with the gods through corn beer
Why alcohol can make women clingy and men unfaithful
Why smoking and drinking go so well together
Abstinent people more likely to die young than heavy drinkers
nice job on the scientific explanation! Now I finally get why I can hold my drink (lucky Asian genes) and my hubby turns beetroot red 🙂
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Haha you’re welcome… Hope it won’t stop you from enjoying a drink once in a while! 🙂
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Lordsofthedrinks,
Do you have any information on as to why Koreans seem to generally be such better drinkers than their Chinese and Japanese counterparts? As you stated in the article, this is down to the difference in acetaldehyde dehydrogenase 2 enzyme levels, but why are those levels so different?
My best guess would be that Korean’s have historically been drinking alcohol longer than China and Japan, but I have no factual evidence to support that. Any ideas?
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Dear Rambler,
I honestly can’t tell where this difference comes from. But I know for a fact that also Chinese and Japanese have a drinking culture for many centuries. Couldn’t find any theories on the matter so far, but I am quite curious myself too.
Cheers,
Micky
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cool topic–but not all alcohol is alike. Booze made from roots is common in South America; I lived with a tribe there for two years. We women gathered round a bucket half full of water, chewed on cassava root cakes till the starch changed to sugar, and spit into the bucket. Result after letting it sit 12 hours: chunky beer. After three weeks: chunky white lightning. Only women’s spit tastes good, they say.
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Hahaha yeah I have seen that stuff on tv. Didn’t seem too apealing to be honest. Have you tried it?
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While lordsofthedrinks hasn’t gotten it completely wrong, there is certainly nothing scientific about the way things are most often stated. There is indeed a correlation between the percentage of the population that has certain specific genes and what you call “races”. But ALL the groups you mention have people with and without these genes. They are not at all “racial characteristics”. For that to be true, EVERY member of your “races” would share the characteristic.
There is only one human race, with as many variations as there are individuals.
You could just as well divide the human race into two “races” – “rapid alcohol processors” and “slow processors”. And you would find in each of these two “races” people from every ethnicity, and whatever you want – black, brown, pink, white, blond, red head, tall, short, crazy, sane, smart or racist.
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Your argument is like saying not all corgis are corgis as some have the same illnesses found in Dobermans..
“race” is a non scientific term.. we don’t use it with other animals so we are in agreement there. But humans are a mixed breed of Denisovians, Neanderthals, and Homo erectus all supposedly different species. No one is a pure breed. As no pure examples exist of any of the above. But some “races” do have higher levels of one group than the other.
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Dear Nadie, I would love to dignify your comment with a proper respond. Unfortunately it’s Saturday evening and I’m already pretty tipsy. Please let me get back to you soon.
Cheers,
Micky
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You know, there are a lot of benefits to the “Asian flush” and not producing much of the ADLH 2 enzyme, such as never becoming an alcoholic, never doing things that you deeply regret the next morning, never hurting your family and friends because you “lost control of yourself”, never screwing up your life because you were “out of control”. Never using alcohol as a crutch to approach someone you are attracted to because you’re scared to death of rejection. Actually being forced to confront your insecurities, neuroses, and psychological problems directly and find resolution to these problems. Being able to socialize without relying on a drug to “loosen you up” and actually being forced to develop necessary social skills to interact successfully with other people in social settings because you cannot rely on alcoholic. Does anyone else see that alcohol is a liability and a deterrent to living a successful life socially and that being able to drink large quantities of it to soothe your fears and release your inhibitions is kind of pathetic?
I am Asian and I am GLAD my body can’t break down alcohol. As a result I have had to face many of my social anxieties and I am able to handle many socially uncomfortable/scary situations on my own without relying on any drugs. And this is a really, really good thing.
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Well… You are right that people shouldn’t hide from their problems in alcohol but besides that it’s total bullshit. This site is all about how to be the best you can be while drunk as a kite. Churchill was a big drunk while Hitler was almost a teetotaler. Now tell me who to pick as a role model!
Cheers,
Micky
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Apache made twizin and drank it to excess. Thank you for tackling this controversial subject as it is a pet peeve of mine that the white man is blamed for every problem of every race. When will people realize we’re all messed up?
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Why sure! Indeed we are in general all messed up. Best thing we can do is to at least be kind to the people we meet and have a drink with them! 😉
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Except Shane MacGowan formally of the Pogues. he’s a bit scary looking as far as drinkers go and I can’t understand a word he says when he’s drunk which would be awkward—though he’s written some good songs.
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Haha indeed! That’s why we brought him a little homage not too long ago! 😉
https://lordsofthedrinks.wordpress.com/2012/12/17/our-musical-hero-shane-macgowan/
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But white people are to blame for everything shitty in this world, Middlemay Farm. No matter how much it pissses you off, its true. It is whitemans fault, your white ancestors did bring the alcohol to our land in the first place. Your white ancestors came over and ripped our culture apart, all in the name of god. We were called sinners because we didnt build churches or read the bible. Now look at north america. Faggots are everywhere, which is a sin. Abortions gambling adultery divorce etcetra etcetra the list goes on. Our everything was destroyed, all for nothing. What a fucking joke. One of my pet peeves mrs white lady, is that every race has their own country, but all we have are small reserves.
Oh and another peeve, Every white person says oh im irish, im english, scandinavian , italian etc. Ya proove it. Youre just a bunch of heinz 57 mutts. Im native and I know who i am 100%.
No we are not all messed up, just you.
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Well somebody has a bit of a temper… Have you considered anger management son? Personally I have never set foot on American soil but sure… All white people are the same. You show yourself just as intolerant as some of the white immigrants a few centuries ago.
Cheers,
Micky
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very interesting.
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Not only the races you mention, but all peoples who came across the Siberia/Alaska land bridge have the same problem, right down to South America Indians and the peoples of the Altiplano; and back across the Pacific to New Zealand where the Maori, who migrated from SA via Easter Island, have the same problem.
AV
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Ah yeah… This is interesting! I saw a documentary on Discovery Chanel about the “invisable” continent of the island people. How they traveled so many miles in small boats. Very interesting!
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Wow, VERY interesting 😉
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I agree! Especially given your experiences with gypsies drinking all day in Eastern Europe since they have their roots in India. 🙂
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I’m glad you wrote about this. Not PC for sure, and super-scientific. I wonder if some of this might apply to your garden-variety white person who has a tendency toward alcholism. Why can I take it or leave it and my cousin does not dare even taste it?
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Good question… It’s probably also genetic. Just because you’re family doesn’t mean you are exactly the same of course. No matter what race you are there is always a chance you are genetically more likely to become alcoholic or you can’t handle it.
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To add data to the set, my father and his mother are terrible alcoholics; when they start drinking, it doesn’t stop until they’re sloshed. The father is bad enough that he probably buys a large pack nightly (doesn’t always tell us) though he has periods he’ll stop his nightly routine. I’ve downed a bottle of white Zinfandel and felt slightly buzzed before, and couldn’t see why people would keep going (except for good taste, which ordinary American beer has no–according even to the family which can’t stop downing it). A landlord I helped a lot (older genteman) couldn’t figure out and once shouted, “WHY CAN’T I GET YOU DRUNK!!!!” I’m also about 1/8th Native to this continent, though a mix of various tribes (“The Five Civilized”)…go figure. And just to heighten our cultural and vocabularic awareness, or for the science wonks who ordinarily wouldn’t care, the theological term for “we’re all screwed up” is total/depravity. (Though it has a precise meaning for being TRULY SCREWED up to the tiniest detail.) 🙂 Great post: I think I’ll send it to my half-native step-sister to get her ranting about the family on reservation.
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I’m glad you liked it. Thanks a lot for your attention and reply! 😀
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interesting… i dont agree with the race thing because different ethnic groups exist, and they adapt over millennia to environmental factors, but yes, the chemical process of alcohol is interesting 🙂
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Well no doubt about that… But difference in race can be caused by evolution too. Once we were all monkeys, so things can change! 😉
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Wow. I hope you don’t mind that I tweeted this. I live in a very American Indian rich community and most of my friends would feel some relief in knowing this if they don’t all ready. Thank you.
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Sure I don’t mind… Actually the more people that read this blog the better. I am very curious to know their opinion on the matter! 🙂
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Interesting take on this controversial subject. You much want to look into the extensive research of Philip May on Native American drinking.
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Thanks for the tip! Let’s see if I can get my hands on that! 🙂
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I got to learn something from tthis piece. Nice!
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We’re glad! Thanks a lot for your attention! 🙂
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Not really sure I see the controversy in this post, it’s stating facts.
The controversy to me would be to discuss how a lot of Indians became alcoholic after their world got turned upside down after its invasion.
I lived in Canada for a couple of years and was really unimpressed by the whole Native Indian situation and prejudices I saw there, even less impressed by most “Canadians”‘s refusal to admit how they played a part of the downfall of that nation and happily washing their hands of the problem they created 😦
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Well the controverse is that some people are not willing to accept differences between races, probably afraid it will be used for racism. Some even believe that there shouldn’t be any research in racial differences. We believe that’s stupid.
Besides the fact that it’s mighty interesting stuff to us where alcohol is involved, in many other cases it seems essential info to take on various kinds of cancer for example.
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Ah ok, thanks for clarifying, I thought that was common knowledge, but I guess it isn’t!
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Well… Me, myself I didn’t know about racial differences in alcohol metabolism until reading an article on Maya’s. I think a lot of people in Europe are unaware of this. Maybe in Canada, the US and further south it’s more well known.
Before I just thought it was a bit of an old Western-stereotype that a lot of Indians were alcoholics.
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It is a stereotype, Indians are not alcoholics, what happened to them made them. Maybe you’ll learn more about that during your research too 🙂
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Well I do believe that them losing their lands and the new lifestyle put upon them confused them and made them reach for the bottle. In many Eastern European countries we see the same. People brainwashed by communism were totally lost when the iron curtain fell. This is only human.
So if I understand you correct you think that we now still notice the genetic effect of the reach for alcohol by Indians in the past. It came evolutionary as it were.
This is an interesting theory that is backed up by Indians in Latin America and Aboriginals too.
However: among blacks this problem does not appear. Not in former colonized Africa and not among progeny of slaves in America.
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“Confused” them? I would personally use the term “destroy”. If you are interested in what happened, do a bit of research and you will soon learn a bit more how the invasion affected the Native Indians, at least in Canada. There are big movements there too these days, check out Idle No More for instance, all very positive. They are starting to fight back, peacefully. And the best part of it? They are not doing it for money, but to protect their land and water, which the white man is making a mess of, of course (and it’s all about money for the white man, stuff the consequences). But I digress..
I believe what turned them to drinking was the fact that they were stripped from their lifestyle and identity, eventually segregated on to “reserves”, and money thrown at them as a sorry…lots of money. So what does someone with nothing to do, no sense of purpose, introduced to “real alcohol” and lots of money does? Yes, as you said, they get drunk (not all thankfully) and as their genetics didn’t prepare them for it, it gets messy.
Sorry, I’m not sure I understand what you mean about the genetic effect of the reach of alcohol, and evolutionary theory. Can you explain please so I may check if what I was saying suggested this?
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Ahhhh I thought you meant that their different genetic disadvantage was created after the white men came. But the story above is really clear.
I will indeed look into this subject some more. Since I see that human kind is on a straight way to screwing up the planet in no-time. We can probably learn a lot from the native Americans.
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I find it interesting you mentioned red faces. I’ve studied allergic reactions for years and one of the signs of an allergic reaction say to corn or wheat sometimes manifests in a red face. Other indications are dark circles under the eyes, as well as other reactions. Might this play a part? For more information on this check out the book “Is This Your Child?” by Dr. Doris Rapp. She once told me, “I should have named this Is This You? because adults manifest the same reactions as children.
Thanks for the like, by the way, to my site FamilyFavoritesFromTheHeartland.wordpress.com
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Hmmm well… I’m not a scientist myself. I just collected the information presented here. I can not rule out that some people turning red from beer are suffering from an alergic reaction, but in general I think it’s the high acetaldehyde-level.
Thanks a lot for your contribution! 😀
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Interesting post!
I think the scientists who say there are no races mean: the differences in populations that we categorize as different races do not necessarily corresponding to different genomes. Two people might be said to be of “different races” in ordinary language while sharing more genetic similarities than two other individuals of the “same race”. So it makes more sense to speak of various populations than to try to talk about the overly large categories of “race,” like “whites” and “blacks,” which are social, not biological, categories.
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Hmmm could be. I think this is more because some people are afraid of certain terms cause they think it encourages discrimination or something.
But that’s besides the issue. Whatever word we use I think these differences among humans are interesting and fun to learn more about.
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Reblogged this on Mike the Psych's Blog.
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I’ve heard about this, too~! Nice job trying to break it down, and being sensitive toward race issues~! Thanks~!
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Thanks a lot! Yeah it’s a thin line we had to balance on of course, but I think it became an interesting article, that is not offensive to anyone.
Also happy about the many comments, including yours! 😀
Cheers,
Micky
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Interesting…
Here’s a bit of something to throw in the “hasn’t been worked out yet, pile.” I come from a line (father’s side) of german alcoholics. While both my brother’s managed to avoid it (they took other things), I’m the one who liked to drink early on. I also quit for 15 years. Once I tried it again, (more casually, and sanely), I found I couldn’t drink nearly as much. Years later and I’ve developed an alcohol allergy. I can cook with it, but if I drink it, I get something like the DT’s. I’m cold, shaky, and turn beet red. That’s when I remembered my father and both his brothers were also very red in the face (and later permanently) after drinking. Could the German genes also have some sort of hiccup? Oh and there is a “cure” of sorts. If I eat asparagus I’m fine (yeah, it’s known information), seems it gives me the proper enzymes to break down alcohol.
Cheers!
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Hmmmm very interesting… I have never heard of Germans being extra vulnerable. But I guess every race has people that are genetically more likely to become alcoholic. Actually I am Dutch myself (which is basically the same roots as Germans)… Lot of Dutch people also turn red easily, like English and Irish.
And regarding alcohol allergy, the father of one of our best friends has this too. He now can’t drink anymore and has to get his satisfaction from watching us. He loves to get us drunk hahaha
Cheers,
Micky
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Ha ha! Brilliant post! You also have to look at the social economics of a race though. I have an Ozzie mate who told me that the Australian government are know to put bottle stores all around aboriginal villages. Keep them drunk, keep them from stirring a political storm. I obviously have no proof and have done no research, it’s just hearsay.
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Hmmmm it’s actually interesting to play this theory on to the Australian readers of our blog.
I can also believe that if you have a neighbourhood full of heavy drinkers it’s quite profitable to put a liquor store next to it!
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Nice article..delving into the science of things is the way to go. I wonder about the acetaldehyde in the Irish-American gene-pool, since I can totally see myself in this sentence: “A clear sign of a high acetaldehyde-level is that the face turns extremely red.”
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Hahahaha like many fine Irish people indeed! No matter if it’s the sunshine or the booze, it takes very little to give you guys a ‘blush’. 😉
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🙂
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By the way, us Dutchies are quite the same in this matter haha
Micky
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Hi, interesting article. Is it easy to be tested for this enzyme? I have often wondered why I am hit so hard on just a few drinks. Btw, I have Native American blood in me. Appreciate your thoughts…. Thank you kindly.
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Oof that is a very good question. I don’t have a medical background. Maybe a good idea to ask your doctor.
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Very interesting article! I’m aware of studies that show the hereditary link for predisposition to alcoholism, and also that alcohol effects different people differently (males vs females, muscle vs non=muscly body composition etc) so not too surprised to read that racial genetics also have a role to play here. I do this this is an area worthy of further research, if for no other reason, then to help dispel the notion of lazy alcoholic native Indians.
Contrary to popular notions, I personally think its awesome people of Asian racial makeup get drunk quicker. Imagine all the money they save up over a life time?!
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Hahahaha true that… I also sometimes envy the young kids getting drunk of 2 or 3 beers. With time it got way more expensive to have fun! 😉
Glad you liked the article.
Cheers,
Micky
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Reblogged this on Damian Thorn and commented:
reblogging from lordofthedrinks.workpress.com blog.
Found this one pretty interesting. Would be interesting to see actual research studies behind this, and how/if this can be helpful in dispensing with the lazy alcoholic native Indian myth that’s so ingrained in the rest of north American communities.
We also need to research more so many priests are pedophiles! Do the lord telleth them to do these evil deeds? or does the church inject when with a gene that makes them susceptible to pedophilia when they’re getting ordained into the church?
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Acknowledgement and with gratitude = re-blogging on http://damianth.wordpress.com
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We’re thanking you! Glad you like it! 🙂
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Reblogged this on COURAGE TIMES THREE and commented:
This is or one gentleman in particular of Asian ethnicity who loves his scotch……….have a good laugh HR….
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Your post should’ve said “Tell that to the thousands of black students following a few whites in a physics exam” they are only good at running and basketball and that makes them believe they are superior lol what a joke. how is this for politcal correctness then africans were living in mudhuts with bones through their noses,plates in their lips and running around like animals throwing spears and rocks at each other and eating each other and fighting each other in pits with sticks
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Well I’m not sure but the last time I checked the president of the US is also black. 😉
Cheers,
Micky
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“I’ll drink to that.” – being a half Chinese, half Irish/Scottish/Oglala Lakota Sioux. Cheers to Blackouts and further species of divine inebriation!
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Hahahaha what a mix! I’m sure you have all the right genes for an excellent drinker! Cheers mate!
Micky
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Hi Thanks for liking a post and nice to meet you. I always heard that Indians couldn’t hold their drink but not so much on Asians . That’s new to me. Take care
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Well we learn a little every day haha… Thanks for stopping by.
Cheers,
Micky
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Nice article, explains it well. I lived in Philippines for some years now and am very familiar with those red faces in some of them, mostly girls, now i know the reason. And yeah, relatively many cant stomach their alcohol that well, i mean i seen lots of white people who cannot also but its a bit more common in Asians.
Funny that the article mentions that Koreans more rarely are lacking that second enzyme, i have been to Korean parties and noticed that they had more endurance in drinking, at the time i thought it had to be due to their more relaxed ways of drinking, not the forced stressful shots that many Filipinos practice.
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I used to live together with 2 people from the Philippines. It didn’t take them long to get smashed haha…. Drinking with Koreans seems like quite a challenge. I did some research for other posts see below and well, people who drink by the saying “getting drunk is only half the battle” must be pretty cool. 😉
Cheers,
Micky
https://lordsofthedrinks.com/2013/02/18/fighting-the-hangover-the-korean-way/
https://lordsofthedrinks.com/2014/02/02/euromonitor-koreans-biggest-consumers-of-hard-liquor-in-the-world/
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Hey, verrrrry interesting read, LOTD! Being Chinese myself, I have had countless conversations with my brothers and sisters of the East regarding alcohol tolerance. Our less than scientific conclusions are:
1) Koreans are a whole other animal. Those guys and gals seem to hit the bottle hard and heavy with great regularity and little ill effect.
2) A lotta the “red faced” Asian drinkers swear that they don’t feel drunk even though their faces are beet red. I’m suspicious though…
3) The alcohol of Asia seems to have evolved to reflect Asian’s lack of alcohol tolerance. Asian beers tend to be light pilsners and Asian liquor (like sake and sooju) are basically wine. Also, Asian places serve beer in these tiny glasses.
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Cool adition to the story! One day I would like to make an Asian tour myself and check out the differences per country first hand.
Cheers,
Micky
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I agree with the old teacher. There is no such thing as race. Not all Kenyans can run fast you dipshit.
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Well not all Kenyans are fast runners. But most fast runners are Kenyans and Ethiopians. The dipshit part was a valuable adition to the discussion by the way.
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Yeah – he was probably drunk when he wrote this. (Oops — did I say that outloud??)
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Hello Captain Obvious! Of course I was. The question must be: why aren’t you?
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If, as AJ says ‘There is no such thing as race’ then there can be no such thing as racism.
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True… It’s one or the other. 🙂
Cheers,
Micky
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I might be a dipshit but I found this article fascinating. Being half-Korean, I’ve lost track of the amount of times I’ve puked while drinking (truly proving my dipshit-ness is that I still drink). (BTW, Juan Zung, a commenter above, says we Koreans a wholly different animals; this may be true but I still get beet red when I drink, and can’t hold my alcohol very well.)
Perhaps the different races’ level of tolerance to alcohol has something to do with adaptation? It’d be interesting to explore.
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Indeed it would be. We just made a post on Jews. A lot of them also have very low tolerance for alcohol. It could be that following their religion that preaches strict moderation has changed their bodies through the ages. As for Koreans. Most of them are actually quite good drinkers. Even top the charts as consumers of hard liquor (see link below).
Cheers,
Micky
https://lordsofthedrinks.com/2014/02/02/euromonitor-koreans-biggest-consumers-of-hard-liquor-in-the-world/
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Yeah, I look forward to reading your post on “Why Jews don’t drink”. Maybe since 50% of my genes are Irish-Scottish, I can drink like a true Korean (if that makes any sense). (I don’t think it does, but whatever.)
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Wow! Korean, Irish and Scottish? Theoretically that should be a make a superdrinker haha…. Anyway, here’s the link:
https://lordsofthedrinks.com/2014/09/17/why-jews-drink-very-little-alcohol/
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I’m a half asian with an acetaldehyde dehydrogenase deficiency. Interesting article but I think it is misleading when you say East Asians with this enzyme deficiency “can’t hold” their alcohol. Although I could almost completely stop the red face and other outward symptoms of acetaldehyde poisoning by drinking regularly and building a tolerance (which suggests I’m heterozygous) when I don’t have a tolerance, I become bright red after only 2-3 drinks. I never really enjoyed drinking but drank to be social in college. I have since quit because it takes a lot of drinks to overcome the poisonous effects (hot face, difficulty breathing, pounding headaches, etc) and feel remotely good and also because of significantly increased cancer risks. Although ppl used to laugh and think I was totally trashed, this was far from the case. In fact, due to the relatively overactive alcohol dehydrogenase activity I believe I don’t get nearly as drunk as my normal ald enzyme counterparts, but instead feel mostly the unpleasant effects of acetaldehyde poisoning instead of the pleasant drunk feeling everyone else gets. I like this article because it supports the genetic basis of alcoholism, which most likely is determined mainly by the ratio of alcohol dehydrogenase to acetaldehyde dehydrogenase activities.
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Thank you very much for your interesting contribution. I feel sorry you suffered the negative side effects of alcohol so soon. Hope quiting alcohol didn’t slow down your social life. All the best!
Micky
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Some very good points here, and then we have Kava Kava ❤ Thank you for liking my post
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Sure thing. Thanks for dropping by.
Cheers,
Micky
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it seems that you repeatedly forget that India is part of Asia. perhaps you should use the word asian correctly.
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Oh Mary… I didn’tinvent this term. Yes, Indians from India are also Asians. So are Iranians, Saudis and Indonesians. Still when Americans speak of Asians they usually refer to Chinese, Japanese and Korean people. I didn’t come up with it. Anyway I believe the story is pretty clear as it is.
Cheers,
Micky
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I found this article in no way racist or stereotypical. I thought it was backed with good scientific facts and I can’t see why some people are so sensitive. Not once in this post was it denied that what happened to the Native American people was unspeakably unfair and even evil, to an extent. And, honestly, why the use of the term ‘Asian’ becomes an issue, boggles the mind. Can’t we all just get along, read a post with interesting facts and go away informed instead of feeling personally attacked? Nobody is that important that the world is conspiring against you because Micky wrote an interesting and, DARE I say, informative post. Thank you Micky, I enjoyed it and now you can add ‘Brave Blogger’ to your resume
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Wow, that’s quite the compliment, thank you so much! Of course we are not racist in the way that we say that any race is better or worse than another one. Whoever thinks like that is a little paranoid I guess.
We see these small genetic differences as interesting stuff. Stuff we want to know more about instead of hiding it away as some people do. I believe that the fact that most humans are so different is what makes us so cool.
Thanks again for the kind words.
Cheers,
Micky
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Only a pleasure. It is rather astonishing to think that diversity has suddenly become such a taboo when it is part of the wonder of humanity. We are different because that is just the way the universe, nature or (insert God of your understanding) intended it. It is just what it is and we are just who we are and acceptance and tolerance will increase the global IQ by leaps and bounds and probably lead to world peace (if we want to suddenly become idealists)
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Can’t put it down in any better words. You nailed it! I’m afraid world peace is still quite far away but we can start by having a drink together and just call things as they are.
Cheers,
Micky
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Hahaha! Here’s the ironic thing: I am a recovering alcoholic (9 years not a drop) so it will have to be a virgin mojito, but Cheers!
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Fine by me. Sorry to hear that by the way.
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Very interesting. I’ve been wondering why I get drunk so fast but also get sober just as fast. I guess I have the unlucky ADH from my double Native American background (both side of family) but somehow a good rate of ALDH 2 (maybe the French roots?)? Does that make sense? Is this how it can work: Low ADH gets you drunk faster, but coupled with high ALDH2 it breaks down quickly?
Or maybe I just have high ALDH 2 like Asians? But I don’t have Asian roots, only French and Native American as far as we know.
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Well there’s also the option that it’s not based on your roots but you are just a unique human being haha.
Cheers,
Micky
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I am from European decent (and from countries where drinking is a big pastime), but I can’t handle alcohol at all. It makes me feel very sick. Feels like I ingested poison each time, even with a small drink. I wouldn’t be surprised if I am lacking in this enzyme as well.
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Yes… it’s quite well possible. Or it can be even worse and you are alergic to alcohol. Did you get yourself tested? Either way I feel sorry for you.
Greetings,
Micky
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Im Tuscaroan/Dutch for some reason i sober up very quick no matter how much i drink,although 24 hours later my blood/alcohol content is still legaly drunk. Once i stop ingesting it wears off so quick it actualy bothers me some times. Beer buzz just wont last. Im 48 now but it was the same when i was 18 and in the Army where i learned to drink. Im not a big person but have always been muscular and get poor gas mileage w/food also,i have to eat 4 or 5 times a day to have any serious energy for my line of work wich is physicaly very demanding. ive always wondered why.
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I wanna add a few examples,at 18 when i started drinking in the Army i could drink all night w/the boys and be fine at 5am for morning PT when others were sick,bad hangovers,i never had them. It used to amaze us. they called me mr. teflon in the mornings.But all of us were still legaly too drunk to drive. Glad we lived in barracks at the time. I didnt drink in high school,i dont share this trait w/any of my siblings,in fact,just the opposite. Now at 48 i can blame it on a life time tolerance build up. I got ran over by a car when i was 10 they said it took triple the medicine to keep me from going into shock. Ive always had to spend twice as much at lunch as co-workers to get threw the day. I could go on of course but the point is some of us deff dont fit a mold. For me it is real, its a hassel and exspensive.
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Wow, you are a rare case I must say. I don’t think your ethnic background has anything to do with it (since I’m Dutch myself I could of course brag how we know how to hold our liquor, but let’s stick to the facts haha).
I’m sure you are not unique but I think very few people in this world have the same. It’s clear that your body deals with any influences from outside pretty rapidly without breaking them down. Unfortunately I don’t have a medical background, so I’m just as much in the dark as you are. Still it’s very interesting. If you ever find out what it is, I would gladly hear about it.
Cheers,
Micky
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Well over the years ive been checked out,no diabetes,not hyper glacemic or what ever. O neg blood,always had troubles passing physicals for sports & military because of excess protien in my Urine. one Doc advised my father that i needed more iron than average and to make sure i ate red meat. sounds silly,most professionals hit me w/the ‘you got a fast metabilism thing’ rt off and that ends the subject so. Doc always tells me at my age now to take iron & magnesium cause it always low after lab work. other than that im healthy as a horse and eat like one & body fat hasnt been an issue,i get no milage on junkfood. I loose wieght quick. So a gene somewhere from ethnic?i dunno,metabilism? It was an issue during an operation one time at 33 yrs. It has came in handy before when every 1 else was whaakked and there was a knok at the door at 3am. ha ha
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Hahaha… Well I don’tknow what to say.You are a special case for sure. Have you ever thought of challenging people to drinking contests for money? You could make a fortune!
Cheers,
Micky
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