Alcohol Metabolism and Disease Risk in Asians

The primary pathway of alcohol metabolism involves two main enzymes, alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase. Several genes that encode these enzymes have variants that alter the rate of alcohol metabolism and increase levels of acetaldehyde. The variant ALDH2\*2 allele is associated with the flushing response (i.e., Asian glow) and is found almost exclusively in individuals of east Asian descent. Although having variant ALDH2 alleles is protective against heavy drinking and alcohol use disorders, for those who do drink, these variants also are associated with elevations in risk for several health problems. The premise of this study is that we can affect early drinking behavior through personalized communication about these health-related risks.