酒精潮紅 Alcoholic Flush

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https://www.facebook.com/gliding.cloud  April 10, 2013

       以前在勸酒文化還很風行的時候，常常可以聽到這樣的聲音:  〝哇！你一下子就臉紅了。很好！很好！酒氣發散出來了，可以再多喝，多喝。〞   實情如何呢？剛好相反。

        酒精進入我們的身體之後，它代謝的過程分為兩步：第一步，是由酒精變成乙醛，這一步需要一種叫做〝乙醇去氫轉化脢〞的酵素來催化。第二步，是由乙醛變成對身體溫和的乙酸，這一步需要一種叫做〝乙醛去氫轉化脢〞的酵素來催化。

        在東方人的族群裡，大約有一半的人的〝乙醛去氫轉化脢〞(第二種酵素) 工作效率不佳，所以對這些人來說，喝酒之後乙醛會停留在身體裡好一段時間。 而乙醛的存在，則會引起面部潮紅和心跳加速等徵狀，同時對心、肝、腎等臟器造成額外的壓力。 所以，如果你像我一樣，喝酒之後容易臉紅，下回再聽到：〝你天生適合喝酒，再喝！再喝！〞這樣的勸酒詞，可別相信了。

        The metabolism of alcohol consists of two steps.  In the first step, alcohol is converted into acetaldehyde through the catalysis of an enzyme called “ethanol dehydrogenase”.   In the second step, acetaldehyde is converted into much milder acetic acid through the catalysis of an enzyme called “acetaldehyde dehydrogenase”. 

        In about half of Oriental population, the working efficiency of the second enzyme, acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, is low.  Consequently for these people, acetaldehyde will remain in the body for a much longer duration after drinking.  The presence of acetaldehyde will cause the symptom of flush and heart racing, as well as bring extra stress to organs like heart, liver, and kidney.  Hence, if you are of this type of person like me, you have one more justification, in addition to driving, to turn away the offer of alcoholic beverage.