Sneezing When You Drink Wine? 5 Common Culprits and How to Avoid Them
Be sure to tell your doctor about any medications or supplements you are taking. If you have ever experienced swelling of the tongue or throat, or trouble breathing after drinking beer, it is advised to stop drinking beer until you have seen a doctor. The condition is caused by inheriting a gene that affects how alcohol is broken down by the body. The most common cause is ALDH2 deficiency, which results in decreased levels of aldehyde dehydrogenase, the enzyme responsible for breaking down acetaldehyde. People with this deficiency metabolize acetaldehyde slowly, leading to its buildup. ADH enzyme variants are another cause of alcohol intolerance, altering the structure and function of aldehyde dehydrogenase.
What causes the sneezing reflex after consuming alcohol?
If this phenomenon causes significant distress or worsens over time, it is recommended to consult with a healthcare professional to rule out any underlying issues. Yes, certain ingredients in alcoholic beverages, such as sulfites in wine or hops in beer, can be more likely to induce sneezing in susceptible individuals. The fermentation and ageing process of making wine directly produces histamines, the chemicals your body makes in response to allergy triggers.
Histamines are sneezing when drinking chemicals produced by the human immune system and are found in nearly all tissues of the body. While the body naturally produces histamine, we also consume it through food and drinks that are rich in histamines, including cheese, wine, meats, fish, and fermented foods. This will allow for those with a sensitivity to histamines to make informed decisions about what wines they can safely drink. Furthermore, it is important for winemakers to be aware of their own practices and processes in order to avoid introducing too much histamine into the wine during production. Knowing the potential risk posed by histamines will help ensure that the wine is safe and enjoyable for everyone to consume.
- Drinking plenty of fluids will help to thin out the mucus in your nose and make it less likely to trigger a sneeze.
- In particular, if you have developed an intolerance or allergy to wine, then this could lead to more severe reactions such as anaphylaxis.
- Allergic reactions to alcohol can cause symptoms such as difficulty breathing, coughing, a runny nose, or stomach upset.
- Your body holds on to the nutritive parts of what you eat and drink, but, otherwise, what goes in must also come out.
- If someone has a true allergy to alcohol, they should avoid the substance entirely.
- Alcohol allergies are rare, but if you do have one, it doesn’t take much to trigger a reaction.
The sneezing reflex after drinking alcohol is primarily caused by vasodilation, which increases the sensitivity of the nerve endings in your nasal passages. Alcohol intolerance is caused by a genetic condition in which the body can’t break down alcohol efficiently. The symptoms range from sneezing and congestion to a more severe anaphylactic reaction. Histamine, which is produced during the breakdown of alcohol, is one of the main compounds responsible for these allergic reactions.
In either case, the result is less acetaldehyde being broken down into acetate. Red wine should be avoided if you have a sinus condition or are prone to developing them. The sulfur compounds in red wine can irritate your nasal passages, resulting in inflammation and swelling that can lead to sinus issues.
White Wine Makes Me Sneeze
This will help to reduce the number of histamines in your system and make it less likely that they’ll trigger a sneeze. If you find that certain drinks trigger your sneezing, try switching to a different type of alcohol. And if cocktails make you sneeze, try making your own with fresh fruit juices instead of pre-made mixes. For a minor reaction, over-the-counter or prescription antihistamines might help reduce symptoms, such as itching or hives. Beer and wine, in addition to being high in histamine, can aggravate a runny nose or nasal congestion. “Alcohol may in some people aggregate skin conditions like urticaria (hives),” says Nurse Shaw.
Alcohol Poisoning Symptoms Next Day – Find Out Now
The sneezing that some people experience after drinking red wine can also be due to an allergy. While rare, it is possible for a person to have an allergic reaction when exposed to the ingredients found in red wine such as histamines or sulfites. Those with allergies may experience sneezing, itching, and other respiratory symptoms when exposed to red wine. To avoid experiencing such allergic reactions, it is important to consult with a doctor and identify any allergies before drinking red wine. Combining alcohol with certain medications can also lead to similar reactions.
However, to eliminate them completely, it is necessary to avoid consuming red wine altogether. However, you can try avoiding specific alcoholic beverages or reducing your alcohol consumption to see if it makes a difference. Few things can be more frustrating than enjoying a drink with friends only to be interrupted by incessant sneezing. Alcohol-induced sneezing is a peculiar phenomenon that affects a small percentage of individuals. While the exact cause is not fully understood, several theories attempt to explain why some people experience this reaction. In this article, we will explore the possible reasons behind why you may sneeze after drinking alcohol.
Look for wines with lower histamine levels, usually white wines, organic wines or sparkling wines. Some winemakers do choose to state their histamine content, particularly if it’s low. For example, Italian winemaker Peri Bigogno produces wines with a certified histamine content under 0.5 mg/L. We all know wine comes with its fair share of effects, some desirable and others less so!
Booze can cause us to experience everything from headaches to nausea the morning after, and can also impact on mental health conditions, such as anxiety or depression, too. That runny or stuffy nose you get if you’re intolerant to alcohol may feel and seem like allergies, but it’s not. As we now know, alcohol intolerance is an issue with metabolizing alcohol — not an overzealous immune system. The bad news is that you can’t really do much about it, or that unwelcome nasal congestion that comes along with it, aside from just not drinking alcohol. Sneezing after drinking beer could be caused by a mild allergic reaction due to a build-up of histamines in your system. Histamine is a compound found in beer, wine, and spirits that can elicit an allergic response.
This increased sensitivity can lead to a sneeze reflex being triggered, causing you to sneeze. People may also have an allergic reaction to specific ingredients in alcoholic drinks rather than the alcohol itself. If you have any severe or painful symptoms after drinking alcohol, don’t just brush it off as alcohol intolerance.
Alcohol Allergies Can Cause Sneezing, Flushing, Headache
While further research is needed to fully understand the genetic factors involved, studies have suggested a possible link between certain genes and alcohol-induced sneezing. Drinking plenty of water, limiting and slowing down alcohol consumption, and eating before drinking can help to reduce the vasodilation effects of alcohol. If a person is allergic to a particular ingredient found in some drinks, they could switch to drinks that do not contain it. Depending on whether a person has an alcohol allergy or intolerance, they may need to avoid alcohol entirely. Hodgkin lymphoma is a blood cancer that can affect a person’s lymphatic system.
Awareness & Prevention
Finally, acetate is further broken down into water and carbon dioxide and, voila! There is no evidence suggesting that age or gender has a significant influence on alcohol-induced sneezing. Quercetin is a plant pigment that has been shown to cause sneezing in some people.
As such, a person who is allergic to red wine should avoid it altogether and seek medical advice if symptoms persist. “Reactions to alcohol are unlikely to be caused by a ‘true’ allergy,” explains Holly Shaw, Nurse Advisor at Allergy UK. The symptoms of alcohol intolerance usually occur immediately after drinking alcohol and can be intense. One of the primary symptoms is facial flushing, where the face quickly turns red and may feel warm due to increased blood flow. The symptoms are similar to those caused by histamine intolerance and can easily be confused with allergy-like symptoms. If you experience this particular symptom, it’s important to seek medical advice before drinking alcohol again.
The good news is, simple wine sneezes are nothing to be concerned about if the symptoms are mild. Younger wines like crisp whites and rosés, and anything with a screw top is far less likely to have mould. If you see mould around the cork of an older bottle, make sure that you clean it off very thoroughly before opening, and take care there is minimal contamination from the cork. But if you think your wine is contaminated by mould, it is best to discard it as it can be worse for you than just sneezing. If you see mould on the ouside of the cork, that does not necessarily mean the wine is contaminated.
Some people may be sensitive to other compounds in the beverage and will need allergy testing to determine what they are allergic to. Furthermore, it is important for anyone who suspects an allergy to red wine, to speak with their doctor to determine the cause and get an official diagnosis. As with why do i sneeze when i drink alcohols, this issue comes down to a depletion of enzymes — in this case, enzymes that are required to metabolize alcohol in the liver.
A person with severe allergies should carry one with them at all times, in case of a serious allergic reaction. A skin prick test should take place in a medical setting in case of a severe allergic reaction. Alcohol intolerance is a genetic condition where an individual’s digestive system cannot properly break down the substance. If your favourite tipple leaves your cheeks burning, then yes – you may well have an alcohol sensitivity or intolerance, says nutritionist Jade Taylor, of Kitchen Home.
Dr. Adkinson recommends that people who are prone to alcohol-related allergic reactions should avoid consuming these fruits as well as alcoholic beverages containing sulfites. He adds that the chances of having an adverse reaction to those foods or drinks is one out of every hundred. While the risk is low, those who experience such reactions should reduce or avoid alcohol and sulfite-containing foods altogether. One of the most common alcohol-related allergic reactions is to wines containing sulfites. Sulfites are used as a preservative in wine and other alcoholic beverages, but can lead to an adverse reaction in some people. Symptoms of this kind of allergy include sneezing, itching, hives and difficulty breathing.