Nearly half of the population in Taiwan lacks the mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) gene, which is linked to increased risks of cancer and dementia when combined with frequent or excessive alcohol intake, the Health Promotion Administration (HPA) said yesterday, urging Taiwanese to drink less alcohol.
Many feel pressured to drink alcoholic beverages at company year-end parties or Lunar New Year get-togethers, the agency said, adding that people should be aware that excessive drinking is not only linked to increased risks of gastric ulcers, cirrhosis, cardiovascular disease and cancer, but also to dementia.
A study published last year in the US suggests that alcohol consumption in people with an ALDH2 deficiency not only increases the risk of alcohol-related cancers, but can also contribute to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, it said.
Photo: Chen Kuan-pei, Taipei Times
Warning: Excessive consumption of alcohol can damage your health.
A 23-year follow-up study suggests that people who drink more than seven cans of beer per week have an increased risk of dementia, with the risk increasing to about 2.2 times if they drink up to 10 cans per week, HPA Tobacco Control Division head Lo Su-ying (羅素英) said.
All people, but especially those with an ALDH2 deficiency, should avoid excessive drinking, HPA Director-General Wang Ying-wei (王英偉) said.
“Nearly half of Taiwanese have an ALDH2 deficiency, which can be characterized by a flushed face, rapid heartbeat, headache, dizziness, vomiting and hangover after alcohol consumption, and is also known as ‘alcohol intolerance,’” Wang said.
A higher percentage of the populations in East Asian nations tend to carry the genetic mutation than Caucasians, he added.
Increasing the blood-alcohol concentration to above 0.15 percent — equivalent to an adult who weighs about 70kg drinking seven 500ml cans of beer with 5 percent alcohol content — over a short period can lead to temporary memory loss, also known as a “blackout,” the agency said.
People experiencing a blackout could continue to drink and interact with others, or engage in potentially dangerous behaviors, but they do not remember them when they begin to sober up, it added.
The HPA recommends that people — regardless of whether they have an ALDH2 deficiency — avoid excessive drinking to prevent alcohol-related diseases, Wang said.
If people feel they must drink on certain occasions, HPA dietary guidelines suggest that men drink no more than one can of beer per day and women no more than half a can of beer per day, while pregnant women should not drink alcohol at all, Wang said.
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