Is it normal… to go red when you drink alcohol?

If enjoying your favourite tipple leaves your cheeks burning, you could have an alcohol intolerance.

Nutritionist Jade Taylor explains, “Hot flushes can occur when alcohol is consumed and can cause a person’s face to turn red.

This indicates that the body is encountering difficulty in digesting the substance or that it’s allergic to alcohol.” All alcohol contains a substance called ethanol and once consumed, the body works to convert it into other substances, or metabolise it to flush it out.

“Acetaldehyde is a metabolite produced in this process and it’s very toxic.

Usually, the body has no problem metabolising alcohol, especially if a person drinks in moderation, however if someone is alcohol intolerant, they may find it difficult to break down the alcohol and the acetaldehyde will build up instead.” Excessive acetaldehyde can lead to sickness, an irregular heartbeat and the aforementioned facial flushing. Taylor notes that sometimes an alcohol intolerance is the result of genetics.

It could also be that you’re experiencing a reaction to histamines

(which can make you feel short of breath) or sulphites, found in some booze (a doctor can decide if allergy testing is needed). Until then, the best advice? If a certain drink (or several) doesn’t agree with you, then steer clear. Sorry.