She assumed nothing had changed after her mild infection, so when she saw her husband holding an enticing glass of whiskey one night, she took a tiny sip. This connection could provide insights into how long COVID might contribute to alcohol intolerance. Alcohol intolerance is a condition where the body reacts negatively to the consumption of alcohol. It’s typically related to an inability to properly process or metabolize alcohol. No research suggests that you’ll develop long COVID if you drink alcohol while you have a COVID-19 infection. Alcohol intolerance is not included in the current list of long COVID symptoms on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) websites.
- She described her symptoms as similar to a “bad hangover,” with a headache, grogginess, and “overwhelming” fatigue the next day.
- Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC), or long COVID, is characterized by persistent symptoms after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection that can vary from patient to patient.
- Some people describe feeling sick after consuming only a small amount of alcohol, while others report experiencing hangover-like symptoms that seem disproportionate to their alcohol intake.
- When it’s related to long COVID or another chronic condition, however, alcohol intolerance likely harms the body through a different chemical mechanism that doesn’t involve an inherited genetic mutation or allergy, Komaroff said.
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Current recommendations for the management of alcohol sensitivity include abstinence, avoidance, or the use of antihistamines to see if the severity of the reaction may be reduced 33. Patients may be advised to avoid the type of drink or ingredient that may be triggering symptoms. The connection between differences in alcohol type and physiological effect is unclear, including whether it is the ethanol content itself or other compounds that are contained within various types of drinks, such as histamines and sulfites. More investigation is needed to understand the differences in response depending on the type of alcoholic beverage consumed, such as beer, hard liquor, or wine 34. The three women involved in the study reported having more frequent headaches, flushing, grogginess and “overwhelming” fatigue after having drinks.
This case series is limited to four patients who self-identify as White or Hispanic, highlighting the need for further research investigating the potential influence of racial and ethnic background on alcohol intolerance in patients with PASC. All the extra histamine may explain why some people feel terrible after drinking alcohol post-COVID. Although it might feel like it, alcohol intolerance doesn’t make people get drunk faster, and it doesn’t increase blood alcohol levels. The condition is also different from an alcohol allergy, which is an immune response to a chemical, grain, or preservative in alcohol that can cause rashes, itchiness, swelling, and stomach cramps. Although the underlying mechanisms aren’t fully understood, the symptom may be linked to the broader condition of long COVID and share similarities with conditions like myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). While research on post-COVID alcohol intolerance is still limited, anecdotal evidence suggests that it’s a symptom experienced by many people following the virus.
The 40-year-old woman said drinking even small amounts of alcohol makes her feel as if she has “alcohol poisoning.” The 49-year-old woman told researchers a glass of wine made her feel as if she couldn’t move. The peer-reviewed study by researchers at Stanford University concluded that SARS-CoV-2 infection could be related to increased alcohol sensitivity. The group at Stanford’s Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome Clinic studied four patients to determine whether their long-term COVID had any effect on them after alcohol consumption.
Stanford researchers clarified in their writings that they did not find a “definitive causal link” between long COVID and alcohol sensitivity, due to the limited size of their study. Many long COVID patients (along with ME/CFS patients) experience issues with their autonomic nervous system, which plays a critical role in how blood vessels constrict and dilate, but researchers don’t yet fully understand why. Rachakonda said it’s not unreasonable to request a blood test if you’re experiencing alcohol intolerance.
Is alcohol intolerance a symptom of long COVID-19?
But after her infection, she found herself unable to tolerate even small amounts of alcohol, experiencing unpleasant sensations like lightheadedness, sluggishness, and queasiness after just a few sips. You can take a couple of steps to avoid contracting or transmitting the COVID-19 virus while drinking. If you don’t have a physical dependency on alcohol, and you drink lightly or moderately, consider stopping while you have COVID-19.
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When it’s related to long COVID or another chronic condition, however, alcohol intolerance likely harms the body through a different chemical mechanism that doesn’t involve an inherited genetic mutation or allergy, Komaroff said. Long COVID, also known as post-COVID conditions, occurs when health problems last for weeks, months or even years after a coronavirus infection. It was recognized by the American With Disabilities Act in 2021 and roughly 30% of adults may experience at least one COVID symptom that lasts three months or more, according to research. When stress exceeds a certain limit, it might trigger brain inflammation, resulting in symptoms like those seen in ME/CFS, including alcohol intolerance. Ongoing research, including advanced brain scans, aims to further investigate these connections. However, due to the limited available data on post-COVID-19 alcohol intolerance, it’s unclear whether it’s a temporary or long-term symptom.
She also reported worsening anxiety and depression in addition to myalgias and arthralgias with numbness in her hands and feet. Prior to the patient’s acute COVID infection, she drank socially without issue, but post-COVID infection, similar amounts of alcohol results in symptoms of flushing and headache. The patient had three doses of COVID-19 vaccine after her initial COVID infection. One, a 49-year-old woman, used to consume several drinks per week before getting COVID. Now, her tolerance has decreased so dramatically that she has not had any alcohol for seven months.
Long COVID (formally known as post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2) is a group of symptoms experienced after acute viral infection with COVID-19. Symptoms and their severity vary widely, and they can last anywhere from a few months to over a year. “If you’ve already got a loose hose that isn’t responding to the signal to tighten up and you’re making it looser with alcohol, that’s going to worsen those symptoms,” including fatigue, rapid heartbeat, cognitive impairment, and more, Malcolm said.
“Women should have no more than 1 drink per day and men no more than 2 drinks per day,” the medical school said. “One drink is defined as 12 fluid ounces (360 milliliters) of beer that has about 5% alcohol, 5 fluid ounces (150 milliliters) of wine that has about 12% alcohol, or 1½ long covid alcohol intolerance fluid ounces (45 milliliters) of 80-proof liquor.” It’s safe to say an intolerance to alcohol isn’t the worst of COVID or long COVID symptoms, but it can take away the “happy” in happy hour and generally impact your social life (if it revolves around alcohol at all). Before she came down with COVID in March 2020, Rebekah Stein was able to enjoy a handful of alcoholic drinks a week.
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