Alcohol Intolerance: Symptoms, vs Allergy, and More

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). 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.

“Spike Effect” of COVID-19 Vaccines and Alcohol

In Russia, health officials advised against drinking for at least two months after receiving the Sputnik V vaccine, while the vaccine’s developer suggested abstaining for three days after each injection. It is always recommended to consult with a healthcare professional for personalized advice. While there is no official recommendation from the U.S. government on drinking alcohol before or after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, experts advise against heavy drinking as it may negatively impact your immune system and the vaccine’s efficacy.

Is alcohol allergy treatable?

Individuals with a lowered tolerance, also known as acute sensitivity, may experience the effects of intoxication even after alcohol intolerance after covid consuming relatively small amounts of alcohol. Excessive alcohol consumption can suppress your immune system, increase inflammation, and impair the functioning of key immune system cells. This can leave your body vulnerable to infections and hinder its ability to fight off the virus. Additionally, heavy drinking can cause side effects similar to those experienced after receiving the vaccine, such as headaches, fatigue, and body aches. It may become challenging to distinguish between vaccine side effects and alcohol-induced symptoms, making it important to monitor and report any adverse reactions accurately.

Data Availability Statement

Therefore, it is recommended to drink extra water and be mindful of your consumption levels. Some side effects of the Covid-19 vaccine, such as headache, fatigue, and body aches, can mirror the symptoms of a powerful hangover. Additionally, alcohol can cause dehydration, which could further contribute to feeling unwell. In summary, while a drink or two is unlikely to impact the vaccine’s effectiveness, heavy alcohol consumption should be avoided to maintain a robust immune system and ensure the vaccine’s optimal efficacy. Drinking alcohol in close proximity to receiving a vaccine may confuse the identification of side effects, as some vaccine side effects, such as headaches, fatigue, and body aches, can mirror hangover symptoms.

First, a refresher: How do the available COVID-19 vaccines work?

This is why many people with long COVID feel lightheaded or even faint after standing up, as their blood vessels don’t constrict enough, causing blood pressure to drop. It’s a hallmark symptom of POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), which about 2% to 14% of people who test positive for COVID end up developing. All the extra histamine may explain why some people feel terrible after drinking alcohol post-COVID.

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. 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. While research on alcohol intolerance post-COVID-19 is limited, numerous anecdotal reports suggest that alcohol intolerance could be a symptom of long COVID for some individuals. There’s growing evidence that it may be a unique symptom of long COVID, particularly the post-viral fatigue syndrome (PVFS) type. If you have alcohol allergy, the only way to avoid symptoms is to avoid alcohol completely.

In people with true alcohol allergy, as little as 1 milliliter (mL) of pure alcohol can trigger an allergic reaction. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine works differently, as it modifies an existing adenovirus, which usually causes colds, with the spike protein. It’s then copied into mRNA and your cells begin making spike proteins, causing your body to produce antibodies. Several anecdotal reports suggest that alcohol intolerance may be linked to long COVID, specifically the post-viral fatigue syndrome (PVFS) type.

• This could make the PVN extra sensitive to life’s stresses, causing fatigue and relapses similar to ME/CFS.
• A community for individuals suffering from the effects of COVID-19 longer than the estimated 4 weeks, also known as PACS, PASC, and Long Covid.
• It’s possible that people who cannot tolerate alcohol after COVID may have sustained an acute liver injury from their infection or have an undiagnosed liver condition.
• 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.

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. Still, experts, particularly those who study or treat people with ME/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome) — a complex illness that shares many similarities with long COVID — aren’t too shocked to hear about the occurrence. In the meantime, healthcare providers should take alcohol intolerance into account when evaluating and treating post-COVID symptoms.

To avoid confusion in monitoring and reporting side effects to the CDC, it is recommended to refrain from excessive drinking before or after receiving the Covid-19 vaccine. By maintaining hydration and avoiding alcohol, you can better manage any potential side effects that may arise. Medications called antihistamines can help treat symptoms of a mild allergic reaction. The medication epinephrine, commonly called an EpiPen, can help treat a severe allergic reaction.

Alcohol intolerance and alcohol allergy may share certain symptoms, but they are two different conditions. Post-viral fatigue (PVF) is fatigue that first starts during a viral infection but persists after the virus has gone. Scientists are not sure what causes PVF, though immune cells called cytokines likely play a role. He explains that the CDC encourages people who have been vaccinated to sign up for its V-Safe After Vaccination Health Checker, and it’s possible for someone to confuse hangover symptoms with vaccine side effects.

The condition doesn’t go away, but people can manage it by avoiding booze of all kinds. People of Asian descent are more likely to have the genetic mutation, so they have the condition at greater rates compared with other racial groups.

mRNA-Based Vaccines and Alcohol Consumption

Therefore, it is advisable to practice moderation and consider celebrating in other ways, such as staying hydrated and resting. Some health conditions can also cause alcohol intolerance, while others can cause increased alcohol sensitivity. You’ll also want to avoid drinking alcohol when taking certain medications, as some drugs can worsen symptoms of alcohol intolerance. Taking antihistamine medication is another no-go because it may hide some symptoms and lead you to drink more.

• The condition doesn’t go away, but people can manage it by avoiding booze of all kinds.
• Ribonucleic acid is endowed to be rapidly translated into nonactive SARS-CoV-2 S proteins in a stable closed structure in order to induce the immune response without causing cell damage due to its interaction with the ACE2 receptor 103.
• Objective measures, such as blood alcohol levels, in future research on larger cohorts would also provide additional quantitative insight into the degree of alcohol reaction relative to ingested amount.
• However, we can assume that since alcohol affects the function of T cells, the effectiveness of this vaccine would be weaker in people with alcohol-use disorders.

Consuming excessive amounts of alcohol can negatively impact the immune system and may interfere with the vaccine’s effectiveness. Additionally, mixing alcohol with the vaccine’s side effects can make it challenging to identify and report any adverse reactions to the vaccine accurately. Therefore, it is generally recommended to drink in moderation and prioritize hydration and rest after receiving the Covid-19 vaccine. 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.

However, some animal and clinical studies suggest that moderate alcohol consumption reinforces the immune response to infection and vaccination. Some of the health benefits of moderate beer consumption may be due to its ability to interfere with pro-inflammatory cytokine cascades 31. Alcohol consumption, especially chronic heavy drinking, has an impact on human health, particularly on the components of both innate and adaptive immunity 1,2. A large number of early and recent studies have demonstrated that both short- and long-term alcohol consumption leads to a severe decrease in lymphocytes 3,4. Alterations in immunoglobulins IgA and IgM have been observed in men and women who drink alcohol 5,6. Ethanol dose- and time-dependently modulates the functions of monocytes and dendritic cells, thereby affecting phagocytosis and inflammatory cytokine production 7.

Therefore, it is advisable to abstain or reduce alcohol consumption, especially when receiving a vaccine, as it may hinder your immune system’s ability to respond effectively. Alcohol allergy happens when the immune system mistakenly identifies alcohol as a threat and launches an attack that can affect the entire body. Long COVID is a type of PVF that involves new or worsening COVID-19 symptoms months or years after the initial infection. A histamine is a chemical that the body releases in response to allergy, inflammation, or injury. If you have histamine intolerance, you lack a digestive enzyme called diamine oxidase, which helps your body break down excess histamine. As a result, your body perceives the proteins as invaders (even though no threat exists), and starts pumping out antibodies that can uniquely fight the coronavirus.