Those who already suffer from asthma seem to be more vulnerable,” he said. Read beverage labels to see whether they contain ingredients or additives you know cause a reaction, such as sulfites or certain grains. Be aware, however, that labels might not list all ingredients. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, which is why people feel sleepy after they’ve had a drink or two, and why drinking a “nightcap” before you go to bed can sound appealing.

Many people with nasal polyps and asthma who react negatively to aspirin may also experience an allergy-like response to drinking alcohol. Studies have found that alcohol can cause or worsen the common symptoms of asthma and hay fever, like sneezing, itching, headaches and coughing. Beer also contains histamines which could cause a reaction in some people, including sneezing and stuffy nose after drinking. Just like wine, beer has a lot of ingredients that can make someone react negatively. Some of the most common culprits for reactions are gluten, hops, wheat, and yeast. If you have an intolerance or sensitivity to any of these ingredients, you’ll likely react to drinking beer.

Can Alcoholic Drinks Cause Allergies?

If alcohol and sneezing from a glass makes you sneeze, try drinking through a straw instead. This will help reduce your nose’s contact with the drink and make it less likely to trigger a sneeze. Spirits such as vodka and gin can also cause sneezing due to the presence of histamines. In addition, some people find that the alcohol in these drinks irritates their nose, leading to sneezing. Like wine, beer also contains histamines, which can trigger sneezing.

An alcohol intolerance is commonly mistaken for an alcohol allergy and is often misdiagnosed. If your body is unable to remove acetaldehyde from the body, symptoms like congestion, flushing, headaches, and more can persist. If someone believes they have an alcohol allergy or intolerance, they should stop drinking alcoholic drinks and visit their healthcare provider for testing and advice. If you suddenly experience an allergic reaction to a glass of wine or a beer, it could be because you are histamine intolerant.

Alcohol Allergy

However, a person is usually allergic or intolerant to certain ingredients in the drink, rather than the alcohol itself. Depending on whether a person has an alcohol allergy or intolerance, they may need to avoid alcohol entirely. Occasionally, a doctor may ask a person to consume alcohol in a medical setting and observe any reactions or symptoms. A skin prick test should take place in a medical setting in case of a severe allergic reaction. There are several ways for a doctor to diagnose an alcohol allergy or intolerance, including the approaches below.

• Likewise, if beer makes you sneeze, try drinking vodka or gin instead.
• So, any extra allergy or asthma symptoms caused by drinking most likely would not be enough to persuade you from giving up alcohol.
• If certain drinks make you sneeze, replace them with a different type of alcohol.
• The Penn AERD Center uses a multidisciplinary approach to this condition — aspirin desensitization to reduce the growth of future polyps, and surgery to remove existing polyps.
• It is most common for nose bleeds to occur with a stuffy nose and flushed skin.

It is possible to react to certain alcoholic beverages if you have histamine intolerance or a sulfite intolerance. Alcohol can be a sign of Hodgkin’s lymphoma in extremely rare cases. If you have an ALDH2 deficiency, drinking alcohol can cause your face to be red and warm. Red wine, in comparison to white wine and beer, has a higher histamine content. Alcohol intolerance is far more common than a true alcohol allergy.

What Causes Alcohol Intolerance?

These antibodies trigger a release of histamines, causing red and itchy skin. Unfortunately, if the body can’t effectively process and break down these histamines, it creates a buildup, which can cause these uncomfortable skin conditions, he explains. Symptoms are more likely to be a reaction to the ingredients in a drink, or the alcohol causing other types of allergies to worsen. For example, alcohol may exacerbate preexisting asthma conditions. If someone has a true allergy to alcohol, they should avoid the substance entirely. People with alcohol intolerance could still consume alcohol, although they will likely experience side effects.

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. In one 2005 Swedish study, those with asthma, bronchitis and hay fever were more apt to sneeze, get a runny nose or have “lower-airway symptoms” after a drink, especially women. Histamine is produced by yeast and bacteria during fermentation. In addition to histamine, sulfites can be found in wine and beer, which may also irritate allergies for some people. Alcohol is not the only category of food/drink that can affect allergies in this way. If this sound like you or someone you know, be sure to be mindful of foods like aged cheese, bread, and other fermented products like cider that can contain histamines as well.

What Is an Alcohol Allergy?

But not many people realize that there are many ingredients, additives, and preservatives within alcoholic beverages that can cause negative side effects. In some people, these reactions look like allergy symptoms even though they don’t have a true allergy to alcohol. They can also appear all over, affecting only one part of the body.