# is beer /alcohol a histamine? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 15, 2005, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-beer-alcohol-a-histamine/312603 "2005-07-15T02:21:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mrrealtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@mrrealtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrrealtime)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-beer-alcohol-a-histamine/312603/1 "2005-07-15T02:21:26Z")
Can alchohol exacerbate allergy symptoms? ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-beer-alcohol-a-histamine/312603/2 "2005-07-15T02:30:45Z")
Both beer and wine can cause reactions if you are sensitive to tyramines. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-beer-alcohol-a-histamine/312603/3 "2005-07-15T02:38:24Z")
When I was still drinking, I would get allergic symptoms every time I drank Miller Genuine Draft, but no other beer. I would also like to know why ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-beer-alcohol-a-histamine/312603/4 "2005-07-15T02:48:08Z")
As a drinker, and allergy sufferer, I can say it has been my experience that alcohol has the opposite effect. For me, a beer and a half stops the sneezing pretty well. If it’s a placebo effect, I don’t want to know. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-beer-alcohol-a-histamine/312603/5 "2005-07-15T07:29:50Z")
The word for something that causes allergic reactions is an ALLERGAN. Histamines are the substances that the body produces in response to allergans, which cause the symptoms of an allergy: vasodilation, mucous production, tissue swelling etc. Many people descrbe the facial flushing, nausea and sweating they get from alcohol (commonly exacerbated by the antibiotic Metronidazole) as an allergy. It isn’t, it’s a defect in the enzyme pathway (the defect is either inherited, or induced by medication) which breaks down alcohol, so that instead of the normal waste products, a surplus of acetaldehyde is produced. The acetaldehyde is what causes the symptoms of flushing and nausea. It is unlikely for the C2H5OH itself to cause a true allergy, more likely for an additive in the drink to do so. ---
**Author:** ![nonacetone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonacetone/32/2819_2.png) [@nonacetone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonacetone)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-beer-alcohol-a-histamine/312603/6 "2005-07-15T08:20:17Z")
I also had an allergic reaction (hives) whenever I drank MGD. I now drink Michelob and have no problems. ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Scene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bob\_Scene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Scene)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-beer-alcohol-a-histamine/312603/7 "2005-07-15T09:49:36Z")
Why the plural, “histamines”? Is there more than one? ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-beer-alcohol-a-histamine/312603/8 "2005-07-15T12:37:14Z")
> [@Bob Scene](#): > > Why the plural, “histamines”? Is there more than one? Yes. More importantly, there are numerous antihistamines. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-beer-alcohol-a-histamine/312603/9 "2005-07-15T15:50:50Z")
> [@irishgirl](#): > > Histamines are the substances that the body produces in response to allergans, which cause the symptoms of an allergy: vasodilation, mucous production, tissue swelling etc. But there are foods/drinks that _contain_ histamine. And beer and wine are two of them. ---
**Author:** ![the\_Lady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@the\_Lady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_Lady)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-beer-alcohol-a-histamine/312603/10 "2005-07-15T16:04:19Z")
I find that when I am drinking it makes my reactions to the things I am allergic to much worse. (strange cats usually mean minor sniffles and being careful not to touch my eyes. strange cats and beer usually mean having to lay down so I can concentrate on breathing) ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-beer-alcohol-a-histamine/312603/11 "2005-07-15T16:28:20Z")
As a young girl I suffered from pretty severe asthma. A sip of alcohol\* would make breathing a bit easier until I could be taken to the ER. \*I do not in any way advocate giving alcohol to minors. ---
**Author:** ![Ultraviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/c77e96/32.png) [@Ultraviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ultraviolet)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-beer-alcohol-a-histamine/312603/12 "2005-07-15T17:25:57Z")
I find when drinking some types of alcohol, my nose stuffs up almost immediately. So, I can vouch for a reaction. I always assumed it was an allergy. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-beer-alcohol-a-histamine/312603/13 "2005-07-15T17:28:39Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#): > > When I was still drinking, I would get allergic symptoms every time I drank Miller Genuine Draft, but no other beer. I would also like to know why Because it’s your body’s way of saying “please stop drinking this swill, and get me a perfectly poured Guinness or something similar”. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-beer-alcohol-a-histamine/312603/14 "2005-07-15T18:03:37Z")
Miller puts _something_ in all thier beers that causes hay-fever like reactions for me. All thier beer except “milwaukee’s best” (yes, it’s awful) which apparently doesn’t have the budget for the problematic ingredient. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-beer-alcohol-a-histamine/312603/15 "2005-07-15T18:47:41Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > As a young girl I suffered from pretty severe asthma. A sip of alcohol\* would make breathing a bit easier until I could be taken to the ER. > > \*I do not in any way advocate giving alcohol to minors. Ethanol is a smooth muscle relaxer. This may help open up a bronchiole which is constricted by spasm of the smooth muscle surrounding it. Caffiene can help too, in an emergency. But medicines designed to treat bronchospasm are better and I would not suggest anyone use alcohol or caffiene for these purposes save in a true emergency, while waiting for the paramedics to arrive. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-beer-alcohol-a-histamine/312603/16 "2005-07-15T19:08:05Z")
**Qagdop,** isn’t alcohol something asthmatics are supposed to avoid? I thought I’d heard something to that effect. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-beer-alcohol-a-histamine/312603/17 "2005-07-15T20:06:39Z")
> [@saoirse](#): > > **Qagdop,** isn’t alcohol something asthmatics are supposed to avoid? I thought I’d heard something to that effect. I’d be dead by now for sure! ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2005, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-beer-alcohol-a-histamine/312603/18 "2005-07-16T02:40:09Z")
> [@saoirse](#): > > **Qagdop,** isn’t alcohol something asthmatics are supposed to avoid? I thought I’d heard something to that effect. A lot of things can trigger asthma, and they’re different for different asthmatics. Many tolerate alcohol just fine. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2005, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-beer-alcohol-a-histamine/312603/19 "2005-07-16T03:20:11Z")
I have heard apple juice and cheap white wine can, in large quantities, trigger an asthma attack. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2005, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-beer-alcohol-a-histamine/312603/20 "2005-07-16T04:11:17Z")
I have non-allergic vaso-motor rhinitis…which is a fancy way of saying I have a stuffy nose. Beer/alcohol _always_ makes my nose more stuffy. I hate it! It certainly takes some of the pleasure out of drinking. Not all the pleasure, mind you. Just some of it! 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-beer-alcohol-a-histamine/312603.md?page=2)