Hangover susceptibility in relation to aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 genotype, alcohol flushing, and mean corpuscular volume in Japanese workers.
BACKGROUND
A study of Asian-American students suggested a positive association between inactive ALDH2*2 and susceptibility to hangover. A biomarker for moderate-to-heavy drinking in persons with inactive aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2) is increased mean corpuscular volume (MCV).


METHODS
Associations between hangover and ALDH2 genotype, alcohol flushing, and MCV were examined for 251 Japanese workers (139 men, 112 women).


RESULTS
Inactive ALDH2*1/2*2 heterozygotes drank less alcohol than active ALDH2*1/2*1 homozygotes (p < 0.0001), but the frequency of hangover did not significantly differ between the two groups for either gender. The amount of drinking reported to lead to hangover was significantly less for male and female ALDH2*1/2*2 heterozygotes than for their ALDH2*1/2*1 homozygous counterparts (p < 0.005). The proportion of men who had hangover three times or more during the past year increased significantly with increased daily alcohol consumption in men with the ALDH2*1/2*2 genotype (p = 0.0002) but not in those with the ALDH2*1/2*1 genotype. For men who usually consumed <44 g of ethanol/day, the median amount of drinking before hangover was significantly lower for ALDH2*1/2*2 men than for ALDH2*1/2*1 men reporting the same level of consumption. Hangover occurred with consistently high frequency among ALDH2*1/2*1 men, regardless of their daily consumption. Similar findings were observed in a comparison of men who never flushed and those who reported current or former flushing, a surrogate marker of inactive ALDH2. Assessment of hangover risk by quartiles of MCV showed that men with MCV of > or =96 had a significantly higher risk of hangover than did men with MCV of <91 (odds ratio = 5.56; 95% confidence interval = 1.69-18.25).


CONCLUSIONS
Inactive heterozygous ALDH2, alcohol flushing, and increased MCV were positively associated with hangover susceptibility in Japanese workers, suggesting that acetaldehyde is etiologically linked to the development of hangover.
Yokoyama
Masako
M
Mitsukoshi Health and Welfare Foundation, Tokyo, Japan.
Yokoyama
Akira
A
Yokoyama
Tetsuji
T
Funazu
Kazuo
K
Hamana
Genichi
G
Kondo
Shuji
S
Yamashita
Takeshi
T
Nakamura
Haruo
H
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics*; D000071396:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial; D000483:Alleles; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000235:genetics; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005483:Flushing / Q000235:genetics*; D006580:Genetic Carrier Screening; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D012306:Risk; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000235:genetics*
C096127:ALDH2 protein, human; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; D000071396:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial