Allergy Symptoms May Be Triggered by Alcohol

By Jody Smith HERWriter

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If you're having a bad time with symptoms from asthma, bronchitis or hay fever, and you're tempted to drown your sorrows, you just might want to reconsider that idea. According to a study done in Sweden in 2005, having a drink may only make things worse.

The study indicated that "those with diagnoses of asthma, bronchitis and hay fever were far more likely to experience sneezing, a runny nose and 'lower-airway symptoms' after having a drink." Red and white wines appeared to be the worst offenders, and women were hit the hardest by the symptom flairs

Another study published in 2008 suggested that more than a couple of glasses of wine can increase allergy symptoms, even for women who were not previously experiencing allergy symptoms.

It's thought that the main culprits for these worsening symptoms may be the histamine content in beer, liquor and wine, and the sulfites found in beer and wine.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/20/health/20real.html?src=me&ref=health

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acupuncturepdx

Thank you for sharing this- I have definitely experienced a huge flare in allergy symptoms after having even a few sips of alcohol. So glad you posted this article!

May 4, 2010 - 6:27pm

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Jody Smith HERWriter View Profile Send Message

We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.