Alcohol tolerance

High level of alcohol dehydrogenase activity results in fast transformation of ethanol to more toxic acetaldehyde.

[5] Furthermore, among alcoholics, the carriers of this atypical enzyme consume lower ethanol doses, compared to the individuals without the allele.

[5][8] A more severe flushing reaction occurs when the body metabolizes the acetaldehyde more slowly, generally due to an inactive aldehyde dehydrogenase enzyme.

[9] Humans have access to alcohol in far greater quantity than non-human primates, and the availability increased, particularly with the development of agriculture.

[12] In North America, Native Americans have the highest probability of developing an alcohol use disorder compared to Europeans and Asians.

However, a 2024 study found that oriental hornets fed sugary solutions containing 1% to 80% ethanol for a week showed no adverse effects on behavior or lifespan.

Beer Street and Gin Lane by William Hogarth , 1751, detailing the Gin Craze in UK cities during the early Industrial Revolution.
Alcohol dehydrogenase is a dimeric zinc metalloenzyme that catalyzes the reversible oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes