Asian flush, explained

It's not because they're drunker than you are.

Asian flush, also widely known as Asian glow, is when Chinese, Japanese and Korean people turn red after drinking alcohol. What causes Asian glow? Genetics, basically. Around 36% of Northeast Asians are deficient in one of the enzymes that metabolizes alcohol, due to a gene mutation called ALDH2*2. This leads to a buildup of a toxic substance called acetaldehyde, which causes Asian flush and can also cause cancer, especially esophageal cancer.

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[abilawaandamari]

So that's why their face turns red everytime an anime character gets drunk. I thought it was just an artistic touch.

[assikopp]

I'm german, I turn red if I don't drink.

[allennopphotography]

I have Asian Flush. When I was a kid, I would drink just a tad bit of my parents alcohol on weekday mornings to pretend I was sick and not have to go to school.

[Vt]

I'm Indian people turn red when they see u drinking

[Ari-ftlm]

I think i got Asian flush everytime when people talk to me.

[LEVENTSELEVE]

wait... some people don't turn red when they get drunk?

[RayMak]

But the more we drink. We lose our Asian flush

[haltsling]

Russians: THEY TURN RED WHEN THEY DON'T DRINK

[ayesp]

I'm black and when I don't drink my skin turns black and when I do it turns black 🤯🤯🤯

[luuketaylor]

But how does Asian Flush hold up against an Asian Full House?

[duckydae]

“Are we slammin’ these?”

Brian’s just out here asking all the right questions. 😂

[MichaelSmith-jopt]

This channel is the accurate, informative, non bullshit, non cringy version of buzzfeed, I love it!

[VS]

Asian flush? I'm Asian and I thought everyone had this when they get drunk.

[Martoto]

“Are we slamming these? What’s happening?”

Idk why this made me laugh out loud.

[SKtube]

This very thing has been a topic of many jokes between my wife and I. My wife was born and raised in Germany, a culture with a long drinking history. I'm Korean-American and I turn red after a couple drinks though I'm not drunk. My wife calls me her "cherry dumpling" when it occurs lol.

[yasmingarcez]

ohhh so thats why in anime they do that thing... i never knew

[karenzhen]

I'm glad you mentioned about the headache after 30 mins of drinking. I get that too so drinking has never been that enjoyable for me. No one around me experiences the headaches so I assumed it was just me.

[yeti]

"so we slamming these" this guy was ready to party

[cleaterose]

"You don't have to bring it up every time." Thank you Brian.

[MrMineHeads.]

My bio teacher introduced my class to this phenomenon. She was teaching about different enzymes and how a lot of Asians are deficient in alcohol dehydrogenase, and how she herself gets uncomfortable when she even drinks some beer or red wine. BTW, she was my favourite highschool teacher.