Pepcid or Zantac as a remedy for Alcohol Red Face?

If you surf the net for long enough looking at alcohol red face related sites you will most likely encounter sites and forums talking about the use of Pepcid AC, Zantac and other stomach antacid medications as a potential remedy for the alcohol red face reaction – sometimes referred to as Asian flush, alcohol flush reaction or alcohol allergy.

First and foremost it should be noted that these are pharmaceuticals.  Whether it be for an upset stomach or for some other purpose (i.e. to remedy an alcohol red face), one should consult their doctor or pharmacist before taking any medications.

So do they work?

The data varies from case to case it seems.  According to some sources, it appears that H2 blockers like Zantac and Pepcid AC have been seen to work in reducing the alcohol red face reaction as a result of their antihistamine properties. Alcohol is commonly known to irritate the lining of one’s stomach and increase production of gastric acid. It is also commonly known that antacids function by reducing gastric acid production in the stomach, but they may also have an additional effect of inhibiting alcohol dehydrogenase, which would slow down the metabolism of alcohol to acetaldehyde and help the deficient enzyme in alcohol red face sufferers to metabolize toxic acetaldehyde to non-toxic vinegar.

According to a survey of various people using Pepcid AC and Zantac as a remedy for an alcohol red face reaction, it seems that the results are mixed.  Some users reported experiencing a slightly reduced facial flushing, however there are little to no cases where the use of Pepcid AC and Zantac by themselves has totally eliminated the alcohol red face reaction. Other users reported no change whatsoever from their normal degree of alcohol red face.

Therefore, to summarize:

Alcohol red face reaction (aka. Asian flush, alcohol flush reaction or alcohol allergy refers to a disorder whereby one’s face turns red after drinking alcohol.  Whilst this disorder is a genetic pre-disposition, some people have noted the use of antacids as creating some relief from the symptoms.  A survey of anecdotal experiences has revealed that some people have reported slightly reduced redness after taking antacids such as Pepcid AC and Zantac before drinking alcohol. However, it does appear that totally curing or remedying this disorder is slightly more complicated than popping a couple of pills before going out drinking.