Claim: Certain ethnicities have a higher alcohol tolerance than others.

Question

As a college student, I am in many social situations that involve drinking. I'm black and I've noticed that I get inebriated significantly faster than when I drink amongst my white peers. Out of curiosity I was googling to find some answers and there are multiple sites that discuss the topic. Any thoughts on this?

Comments

Going forward, I would be more specific in your one-liner claim (I know the explanation has more details). Claim: Certain ethnicities have a higher *alcohol* tolerance than others.

Answer 1

You are absolutely right, alcohol affects people of various racial groups and ethnicities differently.

When one researches such differences, a notable example of this is seen in Asian populations, a phenomena coined the "red flush" where the complexion of Asian people appears more red while drinking. This claim in itself was tested by A. W. Chen for PubMed, with promising results. Out of the participants tested, 47-85% of Asian participants experienced red flush while only 3-29% of white participants did. This is an interesting point, but lacks testing or at least results from other ethnic groups, notably those of Black participants.

In a subsequent study by Sarah L. Pedersen, Ph.D. and Denis M. McCarthy, Ph.D. for PubMed as well, they more closely studied effects on Black and white participants. Out of the 178 participants, 57% of which were Black, they concluded that Black participants specifically showed stronger responses to alcohol than white participants. Their research concluded that "African Americans experienced sharper increases in stimulation on the ascending limb compared to European Americans. African American women experienced sharper increases in sedation on the ascending limb compared to European American women. Change in sedation on the ascending limb was associated with past month drinking behavior. Stimulation on the ascending limb was related to alcohol-problems for African Americans but not European Americans."

I hope this answered your question and helped strengthened your correct hypothesis.

A. W. Chen "Racial differences in alcohol sensitivity" https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2937417/

Sarah L. Pedersen, Ph.D. and Denis M. McCarthy, Ph.D. "Differences in Acute Response to Alcohol between African Americans and European Americans"

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3664260/

Answer 2

"A low level of response to alcohol is more common in individuals with a first-degree family history of alcoholism and is predictive of increased risk for this disorder." - The reason your friends have a higher tolerance could be because their relatives had a history of alcoholism.

- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2739570/

Comments

This is interesting information, however, it doesn't confirm or debunk the claim related to ethnicity. Going forward, make sure to answer the claim and provide evidence to support it or discredit it, including a detailed explanation and extracts from your source as well as a source links). Also, don't forget to add a rating (true, false, misinformation, not misinformation, likely misinformation, etc.)

Answer 3

According to the National Library of Medicine, documented findings do indicate racial differences regarding alcohol sensitivity. One of the major displays for such a claim is the high difference in percentage dealing with face flushing, which the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines as a "type of alcohol intolerance." The National Library of Medicine study found a significant difference noting 47-85% face flushing in Orientals vs 3-29% in Caucasians. 

“Alcohol Flush Reaction.” National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/alcohol-flush-reaction.

AW; Chan. “Racial Differences in Alcohol Sensitivity.” Alcohol and Alcoholism (Oxford, Oxfordshire), U.S. National Library of Medicine, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2937417/#:~:text=The%20existence%20of%20racial%20differences,and%20subjective%20symptoms%20of%20discomfort.

Answer 4

I did some of my own research and found that ethnicity and genetics play a role in alcohol consumption and binge drinking disorders, but not necessarily on tolerance levels. Furthermore, the genetics, specifically is more so because of certain enzymes in the body and how the body metabolizes alcohol. 

https://www.addictionresource.net/drug-alcohol-tolerance/alcohol/factors/ethnicity/ 

Furthermore, I researched determinants of alcohol tolerance and found them to be listed as "Genetics, body weight, gender, age, what type of beverage, food in your stomach, medications in your system, and your state of health, influence how people respond to alcohol". I have found nothing on race or ethnicity specifically relating to tolerance. 

https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=understanding-alcohols-effects-1-2860#:~:text=Genetics%2C%20body%20weight%2C%20gender%2C,how%20people%20respond%20to%20alcohol.