Sober living

While not widely recognized as a symptom of long COVID due to limited research, alcohol intolerance has been reported by some individuals. Long COVID refers to persistent symptoms that occur more than three weeks after the initial COVID-19 infection. However, the 2021 study mentioned above suggests that people who drink alcohol often are more likely to develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) during COVID-19 hospitalization. Some research suggests that alcohol intolerance is common for people with long COVID.

Wine Spectator Magazine

“However, it is a relatively common phenomenon observed in patients with (chronic fatigue syndrome), a related condition to (long COVID), and has been anecdotally reported on social media among patients” with long COVID. While the COVID-19 pandemic is no longer in the crisis stage globally, many people—including some wine lovers—continue to feel its effects. Anecdotal evidence has indicated a potential link between COVID infection and increased alcohol sensitivity. That sensitivity can cause headaches, severe hangover-like symptoms and other effects, including intoxication at low levels of consumption.

1. Here, we present a case series of patients reporting alcohol sensitivity following a SARS-CoV-2 infection that were evaluated at the Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome (PACS) Clinic at Stanford University.
2. This patient received four doses of COVID-19 vaccination, three administered prior to her COVID infection and one post COVID infection.
3. However, if you’re physically dependent on alcohol or drink heavily, stopping drinking without medical supervision may be dangerous.
4. This case series is limited to four patients who self-identify as White or Hispanic, highlighting the need for further research investigating the potential influence of racial and ethnic background on alcohol intolerance in patients with PASC.
5. This increased blood flow could also explain the intense body pain some people with long COVID or ME/CFS experience, according to Sarah Annesley, a microbiology senior research fellow at La Trobe University in Australia who studies both conditions.

True alcohol allergy, a rare occurrence, is an immune response to alcohol compounds that leads to rashes, itchiness, swelling, severe stomach cramps, and potentially severe manifestations, such as anaphylaxis 3. In this case series report, we use the non-specific term “alcohol sensitivity” to describe a range of adverse reactions to alcohol, including symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, and headaches. Alcohol reactions and sensitivity are not well characterized in the literature as it relates to post-viral illness. The patient used to consume several drinks per week and drink socially, but reported that she had not consumed alcohol for the last seven months due to decreased tolerance.

Questions remain regarding long COVID, increased alcohol sensitivity

Their experiences varied widely, from mildly increased sensitivity to alcohol to severe intolerance. Other potential mechanisms include disruption of the gut microbiome, which has been reported in long COVID and can also be caused by alcohol. This disruption could affect alcohol absorption and trigger inflammation in the liver, brain and elsewhere. That inflammation, in turn, may be connected to aggravated symptoms and patient discomfort. The good news is that you can avoid alcohol intolerance by avoiding booze altogether.

Why do some people have alcohol intolerance after COVID?

While research on alcohol intolerance post-COVID-19 is limited, numerous anecdotal reports suggest that alcohol intolerance could be a symptom of long COVID for some individuals. Because drinking alcohol and being hungover can lead to digestive upset, long covid alcohol intolerance headaches, mood changes, and difficulty thinking clearly — all symptoms of long COVID — it may worsen these symptoms. To manage increased alcohol sensitivity, Stanford researchers recommend abstinence and avoidance of alcohol, symptom-triggering ingredients and antihistamines. Since this is a case report of just four patients, no causality can be established between long COVID and alcohol sensitivity.

Some experienced individual symptoms like headaches or a delayed emergence of symptoms resembling a typical “hangover,” while others experienced a general worsening of their PASC symptoms. The alcohol sensitivity that is observed and reported from these patients generates interesting questions and hypotheses. It warrants further study as it may also reveal further insights into pathophysiology and provide guidance for lifestyle management in clinical care. Alcohol consumption can lead to different types of adverse reactions, ranging from mild to severe, from simple flushing to potentially life-threatening anaphylaxis. Those affected may experience symptoms, including facial flushing, nausea, and low blood pressure, even at low levels of consumption.

Alcohol reactions and sensitivity are not well characterized in the literature as it relates to post-viral illness. While there have been some anecdotal reports of new alcohol sensitivity in PASC patients in the media, there is a paucity of published data in the medical literature about this topic. During their medical consultation, the patients self-reported new changes in their symptoms or behaviors following the use of alcohol. A new onset of alcohol sensitivities should be assessed along with other post-COVID-19 symptoms and may provide novel avenues to explore the pathobiology of illness and potential interventions. This case series describes four PASC patients who developed new onset alcohol sensitivities after COVID-19 infection. The patients highlighted in this report, despite varying demographics and health backgrounds, share a new-onset sensitivity to alcohol post-COVID-19 infection, triggering unprecedented symptoms at similar or lower alcohol consumption levels.