Abstract
The alcohol flushing response is experienced by 36–45% of East Asians after drinking a small amount of alcohol. Since individuals with this response are incapable of metabolizing toxic acetaldehyde derived from alcohol effectively, this response is suggested as an indicator for the health risks associated with alcohol intake. Depression, a major health problem linked to alcohol consumption, might also be associated with the presence of the alcohol flushing response. Therefore, this study examined the association between the alcohol flushing response and the risk of depression in the general population of South Koreans. The analysis included 139,266 participants and used data from the 2019 Korean Community Health Survey. Only current drinkers were considered in the analysis. The relationship between the alcohol flushing response and depression was determined by logistic regression analysis using SAS 9.4. As a result, more than one-third of the population was found to be current flushers, and the relationship was significant among current flushers and depression (AOR=1.23, 95% CI 1.12–1.35, P-value=0.1ⅹ10-3) compared to never flushers. No association was found between former flushing response and depression. The odds of depression were significantly higher among alcohol flushers who drinks less than 15 g/day alcohol (<5 g/day: AOR=1.21, 95% CI=1.08-1.36, P-value=0.1ⅹ10-3; 5.0-14.9 g/day: AOR=1.40, 95% CI=1.14-1.71, P-value=0.1ⅹ10-3). In conclusion, this study reveals that a significant number of the South Korean population experiences the alcohol flushing response, and the individuals with the response are more likely to feel depressed, even with a small amount of alcohol consumption.