Okay here's a question for you Nutritionalists, maybe a little off subject but here goes.

First of all I'm 37 y/o, I started road cycling almost 3 years ago & I guess you could call me a Roadie Junky, cuz I'm really into this, you name it: bikes, nutrition, equipment, clothing, accessories, the whole nine yards. I'm healthier & stonger than when I was in my 20's. My lifestyle basically revolves around cycling. I should also mention that on days I don't ride I do boxing training (jumprope, heavybag, speedbag, etc.). I'm not too concerned about this, but here's my question: I used to be quite the avid drinker, I mean I was able to down a bottle of "good" tequila on my own in one night and be OK, or have my share of rum, brandy cognac, whiskey, etc. I could go on for hours and sleep like a baby. Lately, I'll have a drink or two and I get these piercing headaches and my face becomes pale, & I have to throw up, etc. In other words: I can't hold my liquor. With beer I'm OK, I'm just wondering if my new lifestyle has to do with this new reaction to alcohol? Is it all the protein? or what?

No, it has nothing to do with exercise, diet, or protein. Unless you're understating how much you're drinking, or are taking medications with side effects, then you need to get to a doctor.

I'm drinking much much less than I used to at parties. It's like I'm intolerant to alcohol now. This past saturday I was at a birthday party, I had 2 beers and after that I had two rum n cokes after which I started getting a raging headache and my face became very pale. I started drinking glass after glass of club soda and that seemed to help, but the headache lingered until sunday. This is the second time I've had an episode like this. Have I become alcohol Intolerant? does that even exist?

So you went from 1-2 drinks to 4 drinks (or if the rum was overpoured, more like 5 or 6). I think it likely there's more you're not saying. Lay off the booze and/or get to a doctor, maybe a 12 step group too. I get suspicious when people lie about their alcohol consumption.

12 step programs have a worse success rate than no treatment at all. First, just quit. Then get to a doctor immediately. If you have trouble quitting, you need a counselor. Most people can just quit. But to answer your question, yes, you have become alcohol intolerant, it does exist. Good chance it's due to organ failure, and yes, I mean to scare you. I've seen people with symptoms just like yours fall dead in a month.

Sounds like age and fitness has caught up to you? I don't think anyone can keep up the alcohol consumption they were able to do in their younger years. Other factors like food-intake, hydration level, fatigue from exercise, etc. can have a big impact on how alcohol affects you. I'd cut back to 1/2 of the volume and space out those drinks more. If the alcohol is affecting your life in a negative way, I'd cut back even more.

Yeah, 12-step programs suck, it's really up to the individual's commitment to their goals. Those that actually succeed in 12-step programs probably could've done it on their own anyway.

If drinking is causing you medical concerns, stop mayhaps?

I was able to drink like a fish when I was in the military (in my early 20s) due to a diet high in satured fat, methinks.

Clean eating of non-processed, low fat foods tends to give alcohol molecules less to stick to and makes their absorbsion faster into the bloodstream, some dumbass told me once. I'd wager his degree dictated him to be right. The rest is up to you to figure out, I'd suggest going tea though, worked for me:)

Yup. Fat slows absorpotion of anything.

OK, you got me, I'm a raging alcoholic, in fact I'm having "one" now and asking the bartend for the next one!

Get suspicious all you want, actually sounds more like "opinionated" to me, I was serious about my question, so thanks to all who answered seriously, I will pay attention to fatigue issues etc, that's probably the answer, I do ride centuries typically on Fridays or Thursdays prior to a day of drinking, and for what it's worth I don't drink every weekend, usually only when there's a party or the occasional happy hours with my co-workers.

Two thumbs down to aikigreg for counting my drinks and not reading my question.

did you change your diet recently? if you lowered your carb intake and increased your fat and protein intake, you wont be able to tolerate as much booze as you could before. When I switched to a low carb diet, I noticed this change right away. I can only drink about half what I used to, and my hangovers are worse. Sooooo... I still indulge, but it's just 3 or 4 pints of Guinness now, instead of 10 or more, hahaa...

Good point, yes I did make a bit of an adjustment, I increased my protein intake and lowered my carb intake just a tad, I felt I was over "carbing" & I wanted a couple pounds off.


I appreciate your attention to my question

Peace baby!

I calls 'em likes I sees em.

1. You misrepresent how much you drink
2. You then get defensive about it.

Sounds like there's a problem to me. Easy to get the wrong idea on the internet, but you don't make it any easier this way.

Defensive me?

Guess how many fingers I have up? That's right.

I hate people like you who go off on a tangent like that, if you have children I feel sorry for them, if you don't I will when you do.

Wow, I want this fight clean. If I catch either one of you shootin' for the groin again, I'm having the judges take a point! Now back to your corners, get your defenses up and come out FIGHTIN!

rawr. Interweb rage +3.

BIGPAKO, we don't really give a good #$%@ what you think of us here. Hey, it's the internet. Our feelings are not hurt. We're just trying to be your friends, doing what a friend would do. So be all that as it may, the advice to get yourself to a doctor still stands. I used to drink like a fish, too. Now I have 1 beer/week. That works for me. I can still hammer them down, though, with no ill effects other than throwing up on my shoes just like in the old days. Getting pale and having piercing headaches while intoxicated is really bad news. Just tell us you've made the doctor's appointment.

'

Actually, I'm a teacher. You can feel sorry for hundreds of kids all at once :)

And I don't see how talking about your alcohol problem is a tangent, when that was specifically your question, as it not?

But hey, it's your life, and you're free to live it my friend. Drink up! Have one on me.

Don't worry even a little about the fact that you get ill when you drink. You probably just need to drink a little more often, and I'm sure it'll go away tomorrow or the next day.

Or, to put it less snidely, don't ask for opinions and then dump on people who give them. If you already have the answer to the question in your head, no need to ask the question. You sound like a chick who asks "do these pants make my ass look fat?" There is apparently no valid answer that won't get you into trouble!

WOW, a teacher huh? you must be one of the stupid ones then. You my friend are pretty pathetic, go ahead and read the thread through and you'll see what I'm talking about. Your answers are pretty f@*~king stupid for a teacher, way to go, I hope your students never ever come to you for advice.

Thanks, I made an appointment with a nutrionist yesterday. We talked for a while and she did mention or suggested that the piercing headaches in reaction to booz could very well be a direct consecuence with a change in diet & an excesive exercise routine, as suggested by "mrfreddy" (thanks bro), as long as everything else is fine. I should also mention that a week ago I had my yearly physical and had several blood tests done and according to my doctor I'm in excellent shape. I'll keep you posted.

I hope you guys are meeting with dietitians (RD) and not nutritionists...

neither of these groups should really be trusted.. most of them are just trained to parrot the failed nutritional dogma of the past 30 years... low fat good, high fat bad, blah blah blah...

There *are* good RDs out there, but you have to find the ones who intentionally ignored all the crap they were taught and got involved in some real research.

Well, you know what they say, those who can't, teach, right?

By the way, when you see a counselor for your drinking, be sure to bring up your anger issues. One likely fuels the other.

Hats off to you "IKI-greg", you got me all figured out. Are you sure you're not a "shrink" posing as a teacher?:rolleyes:

In all seriousness, did they suggest that your exercising excessively? I'd almost be concerned as it doesn't sound like your overtraining, which would make sense based off your assessment...but like I said...it clearly doesn't sound like your overkilling it.

Just my 2 cents, I have an MA in journalism, not nutrition. /shrug

Something like that yeah, of course that was her immediate opinion, but wouldn't be able to further comment until our appointment where she'll have all the details as to my exercise regimen & eating habits.