When Asians want to party, they know there could be a snag. They could be struck by — what’s affectionately called — the Asian flush.
Approximately 50 percent of people with Chinese, Korean and Japanese ancestry experience alcohol flush reaction while drinking because of an inherited genetic mutation. As a result, their bodies are deficient in a key enzyme needed to break down alcohol. A sip or two of the hard stuff can be all that it takes to trigger a warm, red rash across the face, chest, and arms. Because this alcohol-included glow can be inconvenient, uncomfortable, and maybe even a bit embarrassing, Singaporean entrepreneurs Solomon Poon and Ryan Foo saw an opportunity to create a remedy.
They’ve launched DrinkAid, a supplement they claim will keep the dreaded flush away if taken a couple of hours before the boozing begins. While Poon and Foo are not the first to ...
