If you’re planning a sunny Saturday drink outdoors, hayfever sufferers may want to pass on one drink, because it can actually exacerbate allergy symptoms when pollen levels are expected to surge.
Kleenex’s pollen tracker has forecast “high” alert levels for tree pollen all weekend, peaking on Saturday with around 357 pollen grains per cubic metre in London, and high across the country. For context, that is almost three times the city’s usual average, typically just above 120. Kleenex pointed out that while having a couple of gin and tonics in the sun might seem like a great idea, “excessive alcohol consumption can lead to more intense hay fever symptoms”.
This is because most alcohol contains high levels of histamines, which are natural compounds that can intensify allergy reactions such as sneezing, congestion and itchy eyes.
Dr Pixie McKenna, GP at The London Clinic, explained to Cosmopolitan UK that when our immune system reacts, it releases this chemical as an alert when something is identified as harmful to the body.
“Alcoholic drinks contain histamine, the very substance we are trying to defend ourselves against in the hay fever cycle.
“Given alcohol contains varying amounts of histamine, it is counterintuitive to ingest histamines in drinks while simultaneously taking antihistamines by mouth, as one contradicts the other,” Dr Pixie explained.
Red wine is particularly high in histamines, mainly due to its longer fermentation, so it may be best avoided this weekend for those who really suffer from the irritating symptoms.
Clear spirits like vodka, gin, and white rum tend to be lower in histamines because they are highly distilled and not aged in barrels for long periods.
White wines, especially younger, dry ones, can be lower in histamine than red wine, because they undergo less fermentation time.
Though the best option on a high-pollen day is to swerve alcohol altogether, as disappointing as that may be.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
