Intake of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) fermented milk before drinking alcohol reduces acetaldehyde levels and duration of flushing in drinkers with wild-type and heterozygous mutant ALDH2: a randomized, blinded crossover controlled trial

Food Funct. 2021 Oct 19;12(20):10147-10159. doi: 10.1039/d1fo01485d.

Abstract

Alcohol consumption leads to acetaldehyde accumulation, especially in people with mutant aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 gene (ALDH2). Novel strategies to promote acetaldehyde detoxification are required to prevent alcohol-related toxicity. Probiotic bacteria such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) were shown to have in vitro capacity to detoxify acetaldehyde. This randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled cross-over trial investigated the effect of LGG fermented milk in people with ALDH2 polymorphisms after moderate alcohol intake. Ten healthy wild-type and ten heterozygous mutant ALDH2 Thai men were block randomized into two groups. Each group consumed a different sequence of 150 mL fermented milk containing 108 CFU mL-1 LGG and lactic-acidified milk (placebo), followed by five glasses of beer (0.4 g ethanol per kg body weight), with a one-week wash-out. Consuming LGG fermented milk before alcohol reduced areas under the response curves of blood and salivary acetaldehyde in wild-type and heterozygous mutant ALDH2 individuals (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). Interestingly, participants with mutant ALDH2 responded better than wild-type participants for salivary acetaldehyde (90% vs. 70%, p < 0.001). Their durations of flushing were reduced when consuming LGG milk. Regardless of ALDH2 status, 105 CFU mL-1 LGG was retained in saliva at least 3.5 h after milk consumption. In conclusion, intake of LGG fermented milk before drinking alcohol reduces blood and salivary acetaldehyde levels and duration of flushing in drinkers with wild-type and heterozygous mutant ALDH2. The addition of exogenous capacity to detoxify acetaldehyde using the probiotic product could be a potential strategy to promote the alleviation of exposure to reactive and carcinogenic acetaldehyde associated with alcohol drinking in individuals with defective ALDH2 enzyme.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Acetaldehyde / analysis*
  • Acetaldehyde / blood
  • Adult
  • Alcohol Drinking / blood
  • Alcohol Drinking / drug therapy*
  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / metabolism
  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial / deficiency
  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial / genetics*
  • Animals
  • Cross-Over Studies
  • Ethanol / administration & dosage
  • Ethanol / adverse effects
  • Fermentation
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Milk*
  • Polymorphism, Genetic
  • Probiotics / administration & dosage*
  • Saliva / chemistry
  • Single-Blind Method
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Ethanol
  • ALDH2 protein, human
  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase
  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial
  • Acetaldehyde