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

• Published in: Food & function 2021-10, Vol.12 (2), p.1147-1159
• Main Authors: Trachootham, Dunyaporn, Whanmek, Kanyawee, Praengam, Kemika, Temviriyanukul, Piya, Santivarangkna, Chalat
• Format: Article
• ISSN: 2042-6496; 2042-650X
• DOI: 10.1039/d1fo01485d

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 10 8 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, 10 5 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. Alcohol consumption leads to acetaldehyde accumulation which is carcinogenic. Drinking LGG fermented milk before alcohol intake reduces blood and salivary acetaldehyde levels especially in people with mutant aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 gene ( ALDH2 ).