Alcohol flush may not raise kidney disease risk, study finds

People who flush easily after drinking carry a genetic trait that makes them more vulnerable to higher risks of certain alcohol-related diseases, but a long-term Korean study suggests that the trait might not increase the risk of chronic kidney disease.

The study found that people carrying the ALDH2 rs671 variant, which reduces the body’s ability to break down acetaldehyde, were not at a higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease.

Acetaldehyde is a toxic byproduct of alcohol metabolism and ...