Mark Fischbach — better known as YouTuber Markiplier, one of the biggest creators on the platform — told Logan Paul's Impaulsive podcast that he stopped drinking after a terrifying night: two heart attacks in the space of a few hours. He also shared that he has a severe case of Asian flush, inherited, he said, from his Korean mother, who turns red from a single sip of wine.
By his account, it took only about three beers. He felt suddenly and intensely dizzy, passed out in the bathroom, and his friends called an ambulance — and he had a heart attack on the way to hospital. Doctors later worked out he'd had an earlier one that same night, before he fainted. He hasn't had a drink since, saying the risk of another simply isn't worth it.
His story clearly struck a nerve. Many viewers — and even the hosts — had never heard of Asian flush. So what is it, and could it really be connected to something as serious as a heart attack?
Could Asian flush really be linked to a heart attack?
It sounds extreme — and Markiplier's case was extreme. But the link isn't far-fetched. Asian flush is the visible sign of an ALDH2 deficiency, and that same genetic variant has been studied closely for its effects on the heart.
A study in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that carriers of the ALDH2*2 variant had higher rates of coronary artery spasm — a sudden tightening of the vessels that feed the heart — and more severe heart attacks than non-carriers. Alcohol on its own can also disturb heart rhythm, and the toxic acetaldehyde that builds up in people who can't clear it adds oxidative stress on top.
The full picture is genuinely complex — ALDH2's role in the heart cuts more than one way, and researchers are still untangling it.
One important caveat: a heart attack after a few beers is not what happens to most people who flush. The usual reaction is redness, headache, nausea or a racing pulse — uncomfortable, not life-threatening, and Markiplier's night was a rare, severe event.
But it's a sharp reminder that the flush is a warning sign worth respecting, not a cosmetic quirk. If you ever faint, or feel chest pain or a pounding heart after drinking, treat it as an emergency and seek medical help.
What is Asian flush?
Asian flush varies in severity, but the hallmark is a negative reaction to alcohol — most visibly, turning red in the face. Alongside the flushing, people often report:
- headaches
- dizziness
- nausea
- a racing heartbeat
- itchy eyes or a stuffy nose
- wheezy breathing
Underneath, it comes down to a missing step in how your body handles alcohol. Normally the enzyme ALDH2 breaks down acetaldehyde — alcohol's toxic byproduct — into something harmless. In people with an ALDH2 deficiency, that step stalls, acetaldehyde floods the system, and the flush reaction follows. Our complete guide to Asian flush goes deeper if you want the full picture.
It's not only East Asians who get it
The variant is called "Asian flush" because it's most common across East Asian populations — an estimated 540 million people worldwide carry it — and it tends to run in families, which is why Markiplier traces his back to his mother. But it isn't exclusive to any one group. Plenty of people of other backgrounds flush too, which is why you'll also hear it called simply "alcohol flushing."
Why it's more than a red face
Because acetaldehyde is doing the damage, the flush isn't only about how you look in the moment. Acetaldehyde is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen, and people who flush but keep drinking carry a meaningfully higher long-term risk — we cover the cancer side of that in detail separately. Add the cardiovascular findings above, and the through-line is clear: the reaction is your body flagging a real cost, not just an inconvenience.
What you can do about it
There's no cure for Asian flush, and no way to switch the missing enzyme back on. The only reliable way to limit the acetaldehyde behind it is the simplest: drink less, or — as Markiplier decided — not at all.
Some people also use a supplement like Sunset Alcohol Flush Support, formulated with DHM, NAC and B vitamins to support the body's natural acetaldehyde processing. It's aimed at that flush mechanism — not a treatment for any heart condition, and not a reason to drink more than you otherwise would.
Markiplier's story is an unsettling one, but the takeaway is empowering: that red face is data. Understanding what it's telling you — and respecting it — is the first step. For the science underneath, read up on ALDH2 deficiency and what acetaldehyde actually does.
