Health Tips

Alcohol is one of the go-to for celebrations, festive seasons and a good ol’ dinner with friends and family members. One drink turns into two, then three, and before you know it…. you wake up feeling less than wonderful the following day. Hangover seems to be the body's way of reminding us just how dangerous overindulgence can be. So what’s the science behind hangover, and how can one avoid or manage it?

Symptoms of Hangover

Hangover generally occurs in the morning after drinking a generous amount of alcohol the night before. Certain symptoms associated with hangover include:

• Fatigue and weakness – This is a result of a disrupted sleep, dehydration and low blood sugar caused by alcohol. People may fall asleep faster after drinking alcohol, but their sleep is fragmented, and they tend to wake up earlier. Such fatigue feelings may lead to loss of productivity of the day.

• Thirst and headache – Alongside with fatigue, these are signs of mild dehydration. Alcohol suppresses the release of vasopressin, a hormone produced by the brain that sends signals to the kidneys causing them to retain fluid. As a result, alcohol increases urination and excess loss of fluids.

• Nausea and stomach pain – Alcohol directly irritates the lining of the stomach and increases acid release. 

• Anxiety and irritability – These are also known as a “mini withdrawal”. While drinking, individuals may feel calmer, more relaxed, and even euphoric, but the brain quickly adjusts to those positive effects as it tries to maintain balance. As a result, when the buzz wears off, people can feel more restless and anxious than before they drank.

• Sweating

• Muscle aches

• Vertigo

• Sensitivity to light and sound

• Increased blood pressure

Interestingly, a hangover can vary from person to person. This is because genetic factors play a role in the breakdown of alcohol. 

The science of hangover: acetaldehyde

No matter which types of alcoholic beverages you consume, they all contain varying contents of ethanol and a very small amount of methanol (methanol is highly toxic). The ‘culprit’ that causes hangovers is mostly because of the metabolism of ethanol, which takes place in your liver.

Source: https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arcr351/6-16.htm

There are many alphabets in the diagram that probably don’t make sense to you. Fret not. Just pay attention to the chemical reaction in the middle, i.e. the conversion of ethanol into acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is what causes the symptoms of hangover.  Eventually, acetaldehyde is converted into acetate and is excreted in the form of urine; that’s when your hangover symptoms slowly improve. 

As you can see, the complex metabolism of ethanol involves various molecules and enzymes, all these are closely linked to the genetic makeup of an individual. Many people of Asiatic origin, for example, are severely affected by facial flushing because nature has dealt them a very slow acting version of aldehyde dehydrogenase, the enzyme that normally breaks down acetaldehyde. Genetic factor is one of the reasons people can experience hangover differently and have variable tolerance towards alcohol.

Recovering from a hangover

Hangover is awful, but we hope these few tips can help you recover from a hangover faster: 

1. Drink plenty of fluids. As mentioned, alcohol induces mild dehydration. If your hangover includes diarrhea, sweating, or vomiting, you may be even more dehydrated. Although nausea can make it difficult to get anything down, even just a few sips of water might help your hangover.

2. Eat some carbohydrates. Drinking may lower blood sugar levels, so theoretically some of the fatigue and headaches of a hangover may be from a brain working without enough of its main fuel. Moreover, many people forget to eat when they drink, further lowering their blood sugar. Toast and juice is a way to gently nudge levels back to normal.

3. Take some painkillers, but not paracetamol. Aspirin, ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may help with the headache and the overall achy feelings. NSAIDs, though, may irritate a stomach already irritated by alcohol. So be cautious when taking these medications before or after consuming alcohol. Don't take paracetamol (E.g. Panadol®) because if alcohol is lingering in your system, it may enhance the paracetamol's toxic effects on the liver.

4. Take vitamin B and zinc supplements. Numerous scientific evidence suggests that vitamin B and zinc supplements can help to ease hangover symptoms. This study suggests that social drinkers who have a higher dietary intake of vitamin B3 and zinc report significantly less severe hangovers.

5. Just don’t drink excessively. This is a no-brainer. Ultimately, the only surefire remedy for a hangover is to avoid getting one by not drinking excessively.

What WON’T work for curing hangover

Source: https://www.bupa.co.uk/newsroom/ourviews/hangover-cure-myths

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References

1. Harvard Health Publishing -  7 steps to cure your hangover 

2. McGill Office for Science and Society - The Chemistry of a Hangover

3. Northwestern Medicine  - The Science Of A Hangover

4. NIH - Hangovers

Cover image credit: Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

Written By

Ms Joyce Toh

Reviewed By

Doc2us Medical Board