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Why do I get a hangover?
Whether you get a hangover or not depends on how much you drink, how quickly you drink it and how effectively you body can metabolise (get rid of ) alcohol. Alcohol is a poison the body affecting the brain and all tissues. The symptoms of a hangover come from a number of different effects that alcohol has on our bodies 1. Headache: Alcohol dilates (expands) blood vessels in the brain causing inflammation and pain. Dehydration adds to the throbbing headache and low blood sugar can also induce headache. 2. Dehydration: You will know that after drinking alcohol you can get very thirsty. This is because alcohol has a dehydrating effect by increasing urine production. Quenching your thirst on a hot day with a few cold beers may give some feeling of the need for liquid being met, but the body soon will be even more dehydrated. Dehydration is a major cause of headache. Dehydration can also reduce you blood pressure causing dizziness when moving to a standing position. 3. Nausea: Alcohol can irritate the lining of the stomach leading to nausea and vomiting. Nausea may also result from reduced blood sugar 4. Low blood sugar: Alcohol can significantly lower blood sugar, and contribute to headache. Other symptoms of low blood sugar such as heart irregularity, sweating, fatigue, personality change, tingling in the fingers, vision irregularity, and reduced co-ordination (but the major reason for co-ordination difficulty is the direct effect of alcohol on the Cerebellum of the brain) 5. Disturbed sleep: Alcohol can help you to initially go to sleep, but sleep patterns are disturbed by alcohol causing you have a restless and unrefreshing sleep. 6. Liver stress: The only way the body can get rid of alcohol is to chemically break it down in the liver. In this process, alcohol is first converted to acetaldehyde, a chemical that is 20 to 30 times more toxic to the body than alcohol itself. The acetaldehyde is then converted to acetic acid for excretion. When high amounts of alcohol are consumed the liver cannot cope and instead of the acetaldehyde being quickly converted to acetic acid, the highly toxic acetaldehyde builds up causing symptoms like nausea, headache, increased pulse rate and often flushing in the face. 7. Some drinks can give you a hangover more easily than others: This is due to the presence of a toxic product of the fermenting process called “congeners”. Methanol is one of the more toxic congeners. Congeners are found more in darker coloured drinks like Red wine, Brandy, Bourbon, Whisky, and less in White wine and clear spirits like Rum, Vodka and Gin as well as Beer.
How to prevent a hangover 1. Slow down – don’t drink your alcohol too quickly. If you are thirsty have some water or soft drink first, and then sip you alcoholic drink slowly. 2. Avoid dehydration by drinking one full glass of water for every alcoholic drink you have. Alternate your drinks – one alcohol and one non-alcohol (but not caffeine as that will increase dehydration). 3. Don’t drink on an empty stomach. Food slows the absorption of alcohol. 4. Before bed have a good quality B complex and a large glass of water or a glass of milk. 5. If your liver is not as healthy as it should be, or if you are low in the nutrients that your liver requires, you may benefit from some naturopathic treatment to improve liver health.
What to do if you get a hangover 1. Rehydrate – this is most important. Drink plenty of water and consider replacing electrolytes, especially magnesium Most sports drinks do NOT contain magnesium, but a drink like Endura Rehydration Formula is very good. 2. Take a good quality B complex and multi vitamin. 3. A teaspoon of Sodium bicarbonate in a glass of water on waking can help nausea and that shaky feeling. 4. A good meal with protein. Eggs are good. Alternatively a bowl of porridge with honey is reported to be good. 5. Sleep. 6. Learn a lesson on how to prevent a hangover in the future so you can enjoy the night, but not have to pay for it the next day.
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Peter Kelly ND, BHSc (Comp. Med.), DBM. Ring 9580 6708 for an appointment. 63 Moore Street Hurstville 2220
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