The Hangover, Or Why Don't We Feel Good When We Drink Too Much Alcohol?

With or without an occasion, on a holiday or in a time of depression, to kill grief or just out of habit, alcohol finds a place in the lives of almost all of us. There are probably few who can boast that they have never experienced the consequences of a solid treat. More often, alcohol and its effect on health are associated with chronic, to some extent reversible processes. Addiction to it, steatosis or cirrhosis of the liver, pancreatitis and encephalopathy are just some of the severe consequences of systemic abuse. Less often, emphasis is placed on the direct effect of alcohol on the body.

Often, a poorly measured treat leads to complaints known to the public as a hangover. Anyone can experience it on their backs, even if they have only once allowed themselves to go too far.

A hangover is a set of complaints caused by excessive alcohol consumption. These include headache and dizziness, muscle aches, fatigue, thirst, nausea or vomiting, red eyes, increased sensitivity to light and noise, poor sleep quality, reduced ability to work. Other symptoms may include fever, sweating, tremor, palpitations as an expression of increased sympathetic nervous system tone.
These complaints can vary from person to person, as well as depending on the type of alcohol consumed. They usually start after its concentration in the blood decreases and can last from several hours to 24 hours.

How does alcohol cause these complaints?

In the first place, alcohol has a pronounced diuretic effect. It increases diuresis (urine output) by indirectly affecting the hypothalamus and pituitary gland and inhibits the release of the hormone vasopressin. Vasopressin plays a central role in controlling the formation and excretion of urine and its suppression leads to an increase in fluid excretion. When these losses are not compensated by adequate fluid intake, dehydration occurs - dehydration. Vomiting and excessive sweating can contribute to this. It is dehydration that causes headaches, lethargy, dizziness.

In direct contact with the lining of the stomach, alcohol causes inflammation, which is the cause of nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain. It also increases the acidity of gastric juice, which can cause complaints of heartburn, burning pain behind the sternum, belching. Alcohol also slows down the emptying of the stomach, which can also cause nausea and vomiting.

Toxic products of alcohol breakdown

Metabolic processes in the liver and throughout the body are very closely related. Degradation of ethyl alcohol by enzymes produces acetaldehyde and acetic acid. Acetaldehyde has a pronounced toxic effect and is a major factor in the manifestation of alcohol intoxication.
In some people, such as Asians, the activity of enzymes that break down alcohol is lower. As a result, alcohol is broken down more slowly, which allows it to accumulate in greater concentrations in the body. This is the reason why these people have a faster and stronger manifestation of the effect of alcohol.
The high intensity of these processes also affects other metabolic pathways, blocking glucose production on the one hand and increasing lactic acid levels, causing acidosis (lowered pH) on the other. This, especially in people with depleted carbohydrate energy reserves, leads to low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia). Because glucose is a major source of energy for the brain, its lack causes a decrease in metabolic activity in nerve cells. There are complaints of easy fatigue, exhaustion, emotional instability, reduced ability to work, inability to concentrate.

Sleep

Alcohol causes drowsiness, but the quality of sleep is impaired. The individual phases of sleep change, which disrupts the body's normal recovery cycle.
Due to the relaxation of the muscles, snoring is caused, and often sleep apnea - respiratory arrest due to obstruction (obstruction) of the airways. This impairs the transfer of oxygen to the brain with all its consequences.
There is evidence that the effect of alcohol on the level of certain hormones, including cortisol, at various stages of the day, also contributes to the unpleasant effects of binge drinking.

What measures should we take to prevent a hangover?

As we know, the reason for the hangover is the excessive use of alcohol. Therefore, the first thing we can do is to drink in moderation and slowly, if possible one type of drink. Any type of alcohol can cause unpleasant complaints the next day, but it has been found that wine, whiskey and some "sweet" drinks contain a large amount of additional substances, giving them the characteristic smell, color and taste. These additional substances can cause a significantly more severe hangover.
It is desirable that alcohol consumption be accompanied by food, as this slows its absorption in the stomach. In this way, the body has a little more time to ensure the breakdown of alcohol.
Getting enough fluids (water and juices) prevents dehydration and maintains a high enough blood glucose level (if the drinks are sugar-containing).
Aggravating factors for unpleasant experiences are smoking, confinement in unventilated areas, exposure to intense noise, sleep deprivation. Going out and walking in the fresh air and silence are easily applicable and effective measures that can be taken.

Can we do something after we have already gone too far?

First of all, we have to fight dehydration. Getting enough water and fruit juices should ease the picture. Electrolyte-rich liquids are also suitable - such as well-salted marinades, soups, broths. Drowsiness and general malaise will in no way be affected by caffeine. A coffee would rather increase dehydration. Snacks are preferable. Plain biscuits, toast, rice, bananas.
Sufficient time for rest and recovery is especially important in alcohol intoxication.

Medication also has a place in the treatment of hangovers. Headaches can be controlled with analgesics, but with caution we should use aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Aulin, Piroxicam), which further have an adverse effect on the gastric mucosa and disrupt the defense mechanisms against hydrochloric acid. Paracetamol is also dangerous due to some toxicity to the liver. Vitamin intake can also have a beneficial effect. There is evidence that preparations with magnesium and multivitamins, especially group B accelerate recovery from alcohol intoxication. Nausea and vomiting may be treated with appropriate medications (Metoclopramide).

There is currently no unified treatment for hangovers. Fluid intake and longer rest are the key to recovery. You should never forget that severe alcohol intoxication is life threatening and in such cases you should seek medical help.

But the most important recommendation is to consume alcohol wisely.