The Harsh Truth of Hangovers

The Harsh Truth of Hangovers

Drinking alcohol is a popular social activity around the world. Basically, alcoholic beverages are produced from the fermentation of carbohydrate or sugar. To name a few, beer is fermented from barley; sake from rice; wine from grapes; mead is made by fermenting honey with water. Through the fermentation process, with the help of yeast or bacteria, sugars in food will be converted to ethanol, the alcohol in the alcoholic drinks.

While having a drink can be enjoyable, when you get carried away and drink in excess, it can result in a hangover. A hangover is a group of unpleasant signs and symptoms that can develop after excessive alcohol consumption. How does hangover come about? Here is a closer look.

Metabolism of Alcohol

When alcohol enters through the digestive system to the liver, a liver enzyme, alcohol dehydrogenase, will convert alcohol to acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is toxic. To avoid acetaldehyde from escaping the liver and entering the circulatory system, the liver will quickly convert acetaldehyde, with the help of another enzyme known as aldehyde dehydrogenase, to a non-toxic substance, acetate. Acetate will then be excreted from the body.

However, when the liver is overloaded with alcohol and saturate the limited aldehyde dehydrogenase, acetaldehyde cannot be converted to acetate as quickly as before. The accumulation of acetaldehyde is the main cause of hangover, with symptoms like nausea, vomiting and sweating. The other toxic compounds resulted from alcohol metabolism also disrupt the chemical reactions in the body and will lead to various metabolism disorders like increased triglyceride production, increased protein breakdown, increased uric acid levels, among others.

The Genesis of the Health Impacts of Hangover – Dehydration

Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it causes frequent urination and then dehydration. Dehydration will lead to symptoms like dry mouth and thirst. Besides losing water, vitamins and minerals will also be drained out through urine. In addition, loss of electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium and calcium, will cause dizziness, difficulty in focusing, feeling irritable and sensitivity to light. The vicious cycle of dehydration results in higher blood concentration of acetaldehyde, aggravating the symptoms of hangover.

On the side note, to compensate for the loss of calcium via urine, calcium will be withdrawn from the bones, reducing bone density. Hence, excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to the bones.

The Vitamins and Antioxidants “Tsunami”

Loss of B vitamins through urination causes fatigue, imbalance, muscle weakness, among other conditions. Vitamin C is one of the essential primary water-soluble dietary antioxidants depleted by alcohol consumption. Its depletion causes great oxidative stress in daily drinkers. Moreover, as the cofactor for many enzymes, its depletion also reduces the internal production of antioxidants. Alcohol creates a double burden to the antioxidant storage of the body. On one hand, the body loses its antioxidant reserves; on the other hand, the body exhausts its antioxidants trying to decrease the degree of alcohol damage to the body.

Hangovers Suffocate Liver Cells

In the liver, one important natural antioxidant, glutathione, may be depleted by detoxifying the harmful metabolites of alcohol. Alcohol also depresses the production of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), another important liver antioxidant that participates in alcohol detoxification. On top of that, numerous free radicals will be released as a consequence of alcohol metabolism. These voracious free radicals eat liver cell membranes through lipid peroxidation. At this point, the fat-soluble antioxidant, vitamin E, will sacrifice itself, hoping to stop lipid peroxidation caused by free radicals, resulting in vitamin E depletion. The oxidative stress and associated cellular injury promote inflammation and weaken the drinkers’ immunity.

While the liver detox system is overwhelmed with acetaldehyde removal, fat oxidation in the liver will be put aside, causing accumulation of fats in the liver, which will then develop into fatty liver especially in chronic alcohol abuse.

The by-products of alcohol metabolism stimulate liver fibrosis (production of scarring tissues). The complex interaction of fats accumulation, liver fibrosis and inflammation may result in liver cirrhosis.

Hangovers Impair Blood Sugar Levels

Dumping of alcohol in the body will also impair sugar metabolism and insulin response. Sugar production is neglected while the body is removing alcohol. This causes low blood sugar levels which can be one of the factors of fatigue and weakness in a hangover. It is even more dangerous in those with diabetes as alcohol can mask the symptoms of low blood sugar. Low blood sugar will make the person crave for more alcohol and left untreated, unawareness of low blood sugar can be life-threatening.

Hangovers Hamper Digestive System

Alcohol can strike the digestive system in 2 ways: It augments the acid production in the stomach and impedes the transit of stomach contents; and it causes inflammation of the stomach lining. These lead to nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. Alcohol also causes more water to stay in the intestine, leading to diarrhea.

Party Now, Suffer Later

Indulging in alcohol can heightens one’s mood. However, there is a high price to be paid following a hangover.

Hangovers dampen emotions, disturb sleep, affect judgement, increase risk of motor vehicle accident. Working with a hangover reduces job performance, creates more conflicts with colleagues.

4Rs in Hangover Prevention

By understanding of development of hangovers, we can then appreciate the 4Rs in hangover prevention.

1. Retarding the entry of alcohol into our body – Sip slowly, converse with others, avoid drinking on empty stomach, have some snacks in between.
2. Reversing dehydration – Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of plain water, especially with frequent urination, vomiting, diarrhea.
3. Replenishing electrolytes – Charge your electrolyte and vitamin reserves with fresh juices, smoothies or rehydration drinks. Snack on electrolyte-rich foods such as bananas, watermelon, tubers, papayas.
4. Last but not least, be reasonable. Limit to no more than two drinks per day for men, and not more than one drink per day for women.

The Delightful Truth to “Unhang” from Hangover

Preventing hangover is important. However, some people may find it difficult to stop at one drink. For those who drank excessively, there are some handy tips to fight against hangover. After a drinking session, try supplementing with potent doses of vitamin C and vitamin E to replenish their depletion; B vitamins to aid alcohol metabolism; bioactive glutathione and SAMe to enhance alcohol detoxification processes in the liver besides replenishing their depletions; and milk thistle extract to enhance liver detoxification. Polyenylphosphatidylcholine (PPC) is a fat-soluble nutrient and is an important component of healthy cell membrane. When PPC is ingested in a therapeutic amount, it can be incorporated into the liver cell membrane, which in turn restores, repairs, and regenerates cell membranes, providing optimal liver protection. It can be found in soybeans, among other foods. It will also act as a fat-soluble antioxidant and defence mechanism against lipid peroxidation in membrane damage by increasing the activity of detoxifying enzymes.

Hangover, or excessive alcohol consumption, impacts the body in many different ways. Have a picture of overworked liver and body systems, and drink alcohol moderately in social gatherings. While we are indulging in the joyous ambience of festive seasons, it is not worth losing our health with over-indulgence in alcohol.

Article written by,

Caleb Mok

Dietitian

Health Products & Consulting Pte Ltd