The UK is notorious for its pubs and drinking culture. So it’s no surprise that 24% of Brits drink more than the low-risk limit and 27% occasionally binge drink on their heaviest drinking days.
However, hangovers are a widespread consequence that can be traced back millions of years. In fact, the ancient Egyptians called it the “soreness in the bottle” or the “blue devil.”
Despite its ancient origins, its cure remains a mystery. While we can’t claim to know how to cure a hangover, we can provide helpful insights into the causes of hangovers and how to get through them. Let’s explore it.
What causes a hangover?
The definition of a hangover varies from person to person and from drink to drink. Let’s say a beer drinker might feel differently than another wine drinker, but drink too much and we still define their misery with the same horrible eight-letter word “hangover.”
Of all the possible causes of a hangover, we should first attribute it to dehydration.
Dehydration
Although the fluids we consume contain water, drinking alcohol can naturally cause us to become dehydrated because the ethanol in alcohol has a diuretic effect, causing us to urinate and excrete water.
Therefore, drinking too much alcohol and not drinking enough water can cause us to become dehydrated and feel hungover.
Typical symptoms of dehydration include headache, dizziness, and fatigue. All things hangover related.
Drinking alcohol also depletes our electrolytes. Ultralight substances such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium are electrically charged minerals found in our bodies. They help balance pH, deliver nutrients, and keep us dehydrated. A lack of electrolytes can also cause muscle irritation, cramping, and spasms.
Gastrointestinal irritation
Drinking alcohol increases gastric acid production but delays gastric emptying. This problem can cause irritation and digestive problems.
In addition, alcohol produces intestinal and pancreatic secretions that inflame the stomach wall. Stomach irritation can lead to indigestion and nausea, which are common problems we experience when we’re hungover.
Low blood sugar (glucose)
Drinking alcohol blocks glucose production and depletes glucose stores in the liver. When you combine this problem with the buildup of lactic acid in body fluids caused by drinking alcohol, our glucose production is further reduced.
Glucose regulates your blood sugar levels and is essential as your body’s primary source of energy. Drops in blood sugar levels can cause “dizziness” or anxiety, which we may feel because our brains use glucose to process information, record memories and generally think clearly.
lack of sleep
Although drinking too much alcohol can put us into a deep sleep, the quality of our sleep can still be affected.
Because alcohol reduces our rapid eye movement sleep (REM). Without important REM sleep, our brains cannot dream, store memories or process emotions, which contributes to healthy brain development. Alcohol also disrupts our circadian rhythm (sleep cycle), body temperature, and cortisol levels.
Immune system activation and suppression
Bentham Science Publishers published a review of hangover research in 2010 showing that effects on the immune system are the most serious cause and effect of hangovers.
Other causes of hangovers may include the following issues:
- Vasodilation (headache)
- Acetaldehyde (toxic compound)
- Alcohols with higher homologue content mixed drinks
Why do some people have worse hangovers?
People may react differently to alcohol, depending on their genetics and biology.
For example, people who metabolize alcohol more slowly are at higher risk for a more severe hangover than people who metabolize alcohol more quickly. Severity is often due to increased oxidative stress and inflammation.
People often experience more severe hangovers as they age because the enzymes that break down acetaldehyde into non-toxic substances slow down with age. Therefore, the toxic effects of acetaldehyde persist in the body and are transmitted more strongly through our bloodstream.
A report from the National Institutes of Health suggests that some people’s susceptibility to hangovers is genetically determined. However, when it comes to the line between nature and nurture, it turns out to be subjective. Are people inherently more susceptible to alcohol/hangovers or is this a broader issue involving alcoholism rather than a symptom of a hangover.
Do certain foods/drinks make hangovers worse?
In addition to alcohol, some foods and drinks that make our hangovers worse include:
- Salty foods (dehydrated)
- Low-fat foods (alcohol is absorbed faster)
- Greasy food (stomach irritation)
- Coffee (diuretic)
- “Hair of the Dog” (another alcoholic beverage)
While fatty foods can slow the absorption of alcohol and salty foods can make you drink more, there are no specific foods that will make your hangover worse.
Is it best to avoid eating when you’re hungover?
Of course, alcohol depletes many vitamins, amino acids, fatty acids, enzymes, proteins and minerals. Therefore, eating or drinking something that helps restore these substances may help relieve a hangover.
You can replenish your electrolytes with potassium-rich foods/drinks like banana or coconut water. Additionally, according to the Journal of Chemistry, eating eggs in the morning can help relieve hangovers thanks to the amino acid cysteine. Their report proves that cysteine found in eggs helps clear acetaldehyde from the body.
Whenever you have a hangover, try raising your blood sugar levels. Glucose helps clear your mind and restore positive energy.
While greasy and unhealthy food is something most people take for granted after eating one or two too many meals at the weekend, the truth is, it won’t necessarily cure your hangover, nor is it necessarily the sign of a good, healthy diet’s choice.
A healthy combination of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins will help prevent blood sugar levels from dropping. The natural sugars in fruits can help you overcome low blood sugar and dehydration.
What’s the best way to combat a hangover? We recommend the following foods and drinks:
- Good quality carbohydrates (raises blood sugar)
- Fermented vegetables (supplemented with probiotics)
- Himalayan pink salt (increases sodium)
- Broccoli, bean sprouts, green leafy vegetables (B vitamins)
- Citrus fruits, tomatoes, white potatoes (vitamin C)
- Ginger (reduces disease)
Other treatments for hangovers include taking various nutritional supplements, such as:
- Liposomal glutathione
- Milk thistle (silymarin)
- Cactus (Opuntia ficus indica) extract.
- Magnesium
While there’s no absolute cure for a hangover, treating it by hydrating and restoring blood sugar levels and essential minerals will at least help repair what you’ve lost or damaged.
You’ll feel better afterward as some endorphins rush into your body. So, try to exercise and be active every day.
Here’s how to prepare for next time
To avoid making the same mistake again, consider these steps before your next night out:
- Before drinking, eat a meal containing healthy fats
- Take liver-supporting supplements
- Take your time and drink a glass of water after every two drinks
- Drink one kind of alcohol
- Drink a glass of water before going to bed
While supplements, diet, and lifestyle can help relieve hangover symptoms, self-control and discipline are the real secrets to successful hangover treatment. Because the more you drink, the worse your hangover will be.
So before you go out the next night, think about how you feel and what you want to accomplish the next day.
Protect your liver to cure hangovers
We hope this ultimate guide to understanding and surviving a hangover helps you feel better the next time you have a few drinks. However, perhaps one of the best ways to treat a hangover is to protect and strengthen your liver.
Finally, strengthening the liver’s essential functions can help relieve hangovers and improve our health and performance.
