Hangover after New Year’s Eve. How to deal with it? – Dietetics – Articles |

The hangover: where does it come from?

A hangover is defined as a complex of symptoms occurring after excessive alcohol consumption which may interfere with daily activities and responsibilities. Such ailments can accompany us for up to 24 hours. The search for a way to prevent a hangover and reduce its effects is as old as alcohol. The very mechanism of its operation was a mystery for a long time. We now know that it most likely includes metabolic changes, fluid imbalance, hormonal changes, and toxicity from alcohol metabolism. To a large extent everything is to blame for the action of alcohol dehydrogenase, which leads to the formation of acetaldehyde from ethanol. In a further step, the aldehyde is metabolized to acetate, which, in turn, is not oxidized to carbon dioxide and water.

Is that a hangover?

It’s hard not to recognize a hangover. Of course, whether a hangover will appear or not, and in what form and with what intensity it will work, largely depends on the predisposition. Despite the fact that it has considerable health and socio-economic consequences, scientists did not pay much attention to it.

In 2010, the Alcohol Hangover Research Group (AHRG) was founded to facilitate international collaboration on research into the mechanisms of hangover formation.

A study published in Alcohol and Alcoholism involving 1210 Dutch students suggests that the most commonly reported hangover symptoms are fatigue (95,54%) and desire (89 percent). The other symptoms turned out to be:

• drowsiness (28,8%),
• cognitive problems (5,9%). These symptoms include decreased alertness, problems with memory and concentration,
• dry mouth (

Can you prevent a hangover?

The only and certain factor in avoiding this unpleasant ailment is avoiding alcohol or, if we know our body, controlled drinking. There are also factors that do not actually cause a hangover, but can make it worse. These include: lack of sleep, smoking, poor health, genetic predisposition and individual differences. What we drink is also important. For example Bourbon can consist of up to 37 times more compounds than vodka, which puts him at a disadvantage when it comes to alcoholic hangover. Alcohols should not be mixed either, because then we supply the body with a huge mixture of various compounds that can cause poisoning. It is advisable to drink plenty of water during the party and the next day. Then we dilute all the ‘poisons’ and reduce their effect on the nervous system. Contrary to popular belief, fatty foods will not protect us from unpleasant ailments. However, they can delay and / or reduce the intoxication.

What relieves a hangover?

According to many scientists, the most effective intervention during a hangover is rehydration, preferably with highly mineralized water, to replenish the electrolytes. First of all, the body needs to cleanse itself. If our stomach is working well in the morning, it won’t hurt to eat a good breakfast. In most cases, however, it is better not to overload the stomach and eat something light or not eat for a while. The hangover will persist until the body cleans itself.

 We are also constantly looking for a ‘miracle’ hangover cure. One of the currently tested products are:

1. Red ginseng – ginseng. Research published in Food & Function confirms that red ginseng alleviates the effects of a hangover. 25 adult men were examined. Some of them drank whiskey and water, and the rest – whiskey and ginseng extract.
2. Korean pear. It was reported in Food and Chemical Toxicology. The juice of this fruit, drunk simultaneously with an alcoholic drink, alleviated difficulties with concentration, memory impairment and sensitivity to light and sound, but only in people with a specific genotype.
3. Opuntia ficus indica (OIF). Despite promising previous results, the extract of this plant appears to only slightly reduce hangover symptoms by inhibiting the production of inflammatory mediators.

It turns out there are no miracle cures to prevent a hangover or reduce symptoms. Common opinions such as: ‘drink water after cucumbers’ can only refresh us and slightly improve our well-being. The hangover, however, will pass only after cleansing the body of the poisons we delivered to it all night.

We will analyze the composition of popular hangover pills in the next article.

The photo is from: peter4k / iWoman / CC BY-SA