Articles
Duncan MacDonald
Jakarta 1 January 2006
The festive season is here (again) and despite the absence of hard liquor and many alcoholic beverages in the supermarkets of Jakarta, we may just imbibe a wee drop too much (again). Let's look at the causes and possible cures
The Symptoms - As if you don't know already. The symptoms depend on severity and may include sweating, flushing, talking too much, showing off, impaired judgement, emotional instability, confusion and disorientation, memory loss, uncoordinated movement, headaches, dry mouth, irritability, bloodshot eyes, sensitive to light and noise, nausea and vomiting
The Cause - Hangovers are usually the result of drinking too much alcohol beverage, too quickly. Ethanol has a dehydrating effect (such substances are known as diuretics), which causes headaches, dry mouth and lethargy.
Alcohol is also a metabolic poison and its impact on the stomach lining probably
accounts for the nausea
Another factor contributing to hangover is the conversion of alcohol to acetaldehyde by the liver by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase. This metabolite is probably more toxic than alcohol
Finally, there are various nervous effects. The removal of the depressive effects on the brain probably account for the light and noise sensitivity. It is also thought that the presence of other alcohols (such as methanol and fusel oils) by-products of the alcoholic fermentation also called congeners, exaggerates many of the symptoms. This probably accounts for the mitigation of the effects when distilled alcohol, particularly vodka, is consumed.
The amount of tannin in the drink may also have an effect. Red wines have more tannins than white wines and some people note less of a hangover with
white wine.
Some people believe that sugar (often found in sweet cocktails) worsens hangovers; however, this may be because of our susceptibility to imbibe more sweet drinks.
Nicotine poisoning can often worsen hangovers, as smokers tend to smoke much more than usual while under the influence of alcohol.[ 1 ]
Genetics also plays a part. Some people seldom, if ever, suffer hangover symptoms, no matter how much they drink Prevention – the Pre-Party Plan – If you know in advance, you will be drinking alcohol; the following tips will help protect your liver:
The Symptoms - As if you don't know already. The symptoms depend on severity and may include sweating, flushing, talking too much, showing off, impaired judgement, emotional instability, confusion and disorientation, memory loss, uncoordinated movement, headaches, dry mouth, irritability, bloodshot eyes, sensitive to light and noise, nausea and vomiting
The Cause - Hangovers are usually the result of drinking too much alcohol beverage, too quickly. Ethanol has a dehydrating effect (such substances are known as diuretics), which causes headaches, dry mouth and lethargy.
Alcohol is also a metabolic poison and its impact on the stomach lining probably
accounts for the nauseaAnother factor contributing to hangover is the conversion of alcohol to acetaldehyde by the liver by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase. This metabolite is probably more toxic than alcohol
Finally, there are various nervous effects. The removal of the depressive effects on the brain probably account for the light and noise sensitivity. It is also thought that the presence of other alcohols (such as methanol and fusel oils) by-products of the alcoholic fermentation also called congeners, exaggerates many of the symptoms. This probably accounts for the mitigation of the effects when distilled alcohol, particularly vodka, is consumed.
The amount of tannin in the drink may also have an effect. Red wines have more tannins than white wines and some people note less of a hangover with
white wine.Some people believe that sugar (often found in sweet cocktails) worsens hangovers; however, this may be because of our susceptibility to imbibe more sweet drinks.
Nicotine poisoning can often worsen hangovers, as smokers tend to smoke much more than usual while under the influence of alcohol.[ 1 ]
Genetics also plays a part. Some people seldom, if ever, suffer hangover symptoms, no matter how much they drink Prevention – the Pre-Party Plan – If you know in advance, you will be drinking alcohol; the following tips will help protect your liver:
- • One alcoholic drink an hour is all the liver can handle before a toxic backlog builds up in the bloodstream
- • Eat BEFORE you drink. Even a banana will line your stomach and slow down the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream. If you eat a meal with fat, protein and carbohydrates in it, you will absorb alcohol three times slower than on an empty stomach [ 2 ]
- • Milk thistle an herb (also known as St Mary's thistle) helps strengthen the membranes of the liver cells, protecting them from damage caused by alcohol. It also reduces the destruction of glutathione – a vital detoxing enzyme – which helps increase the speed at which the body can break down toxins such as alcohol. Alcohol-induced hangovers are minimised by taking milk thistle
- • Spritzers Alcohol switches off the hormone that helps the body retain water, resulting in .dehydration and headaches. Loss of body water stimulates thirst, which of course encourages more drinking. The best fluid to relieve dehydration is water. So prevent dehydration by drinking water or mineral water in between alcoholic drinks. A popular drink in Europe is white wine mixed with mineral water – called a Spritzer
- • Niacin and Vitamin B The body uses a considerable amount of nutrients when processing alcohol. Niacin (vitamin B3) binds to the alcohol molecule (acetaldehyde) and helps transport it out of the body. If vitamin B3 levels are low, this elimination process will be impaired and prolong alcohol levels in the bloodstream. By taking a complex vitamin B supplement, daily you will ensure your vitamin B levels are adequate to deal with any
increase in alcohol intake. Foods high in vitamin B include avocado, eggs, milk, cheese, legumes, almonds and walnuts, salmon, tuna and sardines, chicken, lean meat, wheat germ, and green vegetables - • Antioxidants help fight cellular damage caused by alcohol consumption. Vitamin C is destroyed by alcohol. So take a vitamin C supplement daily to boost your immune system. Other antioxidants include vitamin A, E, selenium, zinc, beta-carotene, green tea, bilberry, gingko biloba, blackcurrant, broccoli, citrus fruits, guava, parsley, peppers, pineapple, potatoes, raw cabbage, rosehips and strawberries.[3]
The Cures - There are wide variety of hangover cures. These hangover cures have one thing in common – they nowhere near as effective at curing a hangover as alcoholic drinks are at getting you drunk to begin.
A good hangover cure should replace essential nutrients lost by the body while counteracting the influence of residual poisons. Very few do both at once. Some of the more common proposed cures include;
- ◊ Drink a large amount of water before going to bed, for rehydration. A little water is better than none.
- ◊ Eating mineral-rich food such as pickles or canned fish.
- ◊ Eating anything 'substantial' BEFORE drinking (pizza, sandwich) to 'soak up' the alcohol in the stomach.
- ◊ Orange juice, which is rich in vitamin C and contains the natural sugar fructose, which can help the body burn up the alcohol faster. Plenty of fruit, juice and honey will help you recover from a hangover [ 4 ]
- ◊ Cabbage juice or sodium-rich tomato juice.
- ◊ Cysteine, which is available as the over-the-counter supplement N-acetylcysteine (NAC), is known to assist in processing acetaldehyde. Best taken while drinking or before going to bed
Note: egg yolk is also rich in cysteine and many hangover folk remedies or morning-after breakfasts incorporate eggs. A word of caution: Do not eat raw or uncooked eggs. Raw eggs can carry the H5N1 Avian Flu virus |
- ◊ Hair of the Dog - The later stages of the consumption of alcohol cause more of negative effect than the first. By consuming more alcohol, the body begins processing the newer alcohol, bringing temporary relief from the effects of a hangover. This just delays the pain
- ◊ Polish Pickle – drinking pickle juice, the solution in which cucumbers were pickled, in the morning is the staple hangover remedy in Poland.
- ◊ Ulster Fry - popular in Northern Ireland. Sometimes called Breakfast Roll, a meal that is an all-day breakfast
- ◊ Coca Cola – otherwise known as " Black Aspirin " (popular in Australia), also " The Red Ambulance " (Ireland); the caffeine, bubbles and sugar can be easier to hold down than pure water.
- ◊ RU-21 (as marketed in the USA in 2003) a fad Russian pill, sold in Russia as Antipokhmelin (Anti-Hangover). Also known as the KGB pill due to its supposed use by the KGB to allow spies to keep a clear head while drinking.
Note: The Poles, like the Russians, have a severe vodka problem |
More recently, a 2004 clinical study suggested that taking prickly pear ( Opunita ficus indica ) fruit extract several hours before drinking can significantly reduce certain hangover symptoms, including nausea. The authors theorise that the extract may work by suppressing the body's natural immune reaction to congeners [ 5 ]
Note: The Australian Government spent a fortune to eliminate prickly pear from the countryside in the 1950's as it was declared a noxious weed |
Drug Remedies Painkillers such as Aspirin (but not acetaminophen or ibuprofen, which might cause liver or stomach problems if taken after drinking) for the relief of headache [ 6 ]
Antacids such as Alka-Seltzer (aspirin, sodium hydrogen carbonate, citric acid), Resolve Extra (paracetamol, sodium bicarbonate, caffeine) can help relieve an upset stomach
Conclusion: If you know you are going to drink alcohol, try the following steps;
♦ Eat a meal before you start drinking
♦ Alternate between alcoholic and soft drinks
♦ Don't Drive: Alcohol remains in the bloodstream for long periods. You may still be unsafe to drive the day after you have been drinking
♦ Don't drink more alcohol to reduce your symptoms; this will only prolong the hangover
♦ Rest until you begin to feel better. Your best bet is to go back to bed
♦ Don't drink coffee or tea because they irritate the stomach and cause dehydration
♦ Treat a hangover like the flu - Alcohol dehydrates you. Tackle dehydration by doubling your fluid intake, preferably with an electrolyte-enhanced sports drink [ 7 ] .
♦ Seek medical advice if; (i) You have regular hangovers and are finding it hard to reduce your drinking
(ii) You feel the need to drink alcohol first thing in the morning