Why Do We Get Hangovers? The Science Explained

Why Do We Get Hangovers? The Science Explained

 

You know the drill – a hard night of boozing and a morning to regret; pounding headache, nausea and that feeling of fatigue. But how exactly do we get hangovers? Here’s what happens after the hangover as explained by science.

 

Causing Factors of Hangovers Mainly Include:

 

Dehydration: Alcohol is a diuretic, which makes you urinate frequently. This excessive urination leads to dehydration, which is the leading cause of symptoms associated with hangovers such as extreme thirst, dizziness and headaches. When you are dehydrated your brain actually shrinks slightly pulling on the membranes connecting it to your skull resulting in this familiar pain.

 

Congeners: These are poisonous substances produced during alcohol fermentation process and they occur in greater amounts in dark colored drinks like red wines, whiskey among others. They can make hangovers worse thus intensifying the symptoms. For instance, methanol and acetone are some of these chemicals that increase inflammation making you feel even more terrible.

 

Alcohol Metabolism: Your liver breaks down alcohol using enzymes called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). Acetaldehyde is a toxic substance that alcohol gets converted into by these enzymes. Normally acetaldehyde rapidly changes into an innocent compound known as acetic acid. 

 

Stomach Irritation: Excessive ingestion of alcohol can cause irritation to the stomach lining and increase acid secretion leading to inflammation; hence, the person experiences nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain. Additionally, alcohol slows down the emptying of your stomach making you feel bloated and uncomfortable.

 

Blood Sugar Drop:

 

Alcohol reduces blood sugar levels. Because your liver is busy metabolizing alcohol rather than producing glucose, there is less sugar in your bloodstream. Some symptoms that may occur are weakness, fatigue and irritability with cases like seizures being extreme.

 

Immune System Response:

 

After drinking alcoholic beverages, our immune system reacts by initiating an inflammatory response. It releases cytokines which are molecules that cause headache, nausea or even fatigue among others. This reaction is very similar to what happens when one gets infected by a disease-causing organism hence feelings associated with hangovers are generally awful.

 

How to Ease Hangover Symptoms

 

Here is how to reduce hangover effects though the best way is not taking alcohol:

  

• Keep yourself Hydrated: Drink water frequently before taking it as well as during and after consuming popular moods-altering liquid.

 

• Choose Clear Liquors: Go for drinks with lower amounts of additives such as vodka or gin so that you’ll consume lesser amount of toxins.

 

• Don’t overdrink: Be mindful of your consumption so as not to burden liver too much with toxins

 

• Food Intake: Take a square meal at least one hour prior to imbibing in order that it would reduce absorption rate on ethanol into blood stream

 

Hangover Drink: Despite our best efforts, hangovers can still strike. That’s where UNDOit, our morning after anti-hangover drink, comes in. Formulated with a blend of electrolytes, vitamins, and natural ingredients, UNDOit is designed to rehydrate your body, replenish lost nutrients, and support your liver’s detoxification process. Just drink UndoIt the morning after your night out, and you'll be on your way to feeling better in no time.