Tag: alcoholic

Some information about Hangovers

Welcome to a new year and the first post of 2023.

For many people the first day of a new year starts with a hangover. So I thought that I would explore this topic.

Now we all know that the consumption of a substantial amount of alcohol is the usual cause of a hangover. Previously I have written about how the body processes alcohol.

This time I thought I would explore what is going on in the body to cause this unpleasant after effect?

What is a ‘hangover’?

Wikipedia states – A hangover is the experience of various unpleasant physiological and psychological effects usually following the consumption of alcohol.

In addition, hangover characteristics may depend on the type of alcoholic beverage consumed and the amount a person drinks. Typically, a hangover begins within several hours after the person has stopped drinking and the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is falling. Symptoms usually peak about the time BAC is zero and may continue for up to 24 hours after.

The chemical process

As previously covered, the liver processes the alcohol in 2 steps. It uses an enzyme in the liver cells – alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) to break down ethanol in the blood into another compound, acetaldehyde. Which is actually toxic.

Next, another enzyme, called aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) breaks it down further into acetate, which is not toxic.

Normally, acetaldehyde is quickly converted to acetate and excreted from the body. But when lot of alcohol is consumed, the liver may not convert the acetaldehyde as quickly as usual. It may have built up enough in the body to cause the nausea, vomiting and sweating of a hangover.

There is more to the hangover, however, than just acetaldehyde. Another contributor to the hangover is methanol, another fermentation product found in alcoholic beverages, luckily in small amounts because methanol is highly toxic. Like its ethanol partner, the same enzymes metabolise methanol as ethanol. The only difference is that this time the compounds created are formaldehyde and formic acid, which are extremely toxic.

So what factors are contributing to feeling unwell?
  • Mild dehydration: Alcohol increases urination and excess loss of fluids. The mild dehydration that results contributes symptoms such as thirst, fatigue, and a headache.
  • Disrupted sleep: People may fall asleep faster after drinking alcohol, but their sleep is fragmented. This is because the body is rebounding from the depressive effect of alcohol, disturbing normal sleep rhythm. This contributes to fatigue, as well as lost productivity.
  • Gastrointestinal irritation: Alcohol directly irritates the lining of the stomach and increases acid release. This can lead to nausea, vomiting and stomach discomfort.
  • Inflammation: Alcohol increases inflammation in the body similar to when you have an infection. This then causes the feelings of nausea, headache, chills and tiredness.
Avoiding a hangover

Paying attention to the quantity and quality of alcohol consumed can have a significant effect on preventing hangover. Hangover symptoms are less likely to occur if a person drinks only small, non-intoxicating amounts.

Even among people who drink to intoxication, those who consume lower amounts of alcohol appear less likely to develop a hangover than those who drink higher amounts. Hangovers are not usually associated with drinking beverages that contain low alcohol content. And lastly, including more water between drinks can reduce the dehydration caused by the alcohol.

Because individuals are so different, it is difficult to predict how many drinks will cause a hangover. Any time people drink to intoxication, there is a chance they could have a hangover the next day.

We hope you found this information interesting and/or helpful.

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper

Sources – McGill University, Office for Science and Society – National Library of Medicine  – National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and AlcoholisA

Alcohol and the body.

Todays post is about how our body, or more specifically the liver, deals with alcohol.

Many of us indulge in an alcoholic beverage on a regular basis. Some people indulge more regularly and in greater quantities than others. Most of us know the basics of what happens in our bodies when we drink alcohol.

Scott has recently covered this subject in his studies and I thought it was interesting. I decided to learn more details and share this information.

How the alcohol is initially absorbed.

Alcohol absorption begins in the stomach. However, it is absorbed much more rapidly in the small intestine due to the larger surface area. So, the longer the alcohol remains in the stomach, the slower the rise in the blood alcohol level. Fatty acids slow down the movement of food through the stomach. Therefore the consumption of foods higher in fats will slow the rise of blood alcohol. This will also give time for the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) to start breaking down the alcohol.

Alcohol dehydrogenase is our primary defence against alcohol, a toxic molecule that compromises the function of our nervous system. The high levels of alcohol dehydrogenase in our liver and stomach detoxify about one drink (10grams of alcohol) each hour.

Once the alcohol enters the blood stream, it goes directly from the digestive tract to the liver.

The science

In the liver there is more alcohol dehydrogenase to break down ethanol in the blood. The alcohol dehydrogenase breaks alcohol down into another compound, acetaldehyde. Next, another enzyme, called aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) breaks it down further into acetate, another metabolite.

This can then be converted to Acetyl coenzyme A, (acetyl-CoA), an important molecule used in metabolic processes. It is primarily used by the body for energy production and is an essential component in balancing carbohydrate and fat metabolism

 What does this mean?

On those occasions when we consume alcoholic beverages while eating pizza and deep fried foods, followed by cake and ice cream, the body deals with the alcohol first.

This is because the liver recognises the alcohol as the most toxic substance in the body at the time.

So while the liver is dealing with the alcohol, the fats and sugars are getting pushed into the blood stream to wait. This also means that the liver will first break down the alcoholic beverage into its main components and then dealing with the alcohol first.

The liver requires certain essential nutrients from the body to do its job. It also works through the toxins in 2 phases. If there are not enough nutrients available for the liver to do its job, this causes the by-products to hang around for a lot longer in between the phases. This can then cause other issues.

 Supporting the liver

It is possible to provide support to the liver so that it can metabolise alcohol more effectively, therefore reducing long-term damage.

The 2 phases of detoxification require different nutrients.

Phase 1 requires B group vitamins, Folic acid, Glutathione, Antioxidants, Carotenoids, vitamins E and vitamin C.

Phase 2 requires Amino Acids (Glutamine, Glycine, Taurine & Cystine) and sulphurated phytochemicals found in garlic and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage & Brussels sprouts)

There are also certain compounds available that may be helpful.

  • Grape seed extract is a well-known antioxidant that assists liver function.
  • Grapefruit seed extract increases gastric protection
  • Vitamin C
  • Zinc
  • Curcumin (found in Turmeric)

Current Australian health guidelines state “For healthy men and women, drinking no more than two standard drinks on any day reduces the lifetime risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury.” (NHMRC 2009) Sources – Principles of Anatomy & Physiology by Gerard J Totora/Bryan Derrickson, https://en.wikipedia.org, https://pdb101.rcsb.org

With this in mind, a good diet consisting of whole, unprocessed foods goes a long way in supporting the liver. Many of the nutrients essential for optimal liver function are found in fresh fruit and vegetables.

I hope you found this information interesting.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper