Tag: fatigue

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

What is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a common condition. So what is it?

Todays post is about Fibromyalgia.

A topic that has been discussed a bit in my family of late.

This is a fairly common condition that affects many people, from all walks of life. Statistically it affects women more than men.

So, what is Fibromyalgia?

As described in Davidson’s Principles & Practice of Medicine; fibromyalgia is a condition that presents as widespread body pain, which is often worse in the neck and back.

People who suffer from the condition have a reduced pain threshold and tenderness at certain sites throughout the body. Many sufferers find that physiotherapy often makes it worse. These symptoms are often accompanied by fatigue; memory problems and disturbed sleep patterns. A high proportion of fibromyalgia patients also suffer from tinnitus.
Fibromyalgia commonly begins between the ages of 35 and 50 years of age.

What causes it?

The cause is poorly understood, however there are 2 factors that are thought to be major contributors.
Poor sleep, or more exactly, reduced non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) sleep.
Delta waves are characteristic of deep stages of non REM sleep. This usually occurs in the first few hours of sleep. This type of sleep is recognised as having an important restorative function.
The other factor is thought to be psychological distress, such as anxiety or distressing life events.
Unfortunately, the condition can also create a perpetual cycle.
– The pain causes anxiety and poor sleep – the anxiety and poor sleep contribute to the condition causing pain – and so the cycle repeats.

How is it diagnosed?

Fibromyalgia is a complex condition that has many varied symptoms that could also be linked to other health problems. There are no blood tests or imaging test that show this condition, so it is difficult to diagnose.
Therefore most health professionals will have to conduct various tests to rule out conditions with similar symptoms.

How is it treated?

There are no guaranteed cures or medications for fibromyalgia. The most recent research I could find recommends a combination of treatments. This is to help patients manage the individual factors contributing to the condition.
The most common of these are pain, sleep, physical activity and psychological wellbeing.
Most treatment programs seem to include simple measures such as hot baths, aerobic and strength exercises along with relaxation and meditation.

The studies surrounding this condition, the causes and the treatments are ongoing.
I hope that this information is helpful to you or anyone you may know with this condition.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper.

Sources – Davidson’s Principles & Practice of Medicine, hindawi, science direct, Pub Med

A bit about Adrenal Fatigue

Is adrenal fatigue a real disease? At this time there is no approved test or formal criteria to define and diagnose adrenal fatigue.

Todays post is about Adrenal Fatigue.

I was having a conversation with someone about this condition recently and decided to research it a bit more. Here is what I found.

It seems that many health professionals do not recognise ‘Adrenal fatigue’ as an actual illness or health issue.

What Is It?
James Wilson, PhD, a naturopath and expert in alternative medicine came up with the term “adrenal fatigue” in 1998. He describes it as a “group of related signs and symptoms (a syndrome) that results when the adrenal glands function below the necessary level.” He says it’s usually associated with intense stress and often follows chronic infections like bronchitis, flu, or pneumonia.

The adrenal glands, which are small organs above your kidneys, respond to stress by releasing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones are part of your “fight or flight” response.
According to James Wilsons’ theory, if we are subjected to long-term stress, the adrenal glands burn out from prolonged production of cortisol. So adrenal fatigue sets in. The adrenal depletion would cause brain fog, low energy, depressive mood, salt and sweet cravings, lightheadedness, and other vague symptoms.

Is the condition real?
Low energy and tiredness are among also the most common reasons patients seek help from a doctor. Despite being so common, it is often challenging to come up with a diagnosis, as many medical problems can cause fatigue.
Adrenal Fatigue, in theory, links stress exposure to adrenal exhaustion as a possible cause of this lack of energy.
However, too much cortisol can also derail the body’s most important functions creating similar symptoms.

Is adrenal fatigue a real disease?
I was not able to find any scientific studies to support the theory.
The Endocrine Society (the world’s largest organisation of endocrinologists) does not recognise this condition. The Endocrinologists are categorical: “no scientific proof exists to support adrenal fatigue as a true medical condition.”

At this time there is no approved test or formal criteria to define and diagnose adrenal fatigue.

What about Adrenal Insufficiency?
Also known as Addison’s disease, is a recognised condition that can be diagnosed with blood tests. It is a medical condition that occurs when your adrenal glands aren’t producing adequate amounts of one or more essential hormones.

Symptoms include chronic fatigue, loss of appetite, muscle weakness, weight loss, and stomach pain. You might also have nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, diarrhoea, depression, or darkening of the skin.

So what’s a person to do?
Regardless of what we call it, there are millions of people suffering from similar symptoms.
Just because at this stage there are no tests for this condition or that it is not recognised as an actual medical condition, doesn’t mean that it’s not possible.
It is important to seek advise from your health care professional. There are usually various tests that need to be conducted to rule out known health conditions. Treatments include personalised plans involving supplements, counselling and some lifestyle changes.

I hope you found this interesting.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper

Sources – www.health.harvard.edu, www.healthdirect.gov.au, www.webmd.com