Symptoms & Remedy for Hangovers

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What is a hangover?

Although there is no precise scientific definition, we all know it when we have it. In general, an alcohol hangover involves two or more the following symptoms: headache, nausea, diarrhea, lack of appetite, shakiness, feeling tired and an overall feeling of being unwell. Simply put, it feels like the "flu".



Causes of Hangover

Hangovers are a poorly understood clinical entity despite their existence since ancient times. Scientists now believe the cause is multi-factorial and their occurrence is not solely related to the amount of alcohol consumed.

Other factors include empty stomach, lack of sleep, psychosocial factors, increased physical activity while drinking, and dehydration. Persons in otherwise poor health have a greater likelihood of developing a hangover. Children of alcoholic parents report greater hangover symptoms than the children of non-alcoholics.

Beware, 6 drinks in an 80 kg male and 3-5 drinks in a 60 kg woman will almost always lead to hangover. Simply put, not drinking enough to get drunk will dramatically reduce the likelihood of hangover.

Some people believe that a hangover is nature's way of punishment to prevent future drinking. However, studies have found that hangovers do not deter drinking. In contrast, it may encourage the person to drink more, also known as an "eye opener". One study showed that many people with hangover, drink more alcohol to reverse its effects.

Prevention of Hangover

The only thing that can absolutely guarantee a hangover will not occur is to avoid drinking. Most of us ignore this warning.

When You Have a Hangover

It is never too late to start damage control. The preventative measures described above are still helpful.

1. Do not drink more in order to reverse the hangover. It will make matters worse.
2.

Drink plenty of water or other fluids but avoid orange or grapefruit juice. Many people drink coffee; its efficacy has not been studied but many people recommend avoiding it as its diuretic effect may further worsen the fluid imbalance in the body.
3. Eat light, nutritious food and stay away from greasy, fatty foods. I recommend bananas and yogurt etc.

4. Avoid sauna to relieve hangover. It may sound appealing, but can have adverse effects on your heart and blood pressure.

5. Liv52, an herbal remedy (Himalaya Drug Co., India) has been demonstrated to decrease the symptoms of a hangover. Another study showed that prophylactic use of pyritinol (similar to vitamin B6) reduces the symptoms of a hangover by about 50 percent.

4. Over the counter medications like acetaminophen, aspirin and ibuprofen are frequently used by hangover sufferers, although their effectiveness has not been studied. Tolfenamic acid, a drug with similar pharmacological action, has been shown to ameliorate the symptoms of hangover. Its best to check with your doctor before trying any such remedies.

7. For your own safety and others, don't drive a vehicle or operate heavy machinery.

Top 7 Chemicals for Hangovers

Your Guide, Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D


A hangover is Nature's way of reminding you that alcohol is not good for your body. Having said that, there are some substances that will reduce the damage or lessen the discomfort.

1) Water
It isn't so much the alcohol that causes a hangover as some of the chemicals the alcohol is metabolized into, such as acetaldehyde. It takes water to detoxify alcohol, so the more water you drink the less dehydrated you will become and the less severe or longlasting the hangover will be.

2) Aspirin
Aspirin brings pain relief and reduces inflammation of irritated tissues, which helps address one of the causes of the pain. Powders work most quickly, but buffered aspirin may cause less stomach upset.

3) B Vitamin Complex
B vitamins are needed to help the body cope with stress, including physical stress from exposure to ethanol, its metabolites, methanol (found in red wine and cognac), and sulfites (used to preserve many beverages).

4) Cysteine
Cysteine is an amino acid that directly counteracts the negative effects of acetaldehyde. Cysteine is the primary component of the chemical glutathione, which is quickly used up in the detoxification process. Eggs are rich in cysteine, so there may be some benefit to the 'raw egg' remedy.

5) Vitamin C
Detoxifying alcohol and its metabolites leaves free radicals floating around in the body. Vitamin C is an excellent antioxidant, so having enough available will help minimize tissue damage and hangover discomfort. Alcohol also depresses the immune system, so consider taking vitamin C to help ward off the cold or flu after drinking.

6) Sports Drink
Fruit juice or an electrolyte sports drink (e.g., Gatorade) may be even better than water at rehydrating your body and replacing lost minerals. The carbohydrates (sugar) will help restore normal blood sugar levels. Blood sugar tends to drop in response to alcohol, leaving the drinker hypoglycemic.

7) Bouillon Broth
A soup made from bouillon replaces water, electrolytes, and also some nutrients. It may help settle your stomach, too! If you can handle a soup with meat and veggies, the extra nutrients can give you a boost.

http://www.diagnosishealth.com/hangover.htm
http://chemistry.about.com/cs/medica...atp122102a.htm