When you consume excessive amounts of alcohol, you are likely to experience symptoms — such as headache, diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, and trembling or shaking hands. These symptoms are our body’s way of reminding us about the dangers of overindulgence.
They are also the inspiration behind the recent scientific studies on hangovers and sickness, all of which aim to understand hangovers and find effective remedies. In this post, we review what science tells us, what it doesn’t, and how you can apply it.
Please consult the experts at the Hangover Hospital Key West for any of your hangover-related questions and remedy options.
What Causes Hangover Sickness?
While hangover sickness is a widespread phenomenon, scientists still do not fully understand its exact causes. The simplest explanation that currently exists for the awful headaches, dizziness, and nausea is that alcohol causes dehydration. It has a diuretic effect that tends to result in increased urine production, leading to excessive fluid loss.
Nonetheless, hangover-related studies have found very little correlation between dehydration and the severity of a hangover. The consensus is that while dehydration may play a role in hangover symptoms, there are other factors in play.
Who Is More Likely to Suffer a Hangover?
Scientific studies show that alcohol consumption doesn’t affect everyone the same way. You have probably seen it: that one friend who never gets a hangover and that other one who has a pounding headache every time they so much as walk into a bar.
According to research, people of East Asian descent have a mutation in their gene for the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase that is responsible for converting alcohol into acetaldehyde. They also have a gene mutation that leads to slower conversion rates of acetaldehyde into acetic acid. As a result, they tend to experience excessive acetaldehyde buildup and an immediate alcohol flush reaction.
Another way people experience hangovers differently is in terms of gender. Apparently, women are more likely to experience hangovers than men, although this could be because women have generally lower body weights.
Hangovers and Congeners
It is now almost common knowledge that darker-colored alcoholic drinks tend to produce more severe hangover symptoms due to their high congener content.
According to a Dutch study that focused on the congener content and its hangover risk in different types of alcohol, one particular congener – methanol – is mainly responsible for the enduring effects of a hangover.
Other studies have shown that darker-colored, high-congener liquors like whiskey and bourbon result in more pronounced hangover symptoms than clear liquors or lighter-colored liquors like vodka.
Feeling Miserable? Contact the Hangover Hospital
Any scientific study on hangovers and sickness will tell you that we still have a lot to discover about hangover symptoms and how to avoid them. Fortunately, at the Hangover Hospital, we are fully equipped to help you.
To get you back on your feet in no time at all, we offer effective remedies, like:
- IV infusion
- Antioxidant treatment
- B12 shots
- Meyers Cocktail
If a hangover is putting a damper on your day and you live in the Key West area, contact us by filling out our form or calling us at 305-912-3411.