Hangover. If this topic resonates with you, and you’re experiencing all the tell-tale symptoms of having had a bit too much to drink, then read on. We’ve all been there. The dreaded hangover!!!
Whether it’s winter or summer, after a delightful feast and a significant amount of alcoholic beverages, those “lovely” next-morning hangovers inevitably arrive.
Hangover, Where Do Come From?
All alcoholic beverages contain ethanol. Ethanol molecules are rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream through the microscopic vessels in the oral cavity.
Upon reaching the internal organs, ethanol immediately begins to oxidize and metabolize. It’s worth noting that 90% of this process occurs in the liver cells.
The intermediate element in ethanol breakdown is the toxic substance acetaldehyde, also known as “acetic aldehyde.”
This compound disrupts the functions of the heart, kidneys, brain, and nervous system, causing damage throughout the body.
The body has only one enzyme for processing acetaldehyde: acetaldehyde dehydrogenase. This enzyme converts the toxic substance into acetic acid, which is harmless to the body.
If the liver functions well, ethanol will be processed relatively quickly, at an average rate of 10 grams per hour. This is roughly equivalent to a glass of beer or a shot of strong alcohol.
Afterward, acetic acid is safely converted into energy during the body’s metabolic processes. The rate of ethanol breakdown varies with the amount of alcohol consumed: the more you drink, the longer it will take for your body to recover.
Furthermore, as you get older (even from the age of 30), hangovers tend to be longer and more agonizing.
Why Do Some People Get Hangovers While Others Don’t?
How quickly your liver processes alcohol is determined by various factors: weight, gender, genetics, and lifestyle. The severity of a hangover also depends on the ratio and activity of the enzymes that can “neutralize” ethanol.
Historical Facts.
Winston Churchill serves as a clear example of a combination of active enzymes, good genetics, and a robust metabolism.
The British Prime Minister drank heavily and lived to the age of 90. However, such cases are exceptions rather than the rule. The average person will feel much worse if they regularly consume alcohol.
There’s no need to test someone else’s capabilities: just because someone else doesn’t get hangovers doesn’t mean your body will react the same way.
Worsen with age.
The morning after a party at 35 is vastly different from what it was in your twenties. In your younger years, you might have been able to bounce out of bed and cheerfully go about your day. Not anymore.
Several Reasons for Age-Related Severity.
• Decreased Liver Function: Most importantly, liver function declines with age. As we get older, our livers lose their ability to process harmful substances as effectively as before. Additionally, we tend to take more medications as we age, which also impacts liver function.
• Changes in Body Composition: With age, the body’s water content typically decreases, and the percentage of fat increases. This complicates the process of ethanol metabolism.
• Increased Stress: The older we get, the more difficulties we tend to encounter in life, leading to increased stress and a poorer mood.
“As we age, physiological processes in the body slow down, enzymes become less active, and the liver works less efficiently,” experts explain.
What NOT to Do When You Have a Hangover.
Don’t drink more alcohol! During a hangover, your body is battling intoxication and trying to eliminate ethanol. A new dose of alcohol will not only add more work for your liver and the rest of your body but also worsen the ongoing detoxification process.
The habit of “hair of the dog” can also lead to alcoholism: it disrupts the enzymatic system, and a person becomes “tied” to alcohol, believing they “feel better by drinking.”
Avoid coffee and energy drinks. Strictly speaking, a hangover is a state of stress for the body, which caffeine can only intensify. Energy drinks negatively affect the cardiovascular system, which is particularly dangerous for those with blood pressure problems.
Don’t go to the sauna or take a contrast shower. Alcohol has vasodilating properties: it increases blood pressure and accelerates heart rate.
In a steamy, hot environment, sweating intensifies, increasing the load on the lungs, heart, and blood vessels, and worsening kidney function. Ethanol already puts a strain on the nervous and cardiovascular systems, and a sauna or contrast shower only amplifies this effect.
Don’t exercise. When you have a hangover, your body is severely weakened (primarily due to dehydration and stress on internal organs). Exercising or going to the gym will only worsen this condition.
What THEN to Do?
Don’t tell anyone, but Metadoxil can help.
METADOXIL contains the active substance metadoxine, which is used in cases of alcohol poisoning. This medicine reduces the amount of alcohol in the blood and helps to excrete it through urine. It’s available in Lithuanian pharmacies!
If you take metadoxine-based medication before consuming alcohol, it will help protect your liver and accelerate the elimination of acetaldehyde, which is the cause of poor health. If hangover symptoms still appear the next morning, the medicine can be taken again.
There’s a saying: “A snack steals the mood.” WHO experts state that consuming alcohol with a meal reduces unwanted side effects.
You should understand that you shouldn’t eat too much or eat fatty foods, as this puts a strain on the pancreas, increasing the risk of acute pancreatitis. It’s preferable to choose low-alcohol beverages or dilute strong alcohol with water and ice. Of course, only in moderation.
Metadoxil can influence metabolic processes. It promotes the deactivation and elimination of acetaldehyde, preventing hangovers. The medicine protects the liver and regenerates its cells. It also has a mild anti-anxiety and antidepressant effect, which will help to smooth out the emotional impact of alcohol.
Misleading Beliefs and Global Remedies.
The saying “Hair of the dog that bit you” suggests treating a hangover with more alcohol. However, let’s look at what people from other countries claim helps and what they actually use.
Turks try to cure unpleasant hangover syndromes with yogurts and other fermented milk products.
People in Singapore prepare a special soup with carefully selected herbs, supplemented with ginseng root.
People in India try to cure themselves with self-suggestion. The ritual requires water and incense. Two to three drops of oil are poured into the water, and a little vanilla, anise, lemon, peppermint, yarrow, fennel, tea leaves, and juniper leaves are added.
While meditating and inhaling the incense, this mixture is slowly drunk. They say it helps, but I’m skeptical, because a hangover is a hangover, full stop.
In some Chinese provinces, people drink raw eggs and eat butter before a heavy drinking session.
Greeks use similar methods.
Japanese people soak a gauze bandage with sake and then breathe through it. Horrifying! This sounds more like substance abuse in the fight against hangovers. One would imagine that after such a ritual, hangovers would be even more spectacular.
In Mongolia, people drink tomato juice with pickled sheep’s eyes added to the peculiar juice.
English people eat spinach, convinced that it will remove all alcohol toxins. Then they drink “Rosemary” tea, which helps relieve headaches.
The Royal Society of Great Britain states that the best hangover cure is toast with butter and honey or golden syrup.
This simple snack helps replenish the body’s lack of sodium, potassium, and fructose. English society recommends a glass of milk before drinking alcohol, as milk slows down the effect of alcohol, but there’s no mention of how it affects trips to the toilet.
The best drinks for avoiding hangovers are gin and vodka, as they are relatively pure. Dark drinks are not recommended because they contain chemicals that can cause hangovers.
Finns fight hangovers with cold beer and herring. 🙂
Germans eat lamb and bananas. Bananas replenish the energy that is lost after wild fun celebrations.
French people brew strong coffee with salt and boil onion soup. If coffee doesn’t help, they make a special cocktail: a little lemon juice, and equal parts white wine and sparkling water. Yes… that’s more serious than coffee.
Americans make a cocktail from a fresh egg, adding a spoonful of ketchup, tomato juice, and a few drops of vinegar. Eggs contain an enzyme that breaks down free radicals, releasing alcohol residues.
Brazilians drink one liter of a juice mixture made from guava, mango, and lemon.
Latvians favor sauerkraut juice, and if that doesn’t help, they sip beer (beer helps, of course, in moderation).
Lithuanians don’t think much and drink homemade hooch for their aching heads, which supposedly helps temporarily.
There’s no clear information about Estonians!!! Maybe you know what they do?
Products NOT Recommended for Hangover Treatment:
It has been found that the following products are definitely not recommended for treating hangovers:
• Fatty foods: This is the worst way to fight a hangover; fatty foods can only worsen your well-being.
• Sandwiches: Without even delving into their composition, do not eat sandwiches if you have a hangover.
• Alcohol: This is the most common and also the most incorrect way to treat a hangover. Yes, for a short period, alcohol will help you, but after a while, the bad feeling will return.
• Orange juice: The acid in orange juice will intensify hangover symptoms.
• Meat: Products with high protein content can only increase your headache.
• Coffee: If you want, drink a small cup of coffee, but definitely not a large mug; coffee can only worsen your well-being.
Wisdom Shared by Readers.
Here are some recommendations that readers have sent in for dealing with hangovers:
1. Water: Water is the most important and definitely the best remedy for dry mouth. It is recommended to drink water both before and after going to bed. And in the future, remember that by drinking a glass of water after every glass of beer, hangovers will be lighter the next day.
2. Coffee: Although many people are used to a cup of coffee every morning, on a festive morning, it would not be the right option.
Coffee can cause even worse headaches and even migraines. If you absolutely cannot live without coffee, you must drink a glass of water afterward.
3. More Alcohol: It’s a very bad idea to treat a hangover with alcohol. It feels like you’re getting better and the nausea passes, but in reality, the process is only prolonged, and you’ll soon have a hangover again.
4. Food: When you have a hangover, you usually want to eat something hearty that “fills you up.” However, to avoid feeling sick again after a while, this is not recommended. It’s better to choose fruits with plenty of fluid, toasted bread, or cottage cheese.
5. Painkillers: It is even advisable to reduce headaches by taking painkillers. The main thing is not to overdose and not to take them on an empty stomach.
From Laimisk: A glass of kefir, half a teaspoon of sugar, one teaspoon of chopped parsley, and a pinch of ground black pepper and salt. Mix the ingredients and drink it, then sigh with relief. 🙂
