Solve the hangover mystery! Drinking headaches, nausea and vomiting are no longer a secret! – Health and Medical Network – Health News Information Network and Health Media

The mechanism of the hangover is still unknown

Almost everyone who drinks alcohol has experienced it, but what they don’t want to experience again is the “hangover”.

Hangovers are undoubtedly caused by drinking too much, but the mechanisms that trigger them remain a mystery.

In fact, I also tried to ask people around me who like to drink, but most of them cannot correctly grasp the cause of a hangover. The physical condition on the day of drinking, the degree of fasting, drinking mixed alcohol, whether there is sober water, drinking distilled or brewed alcohol and other factors can lead to a hangover or not. This has happened to myself, the same amount of wine, I can’t do anything after drinking it the previous week, but after drinking it this week, I can’t do anything the next day.

Regarding research on alcohol and health, Dr. Susumu Higuchi, director of the Japan representative of the Kurihama Medical Center, said: “The cause and mechanism of a hangover are still surprisingly unknown.”

For example, it has been suggested that acetaldehyde, produced when alcohol breaks down, should be responsible for a hangover. Acetaldehyde is harmful to the human body and can cause flushing reactions such as flushing, vomiting, palpitations, and lethargy. And these all have something in common with hangover symptoms.

However, Dr. Higuchi said: “Even if people who have a hangover are checked, the value of acetaldehyde detected in the blood is almost zero.”

According to Dr. Higuchi, people who do not turn red when they drink – that is, people with a high alcohol tolerance – have little or no presence of acetaldehyde, even when tested while they are is drinking This can be considered because acetaldehyde is rapidly broken down in the body.

However, even those whose faces turn red when they drink alcohol “can only detect acetaldehyde in the initial stage, and as time passes, acetaldehyde can no longer be detected. Because of the this situation, it can also be considered that Acetaldehyde is not directly the cause of a hangover.” (Dr. Higuchi)

However, research reports also show that people whose faces turn red after drinking are prone to hangovers. In this regard, Dr. Higuchi said: “Perhaps it is not the substance acetaldehyde that is associated with the hangover, but the “sequelae” that come with it.”

Is it really a “mild version of withdrawal symptoms”?

So what exactly do we know now about the cause or mechanism of a hangover?

Dr. Higuchi listed several of the possible causes that are currently considered hangover mechanisms (facilitating factors).

Although Dr. Higuchi helped list these items, I am ashamed to say that I cannot understand almost all of them. What is particularly incomprehensible is the first “disengagement symptom”. In fact, this refers to the “withdrawal symptoms” that people addicted to alcohol will experience when they control their alcohol intake, commonly known as “withdrawal symptoms.”

“There is a saying that the cause of a hangover is “mild alcohol withdrawal symptoms”. Drinking alcohol will cause “functional changes” in the brain, although the brain that undergoes functional changes will later return to its original state, But some typical symptoms also appear at this time, such as: nausea, palpitations, cold sweats, hand tremors, etc. Such uncomfortable symptoms are commonly known as “withdrawal symptoms “Addiction to alcohol Because the patient cannot tolerate such withdrawal symptoms, he will continue to drink alcohol, so the brain will continue to maintain a state of functional changes.” (Dr. Higuchi)

For example, going to bed after drinking alcohol, although it is easy to fall asleep, but sometimes wake up in the middle of the night. Although it may be due to light sleep, some people think it may be a form of withdrawal symptoms. “People who are addicted to alcohol have trouble sleeping because of withdrawal symptoms. In other words, the reason why sleep becomes lighter when they go to bed after drinking alcohol is the very reason” a version is produced mild withdrawal symptoms” (Dr. Higuchi)

If the hangover is a “micro-alcohol withdrawal symptom”, then it is not recommended at all, that is, drinking a glass of “de-drunk wine” when you feel uncomfortable because of the hangover. Although it is only temporary after all, it is undeniable that drinking and getting drunk can remove the uncomfortable symptoms at this time and make people feel lighter. However, this is really the same as people who are addicted to alcohol “drinking because they can’t stand the withdrawal symptoms and want a temporary relief”.

By the way, I have a friend who runs a bar. Due to the constant occurrence of “micro-alcohol withdrawal symptoms”, he finally became addicted to alcohol. Do not underestimate this “hangover”.

However, according to Dr. Higuchi, according to the results of the brain wave examination, it was found that the withdrawal phase and the hangover phase appear in a completely opposite pattern, so some researchers objected to the explanation mentioned in previous based on this.

Hormonal changes can contribute to dehydration and hypoglycemia

Other causes of the hangover mechanism include hormone abnormalities, dehydration, hypoglycemia, acid-base imbalance, inflammation, etc. There are many words that are not often heard here.

According to Dr. Higuchi, in the process of progressing from a state of intoxication to a state of hangover, the state of secretion of certain hormones has changed greatly. In particular, Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH), which reduces the amount of urine controlled, as well as Aldosterone and Renin, which are related to urination and blood pressure regulation. It is possible that changes in the secretion state of these hormones can trigger hangover symptoms such as dehydration and hypoglycemia.

“Alcohol suppresses antidiuretic hormone, so as everyone feels in reality, drinking alcohol will cause more urine and frequent trips to the toilet. The amount of urine increases, the body will be dehydrated , and it can be said that this triggers thirst, vomiting, lethargy, headache, etc. which are unique to a hangover.” (Dr. Higuchi)

In addition, the secretion of the hormone insulin (Insulin), which can lower blood sugar levels, and the hormone glucagon (Glucagon), which can raise blood sugar levels, will also change, leading to hypoglycemia. The typical symptoms caused by hypoglycemia, such as: the body becomes heavy and weak, feeling sick, cold sweat, headache, etc., are also symptoms that are often seen in a hangover.

Additionally, during a hangover, the body’s acid-alkaline balance (acid-base balance) tends to be acidic, which can lead to increased fatigue. In addition, it is already known that, in the hangover state, the markers of the inflammatory response will be of high value, which seems to be the basis for the anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs to have some effect during the hangover. .

“Health Medical Network” reminds you that it is safe not to drive after drinking.

This article is from “Japanese Famous Doctors Teach You the Science of Drinking Alcohol”, published by Ark Culture.