Hangovers are caused by drinking too much alcohol. For some, a single drink is enough to trigger a mild hangover the next day, while others can drink heavily without ever feeling hungover. Several factors contribute to a hangover, including:
(As you can likely attest to if you’re reading this article) they often feel like a combination of a bad cold and a migraine, with symptoms including fatigue, nausea, headache, thirst, and sensitivity to light and sound.
While there are countless hangover cures out there, most are based on anecdotal evidence, not science.
To help banish your hangover and get you back on your feet, we’ve rounded up the top ten natural hangover cures that actually work. So pour yourself a glass of water, pop an ibuprofen, and check out these easy ways to reduce hangover symptoms.
Sleep is your body’s way of recovering from the physical and mental fatigue caused by the day before. After a night of drinking, allow yourself a few extra hours of shut-eye to help reduce your hangover symptoms the next day.
Staying up late only exacerbates the headaches, irritability, and fatigue commonly associated with a hangover. While most people blame staying up late on feeling tired the next day, the alcohol itself also negatively impacts your sleep. Research shows that alcohol may cause sleep disturbances that decrease your sleep quality and duration, particularly in men.
A night of heavy drinking can quickly lead to dehydration the next day. To combat the loss of fluids and electrolytes, be sure to drink plenty of water before, during, and after consuming alcohol. Before heading out for the night, place a large glass of water on your nightstand. You’ll thank yourself for doing so when you wake up the next morning dying of thirst.
Alcohol has a diuretic effect, meaning it increases urine production. In addition to fluid loss, this diuretic effect causes your body to rid itself of valuable electrolytes your body needs to function properly. Excessive drinking can lead to vomiting, which only worsens fluid and electrolyte loss.
When consuming alcohol, a good rule of thumb is to drink one glass of water for every alcoholic beverage. While this won’t prevent hangovers entirely, it’ll help moderate your alcohol intake and ensure you don’t become dangerously dehydrated.
The best way to get rid of a hangover is to avoid having one in the first place. By eating a substantial meal before you begin drinking, staying hydrated, and drinking wisely the night before, you can significantly reduce your chances of waking up with a hangover. In addition to drinking water between each alcoholic beverage, you should avoid the following:
Did you know that a single mixed drink may contain more than half of your recommended daily sugar intake? While your fruity punch bowl may taste delicious, it’ll cause your blood sugar to spike rapidly.
Though our bodies are more skilled at processing sugar than alcohol, consuming sugary alcoholic beverages can lead to a more severe hangover. Drinks with high sugar content can send your blood sugar on a roller coaster, leading to a blood-sugar crash the next day.
Plus, sugary beverages mask the taste of alcohol, making it far too easy to drink too many, too fast. Mixed drinks like pina coladas, gin and tonics, cosmopolitans, and mimosas are packed with hidden sugar, so it’s best to stick to beer, wine, and liquor served straight up.
Studies have shown that consuming drinks containing high amounts of congeners— toxic chemical by-products of alcohol— may increase the frequency, duration, and severity of a hangover.
Darker alcohol, such as bourbon, whiskey, cognac, and tequila, typically contains high levels of congeners. It’s best to avoid these liquors if you’re prone to severe hangovers. Instead, stick to drinks with lower levels of congeners, like gin, rum, and vodka— which contains virtually no congeners at all.
You’ve probably heard the saying beer before liquor, never sicker, liquor before beer, you’re in the clear. While a lucky few may be able to mix alcohols without a hangover, many people find that drinking multiple types of alcohol in one sitting leads to a more intense hangover the next day.
It’s not the mixing itself that makes a difference; it’s the order in which you drink them. If you begin drinking something like a beer or spiked seltzer, which has a lower alcohol content, your body begins processing the alcohol at a lower rate. When you switch to drinks with higher alcohol content, your body has difficulty catching up.
If you’re planning to drink multiple types of alcoholic beverages, be sure to start with higher alcohol content and work your way down to drinks with lower alcohol content. Or do your body a favor, and stick to one drink.
You know what they say; breakfast is the most important meal of the day— especially when you’re suffering from a hangover. Not only will a nutritious meal filled with a balance of carbs, protein, and fat give you energy, but it’ll also help balance your electrolytes and maintain blood sugar levels.
Low blood sugar levels are often associated with hangover symptoms like nausea, muscle fatigue, and weakness. Even if you’re feeling queasy, you should try to eat at least a little something to give your body and brain fuel to recover. The longer you go without a good meal, the longer you’ll feel the effects of your hangover.
If you’re too nauseous to keep down food, add an electrolyte supplement to your next glass of water. The vitamins and minerals inside will help restore your electrolyte levels and prevent further dehydration. Be sure to stay away from sugary cereals, coffee beverages, and pastries, which will only make you feel worse.
After a late-night of drinking or a poor night’s sleep, you’ll likely wake up feeling exhausted. While it’s imperative that you drink lots of water to rehydrate, drinking your regular cup of joe may help you feel better as well.
The caffeine inside a cup of coffee or tea helps increase alertness and combat body fatigue. Because coffee is a slight diuretic, you’ll want to drink lots of water along with your morning cup.
While one or two cups of coffee can help you feel more energized, too much coffee may actually make you feel worse. In addition to leaving you with the jitters, excess caffeine levels can also worsen gastrointestinal problems, headaches, and irritability.
While there’s not a ton of research behind natural hangover cures, a handful of studies have found that certain supplements may help to lessen your hangover. If you’re looking for an all-natural way to cure your headache and fatigue, here are a few research-backed supplements to try:
When you wake up after a night of drinking feeling nauseous, the last thing you probably want to do is down another drink. This hangover cure—commonly referred to as hair of the dog— is primarily based on anecdotal evidence; there’s actually some scientific evidence to back up the urban legend.
While drinking a hangover-lessening alcoholic beverage may seem counterintuitive, it may help your body process methanol, a chemical found in small amounts in alcoholic beverages. However, we don’t recommend using this method often, as it can lead to increased alcohol dependence and an unhealthy morning habit.
Regardless of which hangover remedy you choose to use, remember that the best way to cure a hangover is to avoid getting one in the first place. By drinking in moderation, eating nutritious foods, and staying hydrated, you can prevent your hangover from ever occurring.
And if you need a little extra help avoiding the morning misery after a few too many drinks, try our all natural supplement Rallymate!
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The answer is yes, AND no. Food can actually help to decrease your symptoms, but food can also make it worse. Therefore, read on for the list of salvation! The following list might surprise you.
Water begins to rehydrate your body after a night out on the town. Dehydration is the leading cause of your hangover headache and other annoying symptoms.
Bananas contain significant amounts of Potassium, which also helps cure dehydration symptoms. Why? Potassium helps replenish the hormones that help your body hold onto water. In addition, increasing your potassium level can help prevent muscle cramps.
Eggs contain cysteine, which is an acid that produces the antioxidant glutathione. Alcohol decreases this particular acid, and without that, your body can’t break down the consumed alcohol. Consuming eggs in the morning increases the glutathione and improves your symptoms.
Watermelon doesn't only contain much need fluids but also helps increase your blood flow (headaches are caused by restricted blood flow to the brain).
Pickles increase the sodium that is taken from the alcohol. This helps fight dehydration.
Honey increases fructose and possibly can help flush out the alcohol more quickly. Although research is limited on this.
Nuts can replace magnesium that was lost from drinking alcohol.
Some other foods that can help you get over your hangover include avocado, spinach, green tea, oatmeal, blueberries, salmon, ginger, chicken noodle soup, and asparagus.
Now, are you ready for this next part? First off, the myth that drinking more alcohol in the morning will help. WRONG! That will make it worse. Your body is dehydrated. Consuming more alcohol is not fixing the problem but delaying it.
Consuming greasy and fried foods the next morning slows the absorption of alcohol in the blood. It also can upset your stomach.
Orange Juice is pure citrus and harsh acid. It upsets your already rolling stomach. Believe it or not, coffee is also not good on an upset stomach.
Finally, be careful not to consume too much protein. After drinking too much, your blood sugar is low, and consuming more protein will actually make your headache WORSE. Therefore, worry about restocking the sugar intake with complex carbohydrates such as fruits and vegetables and not with protein.
To summarize, search for foods that will replenish the body’s key nutrients and remember, one of the key causes of your symptoms is dehydration. In the future, consider drinking a glass of water for every beverage that is consumed. Also, try to moderate your drinking, as long-term abuse of it is dangerous.
RESOURCES
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-hangover-foods#TOC_TITLE_HDR_21
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326506#summary
https://www.insider.com/what-not-to-eat-hangovers-2018-6#and-definitely-dont-drink-more-4
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
]]>How many drinks did you have last night? If you drank too much, get ready for a hangover. People from all over the world have been looking for ways to cure their hangovers since the invention of alcohol. Here are some of the traditional cures we found from a few different countries.
Leche de Tigre or ‘tiger’s milk’ is the most popular dish eaten by Peruvians after drinking a little too much. A lot of different ingredients are added to this dish including pieces of firm white fish, fish stock, onion, salt, pepper, garlic, coriander and chillies. The dish will not do its job without lime juice. Peruvians believe that the spiciness and the acidity of lime juice can help you get back on track after waking up from a long night of drinking.
In Japan, people prefer to eat umeboshi plums to cope with hangover symptoms. The ability of these plums to cure hangovers has a long and interesting history. Samurai warriors use to carry this superfood to battle. The fruit helped them overcome fatigue and hangovers. Umeboshi plums taste salty and sour. They kill bacteria and boost metabolism. If you do not like the strong taste of umeboshi plums, they can be soaked in green tea before they are eaten.
Menudo is a popular Mexican soup that is often eaten to relieve hangover symptoms. Mexicans believe that this soup has restorative powers. Menudo is traditionally made with cow’s stomach, red chili pepper, dried corn, onion and lime juice. Keep in mind that it usually takes a few hours to cook this soup. So, you should prepare it beforehand if you are planning a night of partying.
In South Korea, the locals traditionally cook Haejangguk, the soup that effectively helps drinkers sober up and cure hangovers. This soup is made with beef blood, oxtail meat, soybean sprouts, soybean paste, chilli, garlic, and scallions. There are different versions of the soup, but most are spicy and filling.
Oregano tea is a popular hangover cure among Ecuadorians. The tea is traditionally made by adding one teaspoon of dried oregano into hot water. However, some people choose to make tea with fresh oregano leaves. Oregano has antibacterial properties and may help in boosting digestion. Oregano tea is also hydrating. Drinking this beverage is a great way to start your day after a long night party.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
]]>We explore the link between drinking and heart health.
Reasons Why Too Much Alcohol Is Bad for the Heart
One of the biggest factors that cause stroke and heart attack is high blood pressure. Drinking excessive alcohol can increase your blood pressure and put you at risk for these complications.
However, the increase in blood pressure caused by alcohol typically reverses itself after two hours of consumption. But, for excessive drinkers, it will take more time before blood pressure goes back to normal.
Excessive alcohol consumption can cause you to develop a disease called alcoholic cardiomyopathy. This is a heart disease that thins and weakens the heart muscles and therefore affects its ability to pump blood to your system.
Another reason why too much alcohol is bad is that it can lead you to develop an alcohol-induced arrhythmia. This is a type of acute cardiac rhythm or, in simpler terms, irregular heartbeat. People who experience this disease often feel breathless similar to when a person is experiencing a heart attack.
Several studies have shown that there is a high relationship between excessive alcohol consumption and obesity. This is because alcohol contains a high level of calories that contributes to weight gain.
For men, moderate drinking is characterized as consuming 1 or 2 glasses of alcoholic beverage per day. Meanwhile, for women, the daily recommended consumption is only up to 1 glass. If you have a history of heart disease, experts suggest not to drink anything alcoholic at all.
Final Word
It is perfectly fine to have a bottle of beer or a glass of wine from time to time. However, it is a different story when your daily consumption of alcohol is to the point where you get heavily intoxicated.
If this is your case, you might want to take a step back and reassess your relationship with alcohol. This puts you at great risk for heart disease and other physical issues. Plus, it will have a significant effect on the overall quality of your life.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
]]>What Is Charcoal?
For this article's purpose, whenever we mention charcoal, we will be referring to activated charcoal, which is different from the charcoal briquettes that you would use for a bbq. While the base materials can be the same, the way they are processed is different, and charcoal briquettes contain toxic substances.
Activated charcoal is produced by heating coconut shells, sawdust, wood, or peat to extremely high temperatures to change its internal structure. The result is a more porous charcoal with a larger surface area making it more absorbent.
Charcoal is an odorless, black powder with some toxin-absorbing properties. That is why it is widely used in medicine to treat different types of poisoning and overdoses.
How Does Charcoal Work?
Charcoal has a porous texture and a negative electrical charge. Due to this peculiarity, charcoal can attract positively charged molecules such as gases and toxins to prevent them from being absorbed by the body.
Charcoal Pills for Poison Treatment
Charcoal pills are often prescribed to treat cases of poisoning. Charcoal has been successfully used as a poison treatment since the beginning of the 19th century. Today it is commonly administered to treat aspirin overdoses.
It can also be used to treat drug overdoses. A scientific study has shown that 50-100 grams of activated charcoal, taken within several minutes after swallowing drugs, can reduce the drug's absorption by 74%. But when taken 30 minutes after swallowing the drugs, the result will be much weaker. The effect of the charcoal will decrease by 50% and continues to decrease with time.
It’s worth mentioning that charcoal pills are not always effective. Charcoal has little or no effect on potassium, iron, lithium, alcohol and heavy metal poisoning.
Charcoal Pills for Kidney Health
Charcoal pills can be used to improve kidney function. It’s well-known that charcoal can reduce the number of waste products that the kidneys usually have to filter. Charcoal pills can be especially helpful for patients who suffer from chronic kidney disease. However, more studies are needed to draw a strong conclusion.
Other Uses of Charcoal Pills
People use activated charcoal for various purposes despite the fact that its effectiveness has no scientific basis. People who have digestive problems may take charcoal pills to reduce gas and bloating. Some people use charcoal to treat acne or other skin conditions.
Charcoal has even been used to whiten teeth, claiming it can remove coffee and wine stains. However, you should keep in mind that this substance is abrasive and may damage tooth enamel, and we haven't seen any proof to back these claims so, be careful.
Can Charcoal Pills Cure Your Hangover?
Some believe charcoal pills can prevent or cure a hangover. Alcohol is a toxin. So, you might think that charcoal will work effectively counteracting its effects. But there is no evidence that charcoal can help. In fact, it shouldn’t because alcohol is absorbed by your body very quickly, and charcoal is unable to absorb alcohol. That’s why charcoal is not used by doctors in emergency rooms to treat alcohol poisonings.
An experiment was conducted in which several people were asked to drink 88 grams of alcohol each. Then each person took 20 grams of activated charcoal. The result was striking. The experiment showed that people who took charcoal had the same amount of alcohol in their body compared to those who didn’t take the supplement.
But what will happen if you take charcoal pills before and not after drinking alcohol? You will also be disappointed because the supplement will not work in this case either because charcoal can’t bind to alcohol.
What Are the Side Effects From Taking Charcoal?
Activated charcoal is considered safe in most cases, but there may also be some unpleasant side effects, which include nausea and vomiting. Constipation and black stools have been commonly reported side effects as well.
Overall, we find the studies supporting the benefits of activated charcoal as a supplement to be weak and may cause more harm than good. Its use should be reserved for medical professionals, and its important to seek medical help immediately in the case of poisoning.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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No doubt, people who experience a hangover want to get over it as quickly as possible. But is there a way to relieve hangover symptoms?
The 1966 Western film El Dorado offers one comedic but hopeless solution.
The scene in El Dorado involves three cowboys, Cole Thornton (John Wayne), Bull (Arthur Hunnicutt) and Mississippi (James Caan), who need to sober up Sheriff J.P. Harrah (Robert Mitchum) before the bad guys show up.
Mississippi offers Johnny Diamond's recipe to sober up the sheriff and explains, "[i]t does something to a man's stomach, so it naturally won't hold any liquor."
The recipe offered is as follows: cayanne pepper, mustard - the hot kind, ipecac, asafetida, croton oil, and the final ingredient, GUNPOWDER.
As the sheriff takes down the black oily concoction, he bolts-up and yells,"You dirty, lousy, rotten, sheep-herdin’--What did you do to me? What’d you give me? I’m all crawlin’ inside" and goes to take another swig of his whiskey only to puke it back up.
So in the movie, the concoction works...kind of... but this is purely entertainment value and should never be tried at home. But let's take a look at the ingredients and see if they offer any value.
Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin, which can help increase metabolism. But the overall effect is very small and certainly too small to make a noticeable impact.
Mustard as long been considered a healthy food and may increase metabolism, but any overall effect will be small.
Ipecac is used to rapidly force vomiting. This was used in the past by patients who ingested poison and needed to puke it out. But since then, more effective methods have been found, which is good because ipecac is a mild poison in itself and carries the risk of over dosing.
Asafetida is a resin that comes from a plant. It has a strong aroma. Very often, asafetida is added to spice mixtures and used in many recipes. It is also used as a remedy for a wide variety of purposes. Some studies have shown that asafetida can be successfully used for treating irritable bowel syndrome.
Croton oil is poisonous. Some people use croton oil for treating constipation. However, you should keep in mind that even a single drop of this oil can cause acute diarrhea. So...yeah do not try and we'll move on,
Surprisingly ingesting a small amount of gunpower from the late 1800's and early 1900's wouldn't be that bad for you. Most of it was made from potassium nitrate, which is also knows as saltpeter and has been used in cooking in other parts of the world. This is the same potassium nitrate found in fertilizers that make them explosive. But gunpowder today has been more developed with more chemicals have been added, making it toxic. DO NOT INGEST GUNPOWDER.
It looks like the logic behind the Johnny Diamond's cocktail, is to remove the alcohol from the body anyway possible. Which may actually help shorten intoxication, depending on how far along the digestive system the alcohol is. But you would receive the same results by just puking out the alcohol yourself.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Never drink and drive. Always drink in moderation.
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According to world-renowned chef Fergus Henderson, his father has taught him the cure for hangovers and claims that it is “more than a cocktail––it has miraculous powers that can bring you back from the edge”.
Chef Henderson has dubbed his cocktail Dr. Henderson and claims it will cure your ailment when you’ve had too much to drink.
Dr. Henderson
Mix together the Fernet Branca and creme de menthe and serve over crushed ice.
Simple to make and also quite tasty, it has a little kick with a minty after taste. Much like a mouth wash, but tastier.
In our opinion, while the Dr. Henderson may not cure your hangover, it may help delay it. This is the same logic behind the “hair of the dog” hangover remedy that involves drinking more alcohol to cure a hangover.
But at least it tastes good!
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
]]>All of the top three best-sellers in the U.S. are light beers. The best seller is Bud Light, which shipped 29.4 million barrels, the second is Coors Light, which shipped 14.9 million barrels, and third is Miller Lite which shipped 12.6 million barrels in 2018.
The term light in light beer typically refers to a beer that contains fewer calories, and therefore less alcohol since most of the calories in a beer comes from the alcohol. For example, a can of Budweiser contains 146 calories and 5% ABV, while its counterpart Bud Light contains 110 calories and 4.2% ABV.
While Coors Brewing Company was the first to use the term light in their Coors Light in the 1940s, Miller Lite was the first successful mainstream light beer in the U.S. Miller Lite was first developed in 1967 but wasn’t introduced nationally until 1975.
Today, most beer companies offer a light beer variant in their products and market it as the “light” version of their regular beers. Examples of such companies are Sam Adams Light, Coors Light, Heineken Light, and Miller Light.
In other parts of the world, such as Scotland and Australia, the term light beer refers to those with only have 3.2% alcohol content.
Although in many cases, light beer is marketed to have lower alcohol content than regular beers, it does not necessarily mean that it is much lower. Regular beers often have around 5% alcohol content, while most light beers sold in America have approximately 4.2% alcohol content.
Here’s a table that shows the alcohol content in light beer among the popular brands in the United States:
Brand | Alcohol by Volume (ABV) |
Bud Light | 4.2% |
Coors Light | 4.2% |
Corona Light | 4.1% |
Heineken Light | 4.2% |
Keystone Light | 4.13% |
Sam Adams Light | 4.3% |
One of the major benefits of light beer is its lower ABV helps slow down your intoxication.
Another reason why many opt for light beer is because of its lower caloric content. This feature of light beer is why it is so popular for people on a diet or health-conscious.
Although light beers contain less alcohol and fewer calories, we still recommend you drink them in moderation because they will cause intoxication and hangovers.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
]]>It’s well-known that alcohol affects people differently. The reaction people have to alcohol depends on a variety of factors.
If you want to know what a safe amount of alcohol to consume is for you, try to answer the following questions. How much and how often do you usually drink? At what age did you start drinking? What is your general health status?
Moderate drinkers have less to worry about. However, heavy drinkers may suffer severe consequences from uncontrolled alcohol consumption.
There is no doubt that alcohol can affect the brain, causing slurred speech, difficulty walking, impaired memory, blurred vision, and others.
Did you know that the cerebral cortex is the first area on the brain that’s affected by excessive alcohol use?
The cerebral cortex is one of the most important parts of the human brain. It is a thin layer that covers the cerebrum. This layer of the brain is known to be gray matter. The cerebral cortex performs extremely important functions in the human body.
This part of the brain is responsible for processing information, planning and organization, and determining intelligence and personality. This brain area plays a key role in memory, perception, attention, thought, consciousness, and language. And what happens to the cerebral cortex when you start drinking alcohol?
When alcohol gets into your body, it reaches the brain within several minutes. The cerebral cortex reacts immediately to alcohol intake. Alcohol slows down this part of the brain.
You have probably noticed that only a few sips of alcohol make you more confident and very talkative. But, alcohol leads to poor judgment and makes you less sensitive to pain.
A scientific study has shown that heavy drinking causes serious damage to the brain. In this study, the cortical thickness measurements were used. The researchers have found out that the most damage is done to the temporal and frontal cortex areas.
If you keep drinking, the cerebellum and hypothalamus will be the next regions of the brain affected by alcohol. The cerebellum is responsible for awareness, coordination and thoughts.
When alcohol reaches this part of your brain, you may experience problems with these skills. Your hands will shake. Driving a car will become almost impossible and very dangerous.
The hypothalamus is another important part of the human brain. It is also involved in a wide variety of important functions and can be disrupted by alcohol.
Keep in mind that drinking alcohol for a an extended period of time can significantly impair brain function. Drink alcohol safely in moderation, and don’t put your health and brain at risk.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
]]>Drinking beer by healthy individuals may reduce the danger of developing heart disease. Restrained consumption of alcohol, for instance, one or two bottles a day, decreases the chances of having atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, and heart attack by about 30 to 50 percent. Also, moderate drinking of alcohol reduces the risk of having an ischemic stroke caused by a clot in the blood vessel.
Since beer has a high content of silicon, it can aid in building stronger bones. The soluble form of orthosilicic acid (OSA) containing dietary silicon may be essential for developing and growing of healthy bones, connective tissue, and reducing the risk of the bone-thinning disease known as osteoporosis.
Drinking beer reduces the risk of developing kidney stones. Drinking a moderate amount of beer can reduce the chances of developing kidney stones by about 41 percent. Some types of beer, such as pale ales, contain kidney-health promoting phytochemicals.
Beers contain a soluble fiber that can aid in reducing the LDL (bad cholesterol). When you ingest more of the soluble fiber, you can benefit from healthy blood-cholesterol and blood-sugar levels. Nonetheless, since alcohol obstructs the body's ability to absorb minerals and vitamins, it can also reduce the power of the body to burn stored fat.
There is evidence that low doses of alcohol may improve memory. One study supporting this idea was conducting on rats to show low doses of alcohol improved their memory.
People who consume alcoholic drinks like beer in moderate amounts have a lower risk of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Also, people diagnosed with diabetes and who consume an average amount of alcohol have a lower risk of contracting coronary heart disease than non-drinkers with type 2 diabetes. This reduced risk is the same as that found in healthy people consuming low amounts of alcohol.
Light or restrained intake of beer may lower the risk of dementia and may result in stronger bones in men and women in their postmenopausal ages. Additionally, it has been proven that consuming one to four bottles of beer per day can reduce the danger of heart failure or congestive heart failure (CHF) in people of ages 65 years and above.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
]]>Ideally, it is better to drink alcohol on a full stomach and not on an empty stomach. Not only will it help maintain energy levels, but it will also slow down the rate of absorption.
Everyone reacts differently to alcohol and will absorb it at different rates. Women will generally absorb alcohol faster than men. But when there is food in the stomach it will slow down the rate of absorption and its effects.
The food in the stomach prevents alcohol from quickly passing to the small intestines where most of the alcohol enters the blood stream; thus, the body absorbs it at a lower rate.
Conversely, drinking on an empty stomach allows the alcohol to pass quickly from the stomach to the small intestines from where it is absorbed into the bloodstream. Therefore, this will increase the effects of drinking, like getting drunk.
Controlled or moderate drinking of alcohol on an empty stomach is reasonable. But fast and heavy drinking on an empty stomach is dangerous. This may cause bodily harm.
A small quantity of alcohol is absorbed into blood vessels in the tongue and mouth. When it reaches the stomach, about 20 percent gets absorbed into the blood. The remaining 75 – 85 percent of alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream while passing through the small intestine.
From here, the bloodstream moves alcohol to various parts of the body. The alcohol moves around the body through the bloodstream until it is metabolized, mostly by the liver. In the liver, blood is filtered, and about 80 – 90 percent of the alcohol is broken down to water, energy, carbon dioxide, and also some toxins. The brain, pancreas, and stomach also help metabolize alcohol.
The body is adapted to excrete about 10 percent of the alcohol you take in the urine. As you drink, alcohol moves to the brain and can cause us to feel drunk by binding to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors. Some of the remaining alcohol evaporates as we breath in the lungs, about 8 percent.
You should always enjoy your drinks in moderation. If you tend to get drunk too quickly, you should try eating before drinking. Also, use Rallymate to avoid rough mornings and minimize your recovery time.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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The answer is because beer and alcohol are diuretics. A diuretic is something that causes you to urinate.
Drinking alcohol inhibits the release of a hormone called vasopressin, which is also know as anti-diuretic hormone (ADH). This causes the kidneys to release more water and make you urinate more. The body becomes dehydrated and you become thirsty, feeling the urge to drink more. And if you're only drinking beer, it becomes a cycle of drinking beer and peeing until the beer money runs out.
This dehydrating effect is also one of the causes of hangovers, which is why proper hydration is important in combating hangover symptoms. This is done by using electrolytes to help hydrate the body.
However, consuming too much water is harmful and can even be deadly. Over hydration is linked to water intoxication. This condition occurs your body's salt levels become very low and your kidneys are unable to process and urinate the excess liquid out fast enough.
Drinking too much beer can also be hazardous to your health, so always drink in moderation. But when consumed in moderation, it turns out beer can also provide health benefits. Check out our blog posts - What Are the Benefits of Drinking Beer for Men?
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
]]>Most people believe that drinking alcohol is absolutely inappropriate when struggling to lose weight. It’s not exactly true. You can still enjoy alcoholic beverages if you do it in the right way. So, what drinks can fit into your diet?
If you want to add some alcohol to your weight loss diet, think about types of liquor such as vodka. One shot of this strong beverage contains about 97 calories. The good news is that vodka contains zero sugar and carbs.
If you like to drink vodka, it will be interesting for you to know that it has some health benefits. This drink can increase blood circulation, preventing clots and strokes. Plus, vodka can help you fight stress during your weight loss battle.
The question is – how much vodka can you drink? Drinking a moderate amount of vodka is key to losing weight. Drinking too much may not just affect your waistline. It may also lead to serious health problems. You certainly do not want to end up with heart problems, digestive disorders, and liver disease. Plus, excessive drinking can trigger depression. It’s recommended to have only 1 drink per day for women and 2 drinks per day for men.
No doubt, losing weight is a hard and treacherous journey. You are less likely to achieve success if you do not consume enough water. Remember that you can’t replace water with alcohol. If you choose to incorporate vodka into your weight loss diet plan, don’t forget to drink lots of water.
Alcohol is known to be a diuretic. It removes fluids from your body. So, you can get quickly dehydrated if you don’t drink enough water with vodka. Drinking pure water will help you replenish the fluids. Adequate water intake will also help reduce the negative effects of alcohol.
Eating sugar can be counterproductive when you are trying to lose weight. And mixing vodka with sugar is even worse. Some people think that adding sugar or soda to vodka will make this beverage more pleasant to drink. Unfortunately, they forget about the amount of calories sugar will add.
Try to be a smart drinker. Stick to your diet plan and avoid drinking alcohol when you are hungry. Vodka is absorbed faster into the bloodstream if you drink it on an empty stomach. You should eat first. Most nutritionists agree that a well-balanced meal will mitigate the side effects of vodka.
Drinking vodka will not be an obstacle to losing weight if you consume it responsibly.
Congeners are impurities produced during the fermentation process...
Congeners are byproducts created during fermentation when sugar is turned into alcohol using yeast. These impurities give alcohol its color, taste, and flavor.
But what exactly are these impurities? They are made up of small amounts of methanol, fusel alcohols, acetone, acetaldehyde, esters, tennis, and aldehydes.
Darker alcohols such as brandy, bourbon, whiskey, wine, and dark beer contain more congeners than clear alcohol. For example brandy can have as much as 4,766 milligrams per liter of methanol, while vodka can have from 0 to 102 milligrams per liter. Refer to this helpful article.
Congeners are responsible for giving dark alcohols it’s color, taste, and even aroma. While they add to our drinks pleasantness, we are reminded they are impurities and make our hangovers worse.
Congeners cause inflammation and are broken down by our bodies to toxins that cause and worsen hangovers. One congener, methanol, breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde. Yikes! Luckily this is a very tiny amount, but still enough to cause a hangover.
One study published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research showed that when one group of subjects was given bourbon and another group was given the same amount of vodka, 33% of the bourbon group reported hangover symptoms the next day compared to just 3% from the vodka group.
More pricey top-shelf alcohols are distilled longer to remove impurities. The result is cleaner alcohol and fewer hangovers. But we all know drinking too much of any alcohol, clear or dark, will cause a hangover.
Always drink in moderation, never drink and drive, and always have a Rallymate to mitigate the negative effects of drinking.
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But how effective are these treatments when it comes to curing hangovers? We consulted Dr. Bethany Sanstrum, who holds a Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology to get some answers:
"Dehydration is a major cause of the onset of hangovers after drinking alcoholic beverages. Intravenous (IV) lounges are a new trend where customers are given an IV treatment containing saline and various vitamins for hangover recovery [1]. These fluids are injected straight into the bloodstream, so it is an effective treatment for dehydration and provides benefits for those who suffer from vomiting and cannot keep water down. Anti-nausea medications are commonly added to the IV drips to reduce these symptoms [1]. However, IV drip treatments can take many hours to complete, which is about the same amount of time to fully hydrate by drinking water. Having a glass of water before, after, and between alcoholic drinks can help prevent the negative effects of dehydration associated with hangovers [2].
Hangovers are not only caused by dehydration, so IV drips only solve a part of the problem. Alcohol is broken down by the liver, which releases toxins that cause damage to the cells of the body, specifically acetaldehyde, which is a product of alcohol metabolism [1, 3]. These toxins are not flushed out of the system faster by IV drips because the kidneys excrete the toxins rapidly, even without added IV fluids [1].
Many IV therapies include glutathione, an antioxidant that aids in liver metabolism [4]. However, IV supplementation of glutathione does not seem to be efficient [4]. Vitamins administered via an IV drip bypass the digestive system, which can be a problem since almost all vitamins are absorbed via the GI tract. Liposomal oral glutathione supplements, on the other hand, provide a delivery system to the GI tract where the glutathione can be absorbed by the liver [4].
Getting an IV drip after being hungover likely does not speed up recovery faster than simple hydration. However, supplementation prior to drinking may be beneficial for increasing glutathione levels and preventing hangover symptoms. Many natural products and vitamins have been tested and manufactured to combat the negative symptoms of hangovers [5]. Prickly pear juice was shown to significantly increase memory, reduce sensitivity to light and sound, and reduce blood alcohol levels after heavy drinking [5, 6]. Additionally, the herbal ingredient ginger root is believed to provide antioxidant effects during alcohol use [5].
Another issue associated with IV lounges is that they typically are not medically regulated, which has many physicians concerned. Elderly and immunocompromised individuals are at higher risk for injection site infections from IV drips and are, therefore putting themselves at an unnecessary risk [1]. The saline in IV drips also has a very high salt content, which can be dangerous for people with heart disease or high blood pressure [1]. Furthermore, IVs that are inserted incorrectly can create air in the bloodstream, which could lead to a stroke [1].
Ultimately, prevention of hangovers via oral supplementation and hydration before and after drinking is likely the safest and most effective option for hangover symptoms.
References:
1. Thompson, D. (2018, January 31). 'IV Lounges' Are Suddenly Hip, But Are They Safe? Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/news/20180131/iv-lounges-are-suddenly-hip-but-are-they-safe
2. Arnarson, A. (n.d.). 7 Evidence-Based Ways to Prevent Hangovers. Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-ways-to-prevent-a-hangover
3. Palmer E, Tyacke R, Sastre M, Lingford-Hughes A, Nutt D, Ward R. Alcohol hangover: Underlying biochemical and neurochemical mechanisms. Alcohol. 2019. 54, 3.
4. Abundance And Health. (2020, April 16). Glutathione - the hangover remedy we've all been waiting for! Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://www.abundanceandhealth.co.uk/en/blog/post/79-glutathione-the-hangover-remedy-weve-all-been-waiting-for
5. Wang F, Li Y, Zhang Y-J, Zhou Y, Li S, Li H-B. Natural products for the prevention and treatment of hangover and alcohol use disorder. Molecules. 2016; 21, 64.
6. Lee HS, Isse T, Kawamoto T, Baik HW, Park JY, Yang M. Effect of Korean pear (Pyruspyrifolia cv. Shingo) juice on hangover severity following alcohol consumption. Food Chem. Toxicol. 2013; 58, 101–106.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
]]>With the growing popularity of hangover products, there seems to be a flood of new products claiming to be the next best hangover cure or remedy.
But do these products actually work? One type of hangover product we’ve noticed growing in popularity is the hangover patch. The claim is that you stick a patch onto your skin before you drink, and your body is supposed to absorb vitamins and nutrients while you drink to reduce hangover symptoms.
We consulted Dr. Bethany Sanstrum, who holds a Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology, to see if these hangover patches really do what they claim. Here’s what she had to say:
There are multiple types of transdermal patches that have slightly different mechanisms for delivering compounds to the body through the skin. The first transdermal patch was created in the 1970s. It utilized a membrane-based compound release system and was marketed to treat motion sickness[1]. Since then, modern patches have advanced to a stable release system by adding permeable drugs in the adhesive lining [1]. These types of patches are used for many purposes and include oestradiol patches for female hormone therapy, nicotine release patches for smoking cessation, and, more recently, vitamin patches for hangover symptoms [1].
Transdermal patches have been very effective at reducing smoking and as a topical pain reliever, but are they an effective tool for hangovers? The short answer to this question is - not likely. Hangovers occur after heavy drinking as the body reduces the amount of alcohol in the blood [2]. The most common symptoms associated with hangovers are headache, tiredness, nausea, and anxiety [3-4]. Transdermal hangover patches claim to reduce the side effects of hangovers by providing vitamins and nutrients through the skin. However, there has not been clear evidence that transdermal patches are effective at delivering these compounds into the bloodstream.
Compounds suitable for transdermal delivery must first be able to penetrate the skin. However, skin is a highly protective barrier, and its main purpose is to keep unwanted small particles out of the body. The main factors for effective compound use in transdermal patches are solubility (or melting point) and size [1]. Unfortunately, the compounds used in hangover supplements do not have the required combination of these properties. One study examining the absorption of zinc in sunscreen found that only a small amount of particles were absorbed through the skin [5]. Another study examining magnesium supplementation concluded that transdermal application is not scientifically supported [6]. This trend continues to be the case with larger molecules such as the multivitamins common in hangover supplements. Patients who used multivitamin transdermal patches had lower vitamin levels and were more likely to have a deficiency of vitamin D then those who took oral supplements [7].
These factors support the conclusion that oral supplements are a more effective delivery system than transdermal patches for hangover supplements. In combination with proper hydration, capsule-based hangover products provide essential vitamins and support the metabolism of alcohol to help reduce hangover symptoms using a proven delivery method.
So there you have it. According to Dr. Bethany Sanstrum, transdermal patches are unlikely to be effective for delivering large molecules such as multivitamins and ingredients commonly found in hangover supplements. Oral supplements, such as pills are more effective.
We also found many of these hangover patches really only contain basic vitamins and lack the other nutrients needed to fight hangover symptoms successfully. So we encourage our readers to thoroughly examine the ingredients used before deciding which product is right for them.
References:
1. Pastore MN, Kalia YN, Horstmann M, Roberts MS. Transdermal patches: History, development and pharmacology. British Journal of Pharmacology. 2014; 172, 2179-2209.
2. Verster JC, Scholey, A, van de Loo AJAE, Benson S, Stock A-K. Updating the definition of the alcohol hangover. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2020; 9, 823.
3. van Schrojenstein Lantman M, Mackus M, van de Loo A, Verster JC. The impact of alcohol hangover symptoms on cognitive and physical functioning, and mood. Hum. Psychopharmacol. 2017; 32, 5.
4. Gunn C, Fairchild G, Verster JC, Adams S. The effects of alcohol hangover on executive functions. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2020; 9, 1148.
5. Gulson B, McCall M, Korsch M, Gomez L, Casey P, Oytam Y, Taylor A, McCulloch M, Trotter J, Kinsley L, Greenoak G. Small amounts of zinc from zinc oxide particles in sunscreens applied outdoors are absorbed through the skin. Toxicological Sciences. 2010; 118, 140-149.
6. Gröber U, Werner T, Vormann J, Kisters K. Myth or reality – transdermal magnesium? Nutrients. 2017; 9, 813.
7. Saurabh S, Gao Y, Maduka S, Smith L, Lasley R, Singh N. Is transdermal multivitamin patch effective in gastric bypass patients? Obesity Surgery. 2019; 29, 3818-3823.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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