Brits will spend two years of their lives feeling hungover – and rely on a fry-up, a lie-in and a hair of the dog to get them through it a study as found. With this in mind, here are 10 things you need to know about hangovers, and 5 things that will help you recover from them.
1. Age matters – they do get worse with age
2. Studies reveal women suffer worse hangovers then men due to possessing fewer of the enzymes that metabolise alcohol
3. Avoid strong coffee as it actually dehydrates the body
4. Choose your fizzy hangover cures wisely as some contain well over the recommended allowance of sodium – which in the long term could ramp up your blood pressure
5. The stronger the alcohol the quicker the blood levels raise so you get drunk quicker so think about the types of drinks you are drinking
6. Alcohol has a general anaesthetic effect on the brain. Initially it ‘anaesthetises’ pathways involved in inhibitions which is why you lose your social brakes, then it anaesthetises other areas so you feel whoozy and lose those essential motor skills etc.
7. Shaky hands are caused by alcohol relaxing the arteries and dehydration – reducing your blood pressure
8. Throbbing temples and headaches are down to dehydration of the brain – one of the reasons why exercise isn’t all that sensible when hungover – and to the effects of toxins such as acetaldehyde which the liver is unable to process quickly enough to clear them if you are drinking lots in one go.
9. Alcohol irritates the digestive system and increases acidity – BUT dry biscuits can help mop this up.
10. Eggs contain cysteine – an amino acid thought to mop up the toxins that build up in the liver. So boiled eggs and soldiers are a good option.
Top five products that work for a hangover
Whether you’re looking for a hangover treatment near you in Boston, Berlin or Barcelona, the below have been shown to be somewhat effective in soothing that sorehead you’re currently nursing…
- Water to address dehydration
2. Effervescent tablets to replace vitamin C and B vitamins which are quickly depleted when metabolising alcohol
3. Globe Artichoke to stimulate liver function and increase bile production to reduce bloating
4. Milk Thistle – protects liver cells from the toxic effects of alcohol by raising levels of a liver antioxidant, and is a traditional herbal medicine for intestinal distress
5. Silicol gel – to absorb toxins and line the stomach to reduce irritation and indigestion.
