- A hangover is basically caused by toxins from alcohol and dehydration.
- Congeners are toxic chemicals produced as by-products during fermentation and they are often the cause of hangovers. Drinks containing congeners include brandy, cognac, bourbon, champagne and red wine. White spirits such as vodka and gin contain lesser congeners.
- Red wine gives the drinker the most headaches and causes nausea because it has high levels of congeners and toxic chemicals compared to other drinks.
- Alcohol breaks down sugar supplies in the liver and because our body cells need glucose for energy to function, the lack of sugar makes the body feel weak, lethargic and lightheaded.
- The already busy liver is loaded with the task to remove the excess toxins from the consumed alcohol. It takes the liver about an hour to process one standard drink. That is why excessive alcohol consumption over a long period of time can drain and weaken the liver which means it can break down, no longer function properly and ultimately become a candidate for liver disease or cancer.
- Kidneys are also required to work twice as hard to flush out the fluid, leaving the body dehydrated.
- Vitamin deficiencies (e.g. vitamin B1) can result when excessive alcohol is consumed.
- Severe hangovers could risk heart attacks.
- Alcohol increases the absorption of lead, a toxic metal.
- Alcohol consumption, even in moderate amounts is a risk factor for developing breast cancer. Various studies have shown that pre and postmenopausal women who drink alcohol daily are at risk, whether beer, wine or liquor makes no difference. It may not be clear why alcohol increases the risk, however an important observation is that with a higher amount of alcohol intake, higher levels of estrogen are found in the blood. Too much of estrogen can initiate cancerous growth.
Source : Heather F “Alcohol Consumption Increases The Risk Of Fatal Breast Cancer” Cancer Causes and Control (Dec 2002); Hamajima N, et al “Alcohol, Tobacco and Breast Cancer – Collaborative Reanalysis of Individual Data from 53 Epidemiological Studies, including 58,515 Women with Breast Cancer and 95,067 Women without the Disease” British Journal of Cancer (Nov 2002) 87:1234-1245; Keith S, et al “Alcohol and Breast Cancer : Review of Epidemiologic and Experimental Evidence and Potential Mechanisms” Journal of the American Medical Association (2001) 286(17):2143-2151
Chapter: Hangover :: 25 April 2007
