The Hidden Dangers of Alcohol: How to Avoid Hangovers and Protect Your Health

With Oktoberfest upon us and Christmas hot on its heels, it is time to start thinking tactically about our alcohol consumption or face the depressing, sickening aftermath of a hangover. First, we need to understand the perils of alcohol so we can make an informed choice every time we drink.

A number of factors can contribute to hangovers:

Mild Dehydration: Alcohol suppresses the release of vasopressin, a hormone produced by the brain that sends signals to the kidneys, causing them to retain fluid. As a result, alcohol increases urination and excess loss of fluids. This can also lead to inefficient absorption of macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals. In particular, the metabolism of alcohol can deplete vitamin B12, B3, zinc, magnesium, glutathione, and vitamin C. The mild dehydration that results likely contributes to hangover symptoms such as thirst, fatigue, and headaches. Alcohol is converted into toxic metabolites, acetaldehyde and ethanoate, which can cause sweating, nausea, increased heart rate, and headaches.

Disrupted Sleep: People may fall asleep faster after drinking alcohol. However, it is sedation, not true sleep. The brainwaves that occur in normal sleep are absent. The result is fragmented sleep, making it less restorative. Alcohol also blocks our REM sleep. This stage of sleep is critical for numerous aspects of health and wellness, including learning and memory, creativity, rebalancing moods and emotions, recalibrating certain hormone systems, and even lifespan longevity. This contributes to fatigue and lost productivity during a hangover. Long-term, the health consequences are much more severe.

Top Tip: Start drinking earlier in the day—yes, you heard correctly! This takes some discipline, as you must stop earlier too; otherwise, you’ll end up in a worse state. This gives your body more time to metabolise the alcohol out of your system before bed. Some people find that liposomal glutathione, an antioxidant supplement which aids in the elimination of toxic by-products of alcohol, really reduces the effects of the night before. Take some before bed and as soon as you wake. As with any supplement, always seek professional advice. Glutathione is also found in leafy greens, so eating a large spinach and kale salad before drinking can make a big difference. You can even include some in your breakfast the morning after.

Gastrointestinal Irritation: Alcohol directly irritates the lining of the stomach and increases acid release. This can lead to nausea and stomach discomfort. In the intestines, many of the beneficial microbes are destroyed, leading to long-term digestive and immune issues. The gut microbiome also has a strong connection with mental health and well-being.

Top Tip: Make sure you consume a high-fibre meal with fermented foods at least 2 hours before drinking. Think veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, pulses, and potatoes with their skins on. Get fermented foods in the form of live yoghurts, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, or miso soup. Some people find that taking a good-quality probiotic every day helps cope with hangovers.

Inflammation: Alcohol increases inflammation in the body. Inflammation contributes to the malaise that people feel when they are sick, so it may play a role in hangover symptoms as well. Alcohol also disrupts our cytokine system, which plays a role in our immune function. An increase in cytokines, such as IL-2, after drinking causes headaches, fatigue, and memory loss.

Top Tip: Include food high in antioxidants in your pre-drinking meal. Choose fruits and vegetables in a variety of colours. The pigments that make these colours are polyphenols and have anti-inflammatory properties. They are also beneficial for the microbiome, which in turn can help lower inflammation. Turmeric, green tea, coffee, and dark chocolate can also offer a helping hand. Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids will help lower inflammation—think oily fish like mackerel and salmon, or nuts and seeds. If you can’t eat these foods, it is worth investing in a good omega-3 supplement. Look for one high in EPA and DHA. This fatty acid plays a huge role in brain health, so it is worth including it in your diet even if you don’t drink alcohol.

Acetaldehyde Exposure: Alcohol metabolism, primarily by the liver, creates the compound acetaldehyde, a toxic, short-lived by-product which contributes to inflammation in the liver, pancreas, brain, gastrointestinal tract, and other organs.

Top Tip: Drink plenty of water. Pre-hydrate throughout the day before drinking and alternate every alcoholic drink with a glass of water. Cruciferous vegetables, such as sprouts and broccoli, contain a compound called sulforaphane. This speeds up the liver’s metabolism of alcohol, so it’ll be out of your system sooner. If you drink early in the day and stop earlier, there may even be a chance that most of it will be out of your system before bed, allowing you a restorative sleep.

Mini-withdrawal: While drinking, individuals may feel calmer, more relaxed, and even euphoric, but the brain quickly adjusts to those positive effects as it tries to maintain balance. As a result, when the buzz wears off, people can feel more restless and anxious than before they drank.

Top Tip: Being aware of the psychological effects of alcohol on your mood might be enough of a deterrent for some. If not, then remind yourself that it is just the Saturday night cocktails that are dragging down your Tuesday mood. Life wouldn’t feel this bad had you not drunk. Even dealing with very stressful or sad situations can be exacerbated after drinking. Prioritising a healthy diet and quality regular sleep will help attenuate the day’s devastation alcohol can cause. Arrange to meet friends or family who cheer you up over the next two days after drinking, but don’t go for drinks with them! A walk in nature is a wonderful way to get fresh air full of polyphenols and other healthy plant compounds that really uplift your well-being.

It is difficult to predict how many drinks will cause a hangover as everyone’s biological make-up is so different, but if you drink to intoxication, there is a chance of a hangover. The best bet is to abstain, and with so many good non-alcoholic options now available, it is easier than ever!

There are more calories in one gram of alcohol (7 cal) than in a gram of protein or carbohydrate (4 cal each). This makes it a much more attractive energy source for the body, which wants to process all of the alcohol in the system before it even touches the food that is also waiting to be digested.

Once the alcohol has been eliminated, the body will slowly work its way through sugar and simple carbohydrates before finally beginning to burn fat. To compound this effect, the body considers ethanol a toxin and will shut down all other metabolic pathways until the alcohol is out of your system. This can take up to 36 hours! That is a day and a half without fat burning. If you are on a calorie-restricted weight-loss diet and remain in calorie deficit despite the alcohol, you will still lose weight. However, up to 75% of this weight loss will come from lean muscle mass! The lower your muscle mass, the lower your basal metabolic rate, and the more likely you are to put on fat in the long term.

The fact that alcohol metabolism trumps all other metabolic processes is a huge consideration for women in perimenopause and beyond. Alcohol is a toxin that has to be eliminated by the liver. Oestrogen is also deactivated in the liver. Alcohol and oestrogen compete to be metabolised, and alcohol wins, meaning oestrogen metabolism is negatively affected. Perimenopausal women frequently have fluctuating oestrogen levels, which can cause a variety of symptoms. Alcohol is an endocrine disruptor and interferes with oestrogen and testosterone metabolism, which can worsen oestrogen disruptions. In practical terms, this means all symptoms of perimenopause will be enhanced! In men, alcohol reduces testosterone levels, which has a whole slew of other health issues that warrant their own entire article.

Alcohol will increase the risk and severity of cancer, heart problems, liver disease, osteoporosis (already a risk factor in menopause), type 2 diabetes, and autoimmune diseases. Alcohol destabilises blood sugar levels and skyrockets the risk of dementia.

To some degree, we all know that total abstinence from alcohol is best. The scientific community now agrees that there is no safe amount of alcohol. However, most of us still enjoy a drink regardless of our knowledge about the perils of alcohol. My hope for this article is to provide you with the knowledge so that each drink is an informed choice and to give you the tools to limit the detrimental health consequences, making your Friday night fun even more enjoyable. For more in-depth insights on the science behind alcohol and health, visit the NHS guide on alcohol health risks.

For more tips and insights on staying healthy during the festive season, visit EyeOnLondon for the latest updates and practical advice.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn for more updates!