After a person has drunk too much alcohol i.e., drunk to intoxication, they develop a hangover. A hangover’s physical characteristics include a splitting headache, muscle aches, red eyes, thirst, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting. The symptoms can last for several hours after the person stops drinking as the concentration of alcohol in the blood starts dropping. Sometimes the symptoms of a hangover are felt for up to 24 hours unlike alcohol withdrawal which can be felt several days after an individual stops drinking.
Alcohol Induced Dehydration Causes Dizziness, Lightheadedness and Weakness
Alcohol is a diuretic. It blocks the release of vasopressin. Vasopressin is an anti-diuretic which causes the kidney to reabsorb water. As the kidneys stop reabsorbing water, urine production increases. As the alcohol levels in the blood decrease, the hormone vasopressin levels start to increase. The result is dehydration which results in the symptoms associated with mild dehydration; dizziness, lightheadedness, weakness and dry mouth.
Upset Stomach and Alcohol
Drinking alcohol causes irritation to the stomach and the intestines which can cause the gastritis. Alcohol also stimulates the release of gastric acid and other gastrointestinal secretions. These disturbances lead to upset stomach, pain, nausea and vomiting.
Hypoglycemia or Low Blood Sugar and Alcohol
Alcohol is converted to acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is more toxic than the alcohol. NADH is produced as a result of the conversion. The excess NADH inhibits other normal processes where NADH is produced and needed. The main effect is that the glucose which supplies energy in the brain is not produced. This creates hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. Hypoglycemia creates hangover symptoms such as fatigue, weakness and a change in the individual’s mood.
The 4-Week Hangover
According to a case report that was published in The Lancet journal, a 37-year-old man endured a headache for 4 weeks after drinking 60 pints of beer (Z. Carrim, J. MacPhillimy, R. Jampana. “4-week headache after 60 pints of beer”, The Lancet, 29 September 2007, Page 1188). The result was an increase of pressure in the patient’s brain accompanied by hangover related dehydration. The patient’s hangover developed into cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). This condition caused the patient to experience extreme headaches and problems with his vision. It took the doctors almost 6 months to alleviate all the patient’s symptoms. CVST is a rare condition with one of the underlying causes being dehydration.
Alcohol is commonly consumed to relieve stress, however the potency and addictive nature of alcohol is often overlooked until a hangover is experienced. As a deterrent a hangover is not effective as remedies are widely available. The jury is still out as to the effectiveness of the hangover cures but they generally encourage individuals to continue to abuse alcohol. The best cure for a hangover is either to abstain from drinking or to drink in moderation.
 |
