BEATING THE HANGOVER

Tried-and-tested ways to recover

- Nick Harding

Interestingly, while hangovers are the most commonly reported negative effect of alcohol use, scientific study into the condition remains a niche interest.

Dr Sally Adams of The University of Birmingham is one of the few academicians involved in hangover research. “There is so much research on the effects of alcohol on the body, but nothing on the effects the following day,” she said, “This is an area that potentially has really serious consequences for physical and mental health. It costs the economy a fortune. It is an under-investigated topic, probably because we look at it in a trivial way.”

Anyone who has suffered a hangover knows that there is nothing trivial about them.

What are the symptoms of a hangover?

As hangovers are not a specific illness but are a combination of different reactions to the way your body reacts to excessive alcohol consumption, and as everyone reacts to alcohol in different ways, people experience hangovers in different ways. Genetics also play a role as genes determine how efficiently people metabolise ethanol, which is the form of alcohol found in beverages.

A survey published in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism followed 1,410 Dutch students with hangover symptoms. It listed 47 symptoms, and the top 10 were:

Fatigue Thirst Drowsiness Sleepiness Headache Dry mouth Nausea Weakness Reduced alertness Concentration problems

Also listed were: apathy, agitation, gastrointestinal problems, tremors, regret, guilt, depression, anxiety and vomiting. Symptoms will also depend on how much you have drunk and what you have drunk.

Cask-aged and matured beverages like whisky and cognac for example, contain complex compounds called congeners.