Doctors are not sure about the causes of hangover symptoms. There are theories, though. One of them has something to do with the effects of alcoholism that could disrupt biological rhythms. But other theories would take into account the result of alcohol withdrawal. Some experts suggested that impurities in alcohol cause you to feel nauseous.
Hangover symptoms can be managed, fortunately. The surefire way to avoid them, though, is to avoid drinking alcohol. If you cannot evade it, then you just need to find that remedy that works for you.
Before highlighting the easy remedies to treat a hangover, let us first discuss the symptoms.
Fatigue, weakness, and thirst are just common hangover symptoms. They are typically accompanied by headache, muscle aches, as well as nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. Some people experience vertigo, depression, anxiety, and irritability.
The intensity of these symptoms may depend on the person. And hinge on one occasion to another. For instance, you might have nausea and dizziness on this occasion. But you will get just a headache on the next time you drink.
The symptoms typically start to show up after you have stopped drinking. That is when the alcohol concentration starts to fall. When your alcohol concentration in the blood goes back to zero, the symptoms will peak at this time.
You will experience these symptoms for a few hours to up to 24 hours.
What are the Proven Ways to Treat Hangover Symptoms
Drink a Lot of Water
Alcohol causes dehydration because it has diuretic effects. It is the reason you frequently urinate after drinking. By losing a lot of fluids and electrolytes, your body will not function properly.
Furthermore, excessive alcohol use can lead to vomiting. And when you vomit, you are further losing fluids and electrolytes.
But dehydration is not the only culprit for a hangover. Nevertheless, increasing your water intake can alleviate those hangover symptoms. Water can also prevent those symptoms from occurring.
To prevent symptoms, you should consider alternating between alcohol and water. It does not prevent dehydration, though. However, it can assist you in lowering your alcohol intake.
After drinking alcohol, you need to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water each time you feel thirsty.
You may also drink coffee or tea. The caffeine in coffee can help with the grogginess. However, do not drink too much as coffee is a diuretic. Thus, it may worsen your dehydration.
Take Supplements
Studies are limited to supplements that could alleviate the effects of alcoholism. However, there are some supplements you can try to reduce the symptoms of a hangover.
One of them is red ginseng. It reduced blood alcohol levels. It also reduces the severity of the symptoms.
You may also try prickly pear. It may help in treating hangovers. It decreases the symptoms while reducing the risk of hangover severity.
Ginger, too, is a great remedy. You may mix it with brown sugar and tangerine extract. This concoction can improve nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, which are all hangover symptoms.
Siberian ginseng may also treat hangover symptoms by decreasing their severity.
However, studies about these supplements are limited. Thus, you should take them with caution. Or do not expect too much on them.
Take Olive Oil
That is before you start drinking. It is a folk remedy, though. But you can try it as well. Some people swore by it. This remedy has the same effect as consuming a pizza or fatty food. Some said that they lubricate your intestines. As a result, alcohol takes a lot longer to be absorbed.
Consume sugar
But you must do it while you are drinking. The fructose in sugar is said to speed up the metabolism of alcohol. As a result, it reduces hangover risks. However, you will not get the result when you take it after drinking.
Eat Breakfast
Apart from drinking a lot of water in the morning, you should also fill your stomach with a healthy breakfast. The electrolytes in your food can replenish your dehydrated body. It also brings back the calories into your body. But you need to avoid those greasy meals. You may try toast and cereal.
Make sure that your breakfast is high in carbs. Drinking lowers blood sugar levels. Thus, you experience fatigue and headaches. For that reason, make sure to include toast and juice in your first-morning meal.
Avoid Drinking Darker Beverages
Although the surefire way to avoid hangover symptoms is not to drink alcohol, you should avoid darker alcoholic beverages if you must drink. Clear liquors can cause hangovers less frequently. Thus, consider vodka and gin and avoid tequila and whiskey.
Alcohol contains ethanol. But darker liquors have congeners, like methanol. Methanol metabolites are toxic. As a result, they cause a severe hangover.
Effects of Alcoholism
If you continue to drink alcohol, then this habit will surely affect your body in and out. One of the effects is on the brain. It causes temporary memory loss and coordination. If you do not stop drinking, it may cause long-term irreversible side effects.
Excessive alcohol use can disrupt your brain functions. It also damages different parts of the brain, like the cerebral cortex and limbic system. It impacts your body’s communication pathways.
Your heart is also vulnerable. Heavy drinking can weaken your heart and affects how oxygen is delivered to your vital organs in the body. It also increases triglyceride levels. You will also develop high blood pressure and irregular heartbeat.
Down the road, it leads to a lot of problems. As you continue to drink excessively, you will develop cardiomyopathy and sudden cardiac death.
The liver is another organ in your body that will be greatly affected by alcohol. When you drink, this organ breaks down alcohol and excrete it. But too much of it can overwhelm your metabolism. As a result, you will develop a fatty liver. It is a chronic condition that can cause building up of bad fats in the liver.
The effects of alcoholism are aplenty. That’s why you must avoid drinking alcohol altogether. You are not only preventing hangover symptoms but you are also preventing alcohol from causing harm to your body organs.
