Fitness Files: Hangovers are more complex than often believed

I admire friends who bask in the relaxed glow of a glass of wine.

That same wine goblet makes me dreadfully sleepy, longing to curl up and surrender to a loud snore.

Because I’m a know-nothing non-drinker, I consult with others when giving a party.

“What brand liquor and how much should I buy?” I once asked Zeke, a neighbor and nationally recognized food and wine writer.

Zeke gave me his recommendations and then said, “Instead of that esoteric stuff you publish, write about hangovers. You’ll increase your readership 80%.”

I hope my readers disagree with him about my subject choice. So let’s see if “hangovers” brings me a flood of letters and applause.

Debunking of hangover myths first, from Smithsonian Magazine, Dec. 2013, “Complete Guide to Hangovers”: There’s no evidence that eating shrimp, eggs Benedict, pickled herring or tripe, drinking coffee, green tea or Coke, or taking Vitamin B cures hangovers. Nor have studies found a high correlation between hangovers and dehydration.

Although scientists “don’t fully understand causes of a hangover,” most believe that alcohol interferes with the body’s natural chemical balance. From the spate of theories emerges the hypothesis that the sick feeling comes from “a buildup of acetaldehyde, a toxic compound in the body. Acetaldehyde is the first byproduct present when the body processes alcohol. It has been shown to cause sweating, skin flushing, nausea and vomiting.”

If this response isn’t disagreeable enough, “hangovers are also driven by the way alcohol messes with your immune system.”

Smithsonian quotes studies that show “strong correlations between high levels of cytokines, ‘signaling molecules’ meant to trigger an immune response, present with hangover symptoms.” When we come down with an infection, cytokines bring on fever to battle the bug. But excessive alcohol consumption provokes cytokine release too, leading to muscle aches, fatigue, headache, nausea, memory loss, irritation.

Some who are extremely “hangover prone” have a genetic mutation for the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, which converts alcohol quite rapidly to greater amounts of the toxic acetaldehyde and may contribute to hangovers. Smithsonian says this reaction is “most common in East Asians.” And me.

People of low body weight experience more hangovers, but people over 40 have fewer. The phenomenon of older/fewer can probably be attributed to mature drinkers sipping slowly as they dine.

But, all drinkers be aware, darker-colored “high congener drinks,” those that produce traces of chemicals formed with fermentation, cause “more severe” hangovers. In this group are bourbon but not vodka, and red wine but not white. Methanol, a type of congener, “can linger in the body after all alcohol has been eliminated,” lengthening misery time.

Perhaps the belief that mixing drinks makes the drinker sicker comes from imbibing an assortment of dark-colored hootch. However the order we down them makes no difference.

Now, what about prevention? Obviously drink less and drink water. Although dehydration is not the major factor, drinking water and eating a meal mitigates hangovers. But you knew all that.

Then there’s the regular arsenal of anti-inflammatories such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil) and Tums or Pepto.

Do not take acetaminophen (Tylenol) because the liver, already overworked metabolizing alcohol, is “especially susceptible to acetaminophen’s toxic effects.”

All this comes down to treating a hangover’s effect on body chemistry like when you treat the flu.

Zeke’s writing garners invitations to tastings in Cabo, Scotland and New York City. I’m waiting, Zeke, for the droves of new readers to bring me an invite to Newport Coast, Dana Point or maybe even Big Bear.

Newport Beach resident CARRIE LUGER SLAYBACK is a retired teacher who ran the Los Angeles Marathon at age 70, winning first place in her age group. Her blog is lazyracer@blogspot.com.