Concordiensis

Issue date: 9/27/07 Section: Sci/Tech

A. First, let's start by describing what a hangover actually is. The actual term for hangover is "veisalgia," a word derived "from the Norwegian word for 'uneasiness following debauchery' (kveis) and the Greek word for 'pain' (algia.") Appropriate, no? Most of the unpleasant effects are a result of dehydration. Alcohol dehydrates the body, plain and simple. To be more precise, alcohol affects the pituitary gland, so that vasopressin cannot be produced. For your body, the absence of this chemical means that the kidneys are not absorbing water for your body to use, but rather sending it directly to the urinary bladder. In fact, one shot of alcohol requires the equivalent of one glass of water (twenty times the quantity of ingested alcohol) to maintain equilibrium in the body. If you do not consume enough water, your body will suck water from the organs. Conveniently, your head contains very high water content-somewhere around 70 percent. Therefore, when you are dehydrated, your body compensates by pulling water from the brain. The result is a headache, because, as the brain actually shrinks, it pulls on the surrounding tissue and causes a lot of pain. Many people also experience dry mouth and eyes for the same reason. The problem is compounded by increased urination, since it is just not water that your body is losing. You will also lose minerals such as sodium, magnesium, and potassium that you need for proper nerve and muscle function. Without proper balances, you can experience a host of symptoms such as headache, nausea, and weakness. If you are an athlete, you probably already know about the importance of good electrolyte balances for properly functioning cells. If you are dehydrated before you begin drinking, the effect is going to be even worse. Drinking on an empty stomach can be equally as painful, and probably more likely to cause upset stomach, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. There is also an important difference in the types of alcoholic beverages and their effects on the body. For our purposes, it will suffice to say that darker liquors, such as red wine, brandy, whiskey, and tequila, are less forgiving than clearer counterparts such as vodka. Howstuffworks.com has a much more detailed explanation, if you are interested. The site also adds, "[T]he carbonation in beer actually speeds up the absorption of alcohol. As a result, following beer with liquor gives the body even less time than usual to process the toxins."

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