Why Does Alcohol Give You a Headache?

Why Does Alcohol Give You a Headache? Drunkenness is an uncomfortable physical and mental state that usually occurs after consuming large or small amounts of alcohol. Signs of a hangover include:

These symptoms can vary from person to person and begin several hours after a person consumes alcohol, especially when the BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration) level is low. When the BAC is zero, hangover symptoms usually start to appear and will last up to 24 hours later.

But what causes a person to experience hangover symptoms when drinking alcohol? Check out this explanation below.

Also Read:

Why Does Alcohol Give You a Headache[/caption]

Alcohol increases urine production by inhibiting the action of antidiuretic hormone or vasopressin. The more alcohol you drink, the more urine you will produce. Add to this the sweating, nausea, and diarrhea that often occur in drunk people, and you have signs of dehydration, such as thirst, weakness, dry mouth, and dizziness.

Alcohol directly irritates the digestive system, causing inflammation of the stomach lining. Alcohol can also trigger the formation of liver fat and increase the production of stomach acid. Drunk people often experience upper abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.

The formation of fatty liver can inhibit glucose production in the body. Consuming alcohol for a long time, coupled with poor daily nutritional intake, can lead to decreased glucose production in the body. Not only that, but the liver’s ability to convert the glucose from glycogen will also be reduced, resulting in hypoglycemia. Since glucose is the leading food for the brain, hypoglycemia can cause fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and mood changes.

The fatigue effect of alcohol can disrupt sleep and lead to insomnia. In addition, alcohol can inhibit the work of growth hormones at night and instead trigger the work of the cortisol hormone, which should be low at night. Disrupting the body’s biological clock can make a person feel dizzy the next day.

In addition to the direct effects of alcohol on the body, some other factors outside of alcohol that influence the incidence of hangovers are:

As we get older, our body’s ability to cope with the effects of alcohol decreases. One study found that hangovers and alcohol withdrawal symptoms are less common in adolescents and young adults. Research on rats also shows that young rats experience fewer hangover-related behavioral changes when compared to older rats.

Research suggests darker-colored alcoholic beverages are more likely to cause a hangover than lighter-colored or clear alcoholic drinks. This is related to substances resulting from the fermentation process called congeners. Darker colored drinks (such as red wine, bourbon, and whiskey) have higher levels of congeners when compared to gin and vodka. The more congeners, the worse the hangover. The same applies if you consume several types of alcoholic beverages at once.

Hangover symptoms are related to how efficiently your body breaks down alcohol. Genes play an essential role in the enzymes that work to process acetaldehyde (a toxic by-product of alcohol).

Mixing alcohol with fizzy drinks can make hangover symptoms worse. Fizzy alcohol will reach the small intestine faster, which means it will enter the bloodstream more quickly. This causes the hangover symptoms you experience the next day to be more severe.

Women are more at risk of a hangover than men. This is due to the different percentages of water in the bodies of women and men. Women have a higher fat content, so their water content is automatically lower because fat cells store less water. Meanwhile, men’s bodies are dominated by muscle, which is mainly made up of water. The lack of water makes it harder for blood alcohol to dilute.

The first reason you get headache after drinking alcoholic beverages is that alcohol will widen the blood vessels. When the brain’s blood vessels dilate, you can get a headache. And those who suffer from migraines are advised not to consume these drinks.

Apart from causing dizziness, alcoholic beverages can also put you at a high risk of developing other health problems. So, for those who have a hobby of drinking alcoholic beverages, you should reduce this bad habit.

Thanks for reading the “Why Does Alcohol Give You a Headache” article on medicalcave.com

—

Reference:

Related posts:

A Great Rabbi stands, teaching in the marketplace. It happens that a husband finds proof that morning of his wife’s adultery, and a mob carries her to the marketplace to stone her to death. The Rabbi…

The way the sun shines through my windows in the morning, casting a streak of light onto my kitchen counter and floors. My two cats. A fresh manicure. When the dragon lily on my desk at work sprouts…

Seeing another life form enter this Earth as you witness the birth of a child. Watching as a rainstorm begins and as it scatters lightning across the valley. A baby giving you his biggest smile…