Hangovers Explained: How Alcohol Affects Your Brain and Body | Dr. Mark Hyman
Mark Hyman
Oct 18, 2024
Mindsip insights from this episode:
Choose clear liquors to minimize hangover severity
Darker liquors like whiskey and red wine contain higher levels of congeners, byproducts that can make hangovers more severe than clear liquors like vodka or gin.
Choose sugar-free electrolytes for optimal hydration
To stay hydrated, use sugar-free electrolyte powders like Elite or Element, and avoid sugary options like Liquid IV and Gatorade.
Use NAC to enhance detoxification and reduce hangover symptoms
Taking N-acetylcysteine (NAC) helps your body produce glutathione, its master detoxifier, to help process alcohol and reduce hangover symptoms.
Stop alcohol consumption three hours before bedtime
To minimize alcohol's negative impact on sleep, stop drinking at least three hours before bed, as the half-life of alcohol is four to five hours.
Incorporate eggs to enhance liver detoxification
Eggs are rich in L-cysteine, which helps your liver detoxify acetaldehyde, a toxic byproduct of alcohol metabolism.
Take cold showers to enhance alcohol metabolism
A cold shower can increase adrenaline, which may help speed up alcohol metabolism and its clearance from the brain and body.
Recognize alcohol as a Group 1 carcinogen
The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies alcohol in the highest risk group for carcinogens, alongside asbestos, radiation, and tobacco.
Recognize no safe alcohol consumption level for health
According to the World Health Organization, there is no level of alcohol consumption that is safe for human health.
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