For thousands of years, people have used alcohol to celebrate momentous occasions, have a good time, or unwind and alleviate stress. Everything seems golden before rising to the unpleasant wake-up call in the form of a massive hangover. No matter what kind of home remedies and tricks you use, alleviating these painful ramifications can be easier said than done.
If you struggle with hangovers after a night of heavy drinking, you may have been drinking the wrong alcohol. Contrary to popular belief, specific types of alcohol can result in fewer hangover symptoms. Several aspects factor into the severity of the hangover each alcohol will cause. However, a general rule of thumb is that the darker the alcohol is, the worse the hangover.
Understanding alcohol and its effects on the body
Although certain types of alcohol generally result in less of a hangover than others, all alcohol gets metabolized in the body the same way. Here is how this process works.
- Alcohol enters the body where two enzymes, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), break apart the alcohol molecule.
- ADH alters alcohol into a toxic carcinogen, acetaldehyde.
- Acetaldehyde gets metabolized into acetate.
- Acetate is then broken down and converted into carbon dioxide to eliminate it from the body.
- The entire process of breaking down, metabolizing, and eliminating alcohol takes place in the liver, which is why it takes such a beating from frequent alcohol abuse.
While metabolizing alcohol, your body releases extraneous stomach acid to aid in metabolization. Additionally, your body needs time to process the alcohol before it can dispose of it. This delay means your stomach does not empty as quickly, often leading to nausea and vomiting. Finally, alcohol can also spike blood sugar, accounting for the drowsy, tired, weak feeling you get when you have a hangover.
Types of alcohol and their hangover potential
Many different types of alcoholic beverages and liquors can increase or decrease your potential for having a hangover.
Beer
In moderation, beer is very unlikely to cause a hangover. However, many dark beers contain wheat and barley, resulting in a hangover when consumed in excess.
Wine
Wine can be inconsistent when it comes to causing a hangover. White wine is far less likely to result in a hangover than red or fortified wine. Wines loaded with sugars are more likely to cause a hangover.
Light liquors
Light-colored liquor is light, ultra-filtered, and typically does not contain many congeners, a primary culprit leading to hangovers.
Dark liquors
Excessive drinking of any dark liquors like bourbon, whiskey, and brandy will likely result in a hangover.
A guide for alcohol with less severe hangover risk
Any alcoholic drink, when consumed in excess, can result in a hangover. We have composed this list of the best types of alcohol to enjoy that present less consequence for a severe hangover. To compose this list, we looked at the ingredients, the color of the alcohol, and personal testimonies.
Vodka
Vodka is an ideal spirit for those who want to have a good time drinking but wish to avoid a hangover. Vodka is pure, heavily distilled, light-colored, and contains no congeners or other ingredients infamous for hangovers.
Sake
As long as you are not drinking low-quality sake, you should be able to consume a few sake drinks without a hangover. Sake may result in lesser hangover risk due to its moderate alcohol content, is typically light in color, and because it typically contains only rice and water.
Gin
In addition to being a light, pure, heavily-distilled alcohol, gin contains a natural diuretic, juniper berries, that encourage your body to urinate frequently, which can help prevent a severe hangover.
How to minimize the risk of a hangover regardless of the alcohol type
Regardless of your chosen beverage, there are ways to reduce the chances of having a hangover. Here are a few tips and tricks.
- Get an IV therapy the morning after
- Drink plenty of water before and in between alcoholic drinks
- Eat a solid meal before drinking and the morning after
- Remember to drink in moderation
Conclusion
You can make several wise moves that allow you to embrace the celebration with a few drinks without the painful regret the following day. Paying close attention to the type of alcohol you drink, the ingredients within it, and the color of the liquid. Drink in moderation, consume lots of water, have a healthy breakfast, and invest in IV therapy.
Following these simple tips and tricks and selecting the type of alcohol that works for you can help you avoid a severe and debilitating hangover.
Get Your Hangover IV
Recover from a big night out with our hangover IV. This treatment helps relieve hangover symptoms by rehydrating, restoring, and replenishing your body. Infusions take less than an hour and are administered by one of our licensed nurses.
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Book a Hangover IVHangover IV - Frequently Asked Questions
What is included in our hangover IV?
Our Hangover IV treatment contains a blend of IV fluids, electrolytes, vitamins and medication to restore the vitamins in your body and help your body battle with the unwanted hangover symptoms. Among the main ingredients are B-Complex vitamins, Vitamin B12, Toradol and Anti-Nausea medication.
Why is hangover IV much more effective than hangover drinks?
Hangover IV is more effective than hangover drinks because the IV solution is introduced directly into your blood without having to go through the digestive system which is already overloaded. This means you will feel the effects much faster and feel much better very quickly.
How long does it take for our Hangover IV to start working?
It usually takes between 30-60 minutes for you to feel the benefits of our Hangover IV drip.
What are the levels of hangover severity?
IV therapy in general is FDA approved. Our nurses are overseen by our Medical Director, Abe Malkin, and every nurse is registered and certified per state standards.
