What causes hangovers?

DW (English)

Why do we feel so awful after drinking too much alcohol? There are several reasons, including dehydration and low blood sugar. We answer a viewer question from Aloysius A. in Ghana.

Transcript

00:00Why do we get a hangover when we drink too much alcohol?

00:07Reason number one. Alcohol stimulates the kidneys, causing them to produce more urine.

00:12So, paradoxically, the more we drink, the more dehydrated we become.

00:18With less water in our system, the brain doesn't get enough blood, leading to headaches.

00:25On top of that, the extra urine carries away essential minerals,

00:29which can lead to an electrolyte imbalance and headaches, nausea and fatigue.

00:35Reason number two. The liver works at full speed to break down the alcohol,

00:40leaving it too busy to produce enough blood sugar, causing blood sugar levels to drop.

00:49Adding physical activity to the mix heightens the effect.

00:53Low blood sugar can lead to dizziness and circulatory problems.

00:59Reason number three. Ethanol.

01:02When the body breaks down ethanol, commonly known as alcohol, it produces acetaldehyde,

01:07a toxic compound that can cause headaches, stomach upset and even memory loss.

01:13With regular alcohol consumption, acetaldehyde damages organ membranes, especially in the liver.

01:20Excessive drinking over time can lead to liver cirrhosis.

01:25By the way, many foods naturally contain ethanol, such as fruit juices, bread and keffiyeh,

01:32but only in tiny amounts.

01:34So, don't worry. No one's ever been known to get a hangover just from overdoing it on the bread.

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