It's almost New Year's Eve, and we basically know what it means: all types of alcohol come a-pourin'. But before you get too excited, drink a lot, and suffer from hangover, learn how these types of alcohol can affect your body and what to do about it.
The impact of the alcohol in your body depends on what you're drinking, based on the study of Boris Tabakoff, a researcher from the University of Colorado.
For example, those that have undergone fermentation such as beers can actually promote stress. This is because the drink can increase the production of certain stress hormones. This then explains why you develop hangover: you feel so exhausted and suffering from moderate to severe headache by the time you wake up. Moreover, they may introduce toxic by-products that can be very damaging to internal organs such as the liver.
Champagnes can also be harmful to your body if you don't go easy on them. Although they may be perceived as "lighter" than beers and other types of alcoholic drinks they can still cause hangover simply because they add more carbon dioxide in the body.
Carbon dioxide is the main reason why champagnes bubble. Therefore, when you drink them, you are introducing carbon dioxide, which then competes with oxygen in your bloodstream. As more of this gets into your body, the less oxygen is found in your bloodstream and gets into your brain. This then explains why you develop dizziness after drinking it.
Of course, the best option is to stay away from champagne when you can. But if you can't resist, then alternate it with water, which has oxygen, to balance the carbon dioxide.
Another way to nurse a possible hangover is to take anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin since too much alcohol can actually lead to a temporary inflammation of the neurons.
Drinking too much alcohol also speeds up its absorption, which means you feel the effect faster. To slow it down, eat food or liquid calories like soda.
