A pounding head, dry mouth and bone-deep fatigue — the misery of a hangover hits hard because alcohol disrupts fluid balance, sleep, blood sugar and even irritates your stomach and throat. What steps help prevent or ease the next-day suffering? And which are myths? Berlin (dpa) - Last evening you were flying high, but now you've crashed and are burning - or so it can seem with a hangover when your head's pounding, mouth dry, and you're dead tired. Come to think of it, you might be better off simply dead. Two experts discuss why you feel so miserable after excessive alcohol consumption, how to avoid a hangover, and the best breakfast the morning after: 1. What happens in your body if you overindulge in alcohol? Simply put, "alcohol scrambles up a lot," says Tobias Schwarz, deputy head of a department of addiction prevention at a public health institute in Germany and representative of its Know Your Limit campaign. Having one - or more - too many upsets your body's fluid balance. Alcohol is a diuretic, causing you to pee more. In addition to fluid, you lose electrolytes - minerals key to many bodily functions. Dehydration symptoms hit the following morning. "You feel limp, unable to do much," says Dr Gerd-Wilm Schute, chief physician in the Department of Internal Medicine at Helios Hospital in the German city of Lutherstadt Eisleben. "Depending on the severity of dehydration, you may also experience a headache, dizziness, dry mouth and fatigue." What's more, a toxic byproduct of the liver's breakdown of alcohol is the organic chemical compound acetaldehyde, which contributes to hangover symptoms. Incidentally, darker alcohols - such as red wine, whisky, brandy and dark rum - cause worse hangovers, says Schute, since they contain higher concentrations of minor compounds called congeners that occur naturally in fermentation and distillation processes, such as tannins in red wine. There are several reasons for hangover fatigue, notes Schwarz: "Intoxicated sleep isn't as restorative as you'd like, and it's shorter too," as well as generally more fitful. While alcohol's sedative effect may help you to fall asleep faster, it impairs sleep quality. In addition, Schwarz points out, alcohol lowers your blood sugar level. Your liver is busy breaking it down, inhibiting the organ's release of glucose (sugar) into the bloodstream to power your body. This is one of the reasons you feel so lethargic after overindulging. Alcohol also irritates the mucous membranes of your throat, oesophagus and stomach, which can lead to nausea, heartburn or an upset stomach. 2. Can you prevent a hangover? Like it or not, the best way is simply not to drink alcohol. But if you do, Schwarz says you should do so responsibly. This means, for instance, deciding in advance what your limit will be, and not drinking any further. Admittedly, it's not always easy. After all, alcohol weakens your self-control. It relaxes inhibitions and can make you drink more than you planned on. The internet abounds with tips on what you can do - both before you tip an elbow and while you're doing it repeatedly - to prevent a hangover. They include drinking an electrolyte-rich powder mixed with water in advance, and alternating alcoholic drinks with water. "I naturally wouldn't recommend anything enabling you to drink more alcohol, but rather that you drink less," Schwarz says. He adds, however, that it does make sense to drink water or other non-alcoholic beverages in between alcoholic ones, since they provide fluid and minerals your body needs. Consuming an electrolyte drink before alcohol, on the other hand, is largely ineffective, according to Schute, as excess electrolytes are quickly excreted by the body. Better preparation for a booze-fuelled party, he says, is to eat a solid meal with protein and some fat. Conversely, it's unwise to drink alcohol on an empty stomach, which accelerates its absorption into the bloodstream. When the party's over and before you go to bed, you should drink a glass or two of water to make up for your fluid loss. 3. Ugh, you're hungover. How can you ease the suffering? As grand as it would be, "no matter what you do, you can't speed up the breakdown of alcohol," says Schwarz. Taking a cold shower won't help, and neither will drinking strong coffee. The speed depends on your liver's capacity, he says, which is about 0.01 to 0.02% blood alcohol concentration (BAC) per hour. A good breakfast, however, can help your body replenish what it's short of after an all-too-merry evening. Its components should include fluids, minerals and carbohydrates that supply energy. "Two glasses of mineral water, vegetable juice or vegetable broth will do it," says Schute. To go with this, he suggests muesli with yoghurt, a banana and some honey, or scrambled eggs with an avocado and a pinch of salt. You should avoid carbonated drinks and strongly acidic juices, warns Schwarz. Physical exertion should also be avoided, Schwarz says. "It's better to rest or take a leisurely walk." If you have a bad headache and want to take a pain reliever, steer clear of paracetamol. As Schute explains, it puts strain on the liver, which is busy breaking down the alcohol you've drunk. Both experts advise against "hair of the dog (that bit you)," i.e. taking an alcoholic drink to counteract your hangover. "You definitely shouldn't do this, because it puts additional stress on your body," Schwarz says. Alcohol-free beer is fine though: An isotonic drink, it can help replace lost electrolytes. The following information is not intended for publication dpa/tmn elh yyzz a3 bzl rid nhr ob (The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)
