What happens to your body after a night of Christmas binge drinking?

7 min read

Why do we drink in the first place?

Because F it it’s Christmas seems like the answer to everything at Christmas.

Who doesn’t love a night out with friends especially at Christmas? A good friend, once told me that every action has a positive intention and he is right! We don’t plan for that hangover but we often get caught up in the moment. Alcohol helps us to relax; it helps to bring us closer in social settings and helps to cultivate relationships. A bottle of fizz is often shared when celebrating ad there is nothing wrong with that!

The problem with alcohol is that excessive consumption leads to health conditions and binge drinking lowers our inhibitions, leading to poor choices. it’s not just about drinking more than you had planned to, or the takeaway food you didn’t plan to eat on the way home but many other choices are made when under the influence that you may not have made sober!

Many of us overindulge in alcohol as a means of celebrating an event. We spend the following day on the sofa, unable to leave the house, never mind go to the gym because one is suffering from a hangover! A hangover occurs when the body is struggling to rid of the toxins that have accumulated. This often resultins in cravings for processed carbohydrates, sugar rich or fat rich ‘treats’ in the hope that this will make you feel better! This is not healthy!

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How much is too much?

The Chief Medical Officers (CMO) guideline for both men and women tells us we should drink no more than 14 units per week, and not to drink this on a regular basis. 14 units equates to 6 pints of 4% beer, 6 glasses of 13% wine or 14 glasses of single measure (25ml) 40% spirits.

We also know it’s better to spread your alcohol consumption over 3 or more days as one or two heavy drinking episodes per week hugely increases our risk of harm. If you are pregnant you should not drink alcohol at all!

What defines “binge drinking”?

UK researches have defined binge drinking as consumption of more than 6 units of alcohol in a single session, for men and women. This is 2-3 medium wines (175mls) or 2-3 pints of 4% beer!

Alcohol tolerance does vary fro person to person and the speed which alcohol is consumed also alters the effects one will experience(2). Excessive alcohol consumption increases your risk of heart disease, liver disease and cancer. Binge drinking leads to accidents, injuries and death in some cases. It is estimated that 33% of alcohol related deaths are due to accidents and 14% from intentional injury. It also causes us to misjudge risky situations and lose self-control resulting in unprotected sexual intercourse and unwanted pregnancies!

What happens when you drink alcohol?

The chemical component of alcohol (ethanol) is a central nervous system depressant. This means it slows down your brain. Initially, when we drink alcohol we become talkative and confidence increases. As we drink more alcohol, the blood flow increases but our attention span shortens and reaction time lengthens. After only a couple of drinks we begin to dehydrate. As we drink more our reaction time slows and our liver starts to work harder. If we drink too much, this can lead to nausea, vomiting, memory lapse and even blackout. In severe cases alcohol intoxication can cause failure to breath and coma!

Ethanol is a toxin. Your liver, the 3lb organ that sits in your upper right abdomen tucked under your ribs, works very hard to break down and eliminate the ethanol at a rate of around 1 unit of alcohol/hour. This rate may be markedly slower in those with abnormal livers. The rate at which ethanol is broken down will also be influenced by age, time of day, race, menstrual cycle etc.. It has been shown that premenstrual women are slower at breaking down alcohol as are women taking the oral contraceptive pill.

Hangovers

We’ve all been egged on by our mates to have “just one more” drink! We’ve all given in. You had a FANTASTIC NIGHT but oh my you are suffering the next day! The science behind a hangover is still poorly understood but we’ve all experienced the symptoms; headaches, nausea, fatigue, dizziness, racing heart, anxiety and low mood to name a few!

We’ve all been egged on by our mates to have “just one more” drink! We’ve all given in. You had a FANTASTIC NIGHT but oh my you are suffering the next day! The science behind a hangover is still poorly understood but we’ve all experienced the symptoms; headaches, nausea, fatigue, dizziness, racing heart, anxiety and low mood to name a few!

What happens inside your body

Ethanol is broken down preferentially to glucose and is used for fuel. As a result, glucose is not being made which can cause ones blood sugar can drop, this is one of the reasons you may feel sweaty, nauseated and shaky.

Ethanol breakdown can also cause a build up of acid in the blood which will leading to an increased breathing rate, heart rate and nausea as your body tries very hard to normalise the blood pH!

The dizziness and headache linked to severe dehydration. Alcohol causes you to pass more urine than normal in effort for it to be flushed out of your system.

Your racing heart rate is a combination of low blood sugar, acidic blood and dehydration!

You may also experience heartburn or reflux. This is a result of stomach irritation, caused by alcohol and if it isn’t settling you must to see your GP!

Consuming alcohol causes fatigue as a result of sleep disturbance. Despite sleeping for a longer duration the sleep is of little restorative value. The hormone production from the pituitary gland is altered leaving one feeling jet lagged

Anxiety and low mood are other side effects of alcohol, the cause of this is not multifactorial but the effects can be catastrophic for many.

Hangover cures

These are generally a myth; there is no compelling evidence to support a “hangover cure”. Due to the lack of glucose in the blood cravings will be high, body needs fast acting carbohydrates, and water too. The trick is to feed your body with what it needs, rather than what your brain is craving. We’ve all heard of hangover suggestions with Irn Bru being a famous one here is Scotland. A hair of the dog (drinking more alcohol) is not recommended!

I recommend you avoid paracetamol, as this only adds the burden of the liver and to take anti inflammatory medications (aspirin or ibuprofen) with caution due to increased stomach irritation which could result in a stomach ulcer, or bleeding.

How to reduce your risk

There are lots of ways to drink more sensibly, and to consume alcohol in a healthier way. Some tips include limiting your consumption, not drinking on an empty stomach, drinking slower, drinking with food, drinking water between rounds and always plan ahead. It is important to know how you’re going to get home.

Your waist line

Pure alcohol is 7 calories per gram but no alcohol is 100% proof and thus, not pure. Most spirits such as vodka, whiskey and gin are usually around 40% proof.

Some alcohols are mixed with flavourings including syrups to achieve the desired taste and some are served with a ‘mixer’ or as part of a cocktail. The liquid calories in any alcoholic beverage add up very quickly! Alcoholic drinks are packed with calories. Cocktails taste great because they are packed with sugar and this means they have a lot of calories. Alcopops, beers, cider, prosecco etc. are the same. The liquid calories consumed on a night out could be far in excess of 1000!

In addition you have a hangover, you are more likely to bin off the gym. In addition, if you were to train, it is unlikely to be beneficial to your body, =you have not created an optimal environment for muscle protein synthesis (muscle building).

Conclusion

The most important thing to mention is that health should always come first. Be careful with your drinking habits as the risk of long-term illness cumulates over time. If you think you have a problem with alcohol you must see your GP.

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