Millions of people suffer from hangover symptoms every weekend. However, few understand the physiological causes of a hangover. Many consider a hangover to be simple dehydration. If this were true, wouldn't you have the same symptoms (intense vomiting, nausea, and headache) after intense exercise? Usually not.

 

The reality is that a hangover and its symptoms are the result of complex physiological processes. In a simplified form, its main components are:

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• Inflammation: Inflammation is a natural response of the body's tissues to harmful stimuli such as bumps and burns or, in this case, toxins generated by alcohol metabolism. Most of the inflammation in a hangover occurs in the brain.

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• Dehydration: Dehydration during a hangover has two main effects. On the one hand, it increases the concentration of toxins derived from alcohol metabolism in the blood. On the other hand, and no less important, it reduces the amount of important nutrients (vitamins, electrolytes and glucose) that are eliminated at an accelerated rate through urine.

 

There are hundreds of “remedies” and treatments for hangovers, most with little evidence of effectiveness and some that can be dangerous. Medically, it makes sense to treat hangover symptoms based on the mechanisms that cause them. This is why our treatments focus on the rapid replacement of fluid and nutrients lost through dehydration, as well as the use of medications such as painkillers, antinusea, antivertigo and gastric protectors. For this, the intravenous route is the fastest and most efficient since it does not require absorption by the digestive system, which typically takes 3 to 6 hours.