Hangovers: the facts

Throbbing head? Churning stomach? Nagging feeling you may have arrived home with a traffic cone on your head? You really can't keep suffering like this. Here's everything you need to know about hangovers – including what they do to your body, why they get worse as you get older and what you can do to avoid them in future (aside from drinking orange juice all night)...

What exactly is a hangover?

Put simply, it's a combination of headache, fatigue and dehydration – all caused by your body's reaction to alcoholic toxins. 'Alcohol interferes with pituitary gland function, which results in a diuretic effect – hence those frequent trips to the loo throughout the night,' says Dr Shri Pathmakanthan, consultant gastroenterologist at the Midland Gut Clinic based at BMI Priory Hospital in Birmingham (www.midlandgutclinic.com).

'The following morning, the body sends a desperate message to replenish these lost water supplies. Other organs try to make up for their own fluid loss by stealing water from the brain, causing it to decrease in size. The membranes lining the brain pull and contract, hence the headache and fogginess.'

Meanwhile, those toxins also directly irritate your stomach lining – which leads to nausea and vomiting. And the disturbed sleep – caused by your body trying to fight off those toxins overnight – means you're likely to feel absolutely shattered all day.

Why do hangovers get worse as we get older?

We know – it's not fair! 'Hangover symptoms get worse as we age because the body's powers of regeneration wane,' says Dr Pathmakanthan. 'We just can't do what we used to do and still get away with it. Ideally, you just need to accept that!'

And as you've doubtless noticed, women generally tend to get drunk quicker – and suffer more severe hangovers – than men. 'Women have lower levels of a stomach enzyme - gastro alcohol dehydrogenese - so less alcohol is deactivated before being absorbed into the circulatory system. Women absorb a third more alcohol than men of the same size when they've consumed equal amounts.

'In men, around 60% of body weight is made up of water, compared with around 50% in women, so absorbed alcohol undergoes less dilution in women. What's more, women develop higher blood alcohol concentrations with the same level of intake as they get older. This effect is not fully explained by differences in body water volume, and may be due to a reduced ability to process alcohol with age.'

Why are some hangovers worse than others?

Obviously, the more alcohol you drink, the more toxins you're putting into your body and the worse your hangover's likely to be. But other factors can play a part – which is why you may sometimes feel grotty after just one glass of red wine, but can get away with three or four tipples with little or no effect at other times.

Ways to help avoid hangovers

Rule number one? Don't drink on an empty stomach. 'Food will moderate the absorption of alcohol and reduce stomach irritation,' says Dr Pathmakanthan. 'Eating fried or fatty foods before drinking can be helpful in slowing down the rate at which alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream.'

Rule number two? Choose your tipple wisely. 'The impurities from the alcohol fermentation process – known as congeners – are the main contributors to the severity of a hangover,' says nutritionist Nadia Brydon. 'Dark spirits such as whisky, brandy and red wine contain more congeners than white wine and pale spirits such as gin and vodka. Additionally, pricier alcohol which has been distilled and purified to a greater extent tends to contain less congeners so may lead to a milder hangover.'

Rule number three? Don't mix your drinks. 'Combining different drinks means combining different impurities and congeners, which results in a worse hangover,' warns Dr Pathmakanthan.

Rule number four? Drink plenty of water. It doesn't take a genius to work out that if you guzzle lots of water before and during your big night out, you'll be less dehydrated at the end of it. What's more, alternating between water and alcohol throughout the evening means you'll probably drink less alcohol.

'Try to opt for natural mineral water at room temperature,' advises Danny Saunders, head of fitness and personal training at The Laboratory Spa & Health Club (www.labspa.co.uk). 'Cold water doesn't hydrate you until the body is able to warm it to the required temperature, which in turn requires more metabolic energy – something the body's short of while coping with the effects of alcohol.'

Of course, you do have one other option, which will guarantee you wake up with a completely clear head the following morning – and that's to avoid alcohol entirely. But then you knew that already, didn't you?