Monday Night Fear? The Cure Might Be Easier Than You Think…

Research says that Sprite is the best thing to drink when you have a hangover. Chinese scientists examined 57 beverages including herbal teas and fizzy drinks concluding that the lemon and lime drink performed the best. They discovered that our bodies breaking down the alcohol may cause hangovers, rather than the alcohol itself. When we drink, our livers release an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), which breaks down the ethanol in alcohol into a chemical called acetaldehyde (so less the alcohol enters the bloodstream). This is then broken down into chemical called acetate by an enzyme called aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). With this in mind, the researchers at Sun Yat-Sen University, in Guangzhou, tested a number of drinks, from teas, hot herbal drinks and various fizzy drinks examining how they affected ADH and ALDH. Sprite is the best thing to drink when hungover They discovered that a herbal drink made with hemp seeds actually increased the length of the ADH process and inhibited the ALDH process, so a hangover would last for longer. Sprite was among the drinks that sped up the ALDH process, causing the alcohol to be broken down more quickly, thereby reducing hangover duration. Experts also say that as we grow older, headaches due to hangovers become less of a problem. The headaches are the result of alcohol damaging the brain, causing it to swell temporarily and crash against the skull. But as we age our brains shrink, so there is more room for it to swell before it hits the bone. These hangover facts might make us think twice before hitting the hard stuff next time…