Do you miss those days when you got up fresh and ready for the next day even after drinking till the wee hours? What went wrong with your stamina to hold drinks? Well, you are growing old and the alcohol has now started affecting your system. Your body is also sending you indications that excess alcohol will not do any good for it.
As you age, the liver starts losing its capacity to cope with your alcohol intake. ‘The alcohol metabolising enzyme reduces and the body fat increases reducing muscle mass, thus increasing the effect of alcohol. Elderly people are often on multiple medications which interfere with alcohol metabolism.’ says Dr Rahul Tambe, general physician, Nanavati Super Specialty Hospital. Losing weight as you age reduces the capapcity of the body to distribute alcohol causing intoxication which is the reason for a hangover. You can also blame your genes for the hangover.
Regular consumption of alcohol also leads to accumulation of acetaldehyde which is a byproduct of alcohol metabolism in the liver. The acetaldehyde that has accumulated over the years triggers the hangover according to Dr Yogesh Batra, senio consultant (gastroenterology) BLK Specialty Hospital. The toxic products tend to affect the brain more as you age due to the brain degeneration that occurs. Elderly people also abstain from drinking a lot of water and hence dehydration tends to increase hangovers the morning after.
‘Painkillers like aspirin relieves headache but may increase acidity. A number of household remedies are being tried but they often worsens the hangover. One thing that definitely should not be tried is drinking again in the morning,’ informs Dr Tambe. Try these natural hangover remedies for relief.
Hangovers are common after a night of excessive drinking and if you have not eaten enough and kept yourself hydrated. While there are several remedies to hangovers, here are some tips that can help prevent a hangover:
Drink in moderation. There is no better cure or method to prevent hangovers than drinking in limits. If you need to give company to friends and sit at a pub or party for long hours, opt for small pegs and dilute them with water or juices.
Eat something and drink enough water before, after and between drinks. Fluids and food can help prevent gastritis and the effect of alcohol too. Eating fruits like bananas and pears can also help reduce hangovers.
Add a slice of lemon to your drink or drink lime water before and after consuming alcohol suggests Dr Deepak Verma, general physician from Columbia Asia Hospital in Ghaziabad.
Most of these tips are common and everyone has heard them a zillion times. What is important is you follow them if you want to wake up fresh the next morning. You can also try these practical tips to prevent a hangover.
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