While we all know that alcohol isn’t good for us in large amounts, many of us will consume it in amounts exceeding what is considered ‘moderate’ intake.
Is alcohol bad?
Alcohol is a toxin, and your body treats it as such making it a priority to remove it from your system as quickly as possible. However, a variety of studies have shown benefits of regular low level consumption. This doesn’t mean you can accumulate that 1 drink a day and consume it all at once on Friday night, but if you have one standard drink a day it may be beneficial in reducing heart disease risk.
Does this mean if you don’t drink now you should start?
NO! If you do not currently drink, do not start for ‘health benefits’, alcohol is still a toxin and the risks outweigh potential benefits.
How much is considered ‘moderate’?
In Australia the recommendation by the NHMRC is for no more than 4 standard drinks per day for men, and 2 standard drinks for women. This is actually a fairly high recommendation and should be considered the maximum for any given day and not a guide of how much to drink.
What about hangovers? Is there a cure?
No, there is no outright cure, you cannot take something and make it go away. Your body needs to remove the alcohol and can only do so at a set maximum rate. The liver can process approx 15g of alcohol every hour on average (varies from person to person, this is approx 1.5 standard drinks).
The best treatment is simply to rehydrate the body. Dehydration is the biggest culprit behind hangover symptoms, so drink lots of water or any suitable fluid (coffee and tea are not ideal as they are both diuretics). Sports drinks can be beneficial but not essential. If you feel nauseated, sugary drinks may be easier to drink, use whatever fluid you will find easiest to consume.
Should I take supplements?
This MAY help, as alcohol consumption does deplete nutrients such as B vitamins. However, B vitamins are stored in the liver and your liver will be unlikely to take them up well until all the alcohol is removed. It’s better just to eat a healthy meal and replace those nutrients naturally.
How do I prevent hangovers?
The best way is to pace yourself: sip your drinks, alternate every alcoholic drink with water or juice, and set yourself a limit to stick below (everyone has different tolerance levels; don’t let others set the pace).
It is a good idea to eat before you begin drinking, this does slow down alcohol absorption while there is food in the stomach. Also, if you are drinking for a number of hours remember to eat regularly.
So if alcohol is a toxin should I drink at all?
This is something each individual has to decide. Healthy people can tolerate moderate consumption without problems; however those with chronic illnesses may want to consider this more carefully. Consider how much alcohol impacts on your condition, does it exacerbate symptoms? Could it be potentially harmful long term? People taking certain medications also may need to be careful, as some medications if detoxified by the liver could reach toxic levels during alcohol consumption (if alcohol is prioritised for removal, your medication will accumulate to higher than normal levels).
It can be difficult in social situations not to consume alcohol at all, if alcohol is making your condition worse but you still wish to drink, as best as possible drink at a safe level to minimise the impact on your health.
