![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/kd9f2m-young-man-suffering-headache-746879775.jpg\")
<\/p>\nHOW many times have you woken up the morning after a boozy night and genuinely been concerned for your health?\u00a0<\/p>\n
You might vow to \u2018never drink again\u2019 while spending the day cradling a bad stomach and\/or throbbing head.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Many of us have experienced the hangover from hell, but it turns out, some symptoms can be a serious cause for concern.<\/p>\n
Dr Joshua Berkowitz, the medical director at IVBOOST UK, says that ethanol, the toxic carbohydrate in alcoholic drinks, promotes diuresis.<\/p>\n
This is a process whereby the kidneys are trying to get rid of a bad substance and therefore leads to excess urination.<\/p>\n
In turn, it leads to dehydration – one of the main causes of hangover symptoms.<\/p>\n
Dr Berkowitz says: \u201cAlcohol is toxic and irritating to the stomach lining which enhances nausea and vomiting.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cTo add to your misery, alcohol is metabolised to an acetaldehyde which is very toxic to the liver and brain and results in a severe, pounding headache – another of the hallmarks of a severe hangover.\u201d<\/p>\n Although a mild hangover might just leave you feeling a little fatigued and thirsty, a more severe hangover can lead to nausea, diarrhoea, sweating and severe vomiting, which in turn will lead to severe dehydration.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cSevere dehydration is a symptom to watch out for as it can impair your judgement, balance, cognitive function and metabolism,\u201d says Dr Berkowitz.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Googling \u2018Should I call 999\u2019 when your hangover is particularly horrific might seem like a bit of a joke.<\/p>\n But Dr Berkowitz says: \u201cYou should seek medical attention if you note that you have not passed any urine in the previous 10 hours or if you have blood in your vomit or loose stools.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cSeek attention if you have lost your balance or you have blurred vision or if you lose your mental logic and\/or start displaying abnormal\/bizarre behaviour.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Previously, young people have been warned that meningitis could be masked by a hangover.<\/p>\n Students are particularly at risk of the disease, which can be deadly if it is not treated quickly and triggers sepsis.\u00a0<\/p>\n The symptoms can feel like \u2018a very bad hangover\u2019 Meningitis Research Foundation says.\u00a0<\/p>\n This includes a severe headache, fever and vomiting.<\/p>\n But some symptoms unique to meningitis include a blotchy rash that doesn\u2019t go away if you roll a glass over it, a stiff neck and sensitivity to lights.<\/p>\n The NHS says to call 999 for an ambulance or go to your nearest A&E immediately if you think you or someone you look after could have meningitis or sepsis – which causes confused or slurred speech, difficulty breathing or discoloured (pale, grey, blue) skin and lips.<\/p>\n Ever wondered why your friend can bounce out of bed after a heavy night whilst you\u2019re stuck under the sheets feeling rotten?<\/p>\n \u201cMost people are able to tolerate very small amounts of alcohol at any one time but with \u2018practise\u2019 their liver and brain and general metabolism learn to tolerate increasing amounts of the toxin,\u201d says Dr Berkowtiz.<\/p>\n \u201cThe body and the different organs will produce ever-increasing amounts of the required enzymes to cope with the increasing amounts of alcohol consumed.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, this supposed \u2018tolerance\u2019 causes damage to various organs, particularly the brain and the liver.<\/p>\n \u201cThe severity of your hangover, neurocognitive performance and dehydration are significantly correlated for probably at least 24 hours after your last drink.\u201d<\/p>\n You may think that being sick could reduce the chances of a hangover.<\/p>\n In fact, Dr Berkowitz does say that \u201cif you have a stomach full of alcohol and you vomit\u201d, it could slightly improve your hangover the next day.<\/p>\n However, if you\u2019re sick the next morning when your hangover has kicked in, he says that \u2018the damage is done\u2019 and being sick won\u2019t ease it.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ever found yourself dealing with a cough, cold, or even flu following a big night out?<\/p>\n Dr Berkowitz says it could be due to germs in a crowded nightclub or going home in the cold.<\/p>\n \u201cThat said, chronic alcohol abuse will reduce the number of T-cells in the body \u2013 these are the white blood cells which serve to tackle and kill off infections in the body," he says.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you have fewer T-cells, you have a higher chance of getting an infection.\u201d<\/p>\n Alcohol can cause an inflammatory response in the body which, in turn, slows the progress of immune cells around the body.<\/p>\n \u201cInflammation can cause pain and chronic disease which will also make you feel unwell,\u201d says Dr Berkowitz.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIn a nutshell, alcohol is toxic to our bodies so while our defence and immune systems are working hard to clear it out, infection and viruses have an easier way in!<\/p>\n \u201cOver time, the damage to your liver and brain will manifest as liver failure (cirrhosis) and brain damage as dementia.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cPrior to this, there may be many years of diminished health, poor metabolism, diminished brain function and reduced immunity as the insidious effects of excessive alcohol consumption take their inevitable toll.\u201d<\/p>\n A key tip for preventing an alcohol is to simply drink less.<\/p>\n But you can make sure to eat beforehand, opt for single drinks and alternate your beverages with water.<\/p>\n \u201cAvoid the strong concentrated drinks like whisky, tequila, cognac and bourbon which contain high levels of toxic chemicals called Congeners, which also contribute to hangovers," says Dr Berkowitz.<\/p>\n \u201cAvoid drinking too many cocktails as these are very sugary and disguise their toxic potential as we tend to gulp them down far too fast!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/close-color-image-depicting-group-855027150-1.jpg\")
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