Grapevine: Is There a Hangover Lurking in Your Physiology – or in Your Genes?
In social settings or at meals in which wine is consumed, do you begin to feel a bit woozy after two glasses and must switch to water at the risk of becoming inebriated? Do you envy others who “consume mass quantities” of alcohol with no or minor side effects?
Is it fair that the next morning, after exceeding your low tolerance levels the night before, others are ready for a morning jog, while you have difficulty raising your head from the pillow without nausea and shooting pains in your head?
Recent research conducted in Australia has concluded that your low tolerance may be linked to your genes. Prior to the publication of this study, it was generally assumed that nearly all negative reactions to alcohol were physiological. The universal axiom has been quite clear: if you drink too much, you will have a hangover. While obviously true, the degree and severity of individual hangovers among those consuming equal amounts of alcohol have not been as apparent.
Scientific research has isolated the causes of hangovers – and the degree of severity. These factors have been pegged to variations in a consumer’s response to, and tolerance of, certain compounds in alcohol, and, more specifically in wine.
Here are several of the common culprits.
- Ethanol. Naturally present in alcohol, when ingested it breaks down into a compound called acetaldehyde. In the bottle, this volatile compound imparts the fruity aromas present in wine; in your body (in sufficient quantity), it irritates the membranes of the brain, causing headaches and facial flushing. Our liver is designed to mitigate this effect. However, an overloaded or diseased liver is not adequately able to remove high levels of acetaldehydes from the bloodstream.
- Congeners. A compound found more in red wines than white that are believed to cause hangovers. When consumed, this nasty element actually is kept under control by the alcohol in our bloodstream. When the alcohol leaves your system, the congeners then go to work – hours after (the next morning?) the wine has been consumed.
- Modern agriculture. The chemicals used to treat plants and soils are toxic. If fruits and vegetables are not washed and cleaned properly, these toxins may cause many of the allergic-like symptoms noted above (or worse). Making matters worse, since grapes are sensitive to handling after being harvested, they go straight to the crusher – no washing, no thorough removal of particles of rotting leaves. Although organic grape growing is becoming more popular, it is still not widely practiced.
- Cheap wine. It’s true, you are more likely to have a negative reaction to mass-produced bulk wines. Why? They are typically subjected to high levels of chemical additives and other manipulative methods. Not to mention that the growing, harvesting and winemaking techniques may be lacking in cleanliness and consumer health concerns. Wines produced with more respect for nature and the consumer tend to be higher priced, but inherently are higher quality.
The Australian study surveyed 4,000 middle-age twins. It delved deeply into their physiology – right to its core. As reported in Live Science, a scientific news reporting site, “researchers looked for links between the study participants’ genetic makeups and the number of hangovers the individuals reported experiencing in the past year.” Their conclusion: “genetics accounts for nearly half of the reason why one person experiences a hangover and another person doesn’t, after drinking the same amount of alcohol.”
Another finding: “people who had the gene variants…also drank to the point of being intoxicated more frequently than people who didn’t have the hangover genes.” This lends credence to the theory that alcoholism is hereditary.
For those unfortunate to have heightened negative reactions to wine consumption, I suggest you find ways to isolate the causes and redefine the term moderation to fit your individual genetic code and physiology. And always drink responsibly.
Nick Antonaccio is a 40-year Pleasantville resident. For over 20 years he has conducted wine tastings and lectures. He also offers personalized wine tastings and wine travel services. Nick’s credo: continuous experimenting results in instinctive behavior. You can reach him at nantonaccio@theexaminernews.com or on Twitter @sharingwine.
