This article is reproduced from the "Medical Novi" WeChat public account.
Wine is a product of human civilization and has a long history of more than 5,000 years. Alcohol consumption is a major factor in death and disability worldwide, and alcoholism can induce cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, and even be closely related to certain cancers. Often, people think that drinking alcohol in moderation is good for their health, but this is not the case.
Hangovers are mild acute alcoholism and are characterized by behavioral and conscious abnormalities. I believe that every drinker has experienced a hangover. Hangover due to excessive drinking, after overnight rest, the body's alcohol, that is, ethanol, has been completely drained, but there are still symptoms such as headache, dizziness, fatigue, nausea and so on. This is because after drinking heavily, liver cells cannot remove all harmful substances after alcohol metabolism, such as acetaldehyde, resulting in acute poisoning symptoms.
Recently, researchers at King's College London published an article in the journal Advanced titled "The efficacy and tolerability of pharmacologically active interventions for alcohol-induced hangover symptomatology: A systematic review of the." evidence from randomised placebo-controlled trials" systematic analysis to evaluate current approaches to treatments for hangovers.
The study analyzed 21 hangover treatments and found that none of them actually worked!
Research Results Release Page (Source: Addiction)
In the study, researchers searched the database, which included a total of 21 studies, including 386 participants. In all the studies, no two studies reported the same intervention. Among the 21 hangover treatments, including clove extract, red ginseng, pear juice, probiotics, and prescription drugs. The studies all used placebo-controlled randomized trials to examine how these products eliminated headaches and other symptoms caused by excessive alcohol intake.
The analysis found that while some studies showed statistically significant improvements in hangover symptoms, the quality of all the evidence was low, often due to methodological limitations or inaccurate measurements. In fact, none of the two studies examined the same hangover treatment, and none had any level of independent follow-up results with no duplication to speak of.
Difference in mean total hangover scores between interventions and placebo (Source: Addiction)
In addition, of the 21 included studies, eight analysed only male participants. These studies varied considerably in the type of alcohol given and whether it was given with food. The study found that the quality of the evidence on these hangover therapies was very low and required a more rigorous assessment. Currently, the most reliable way to prevent hangover symptoms is to abstain from alcohol or drink in moderation.
The researchers call for more rigorous scientific exploration of the effectiveness of these hangover therapies, and future hangover treatment studies need a common scale to assess hangover symptoms, and these tests should also include more women because of their gender and the recommended intake of alcohol.
Not only that, but alcohol has been linked to a variety of cancers. The association between increased cancer risk and alcohol consumption has long been known, and early research has shown that drinking alcohol increases the production of harmful chemicals in the body, leading to DNA damage and affecting hormone production, which leads to the occurrence of cancer. Alcohol can also exacerbate the carcinogenic effects of other substances, such as tobacco.
Recently, the research team led by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) published a research paper entitled "Global burden of cancer in 2020 attributable to alcohol consumption: a population-based study" in The Lancet Oncology, a top journal of oncology.
Research Results Release Page (Source: The Lancet Oncology)
Studies have shown that 741,300 of the new cancer cases in 2020 may be related to alcohol consumption. Alcohol-related cancers account for 77% of cases of men and 23% of women, with the highest number of cases of esophageal, liver and breast cancers. The study calls for public awareness of the carcinogenesis of alcohol and increased government intervention to reduce alcohol intake in areas most affected by alcohol consumption.
"In short, wine, if you can drink less, drink less, if you can not drink, do not drink!" 」
End
Resources:
[1] Roberts E, Smith R, Hotopf M. The efficacy and tolerability of pharmacologically active interventions for alcohol-induced hangover symptomatology: A systematic review of the evidence from randomised placebo-controlled trials. Addiction. 2021 Dec 31. doi: 10.1111/add.15786. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34972259.
[2] Rumgay H, Shield K, Charvat H, et al. Global burden of cancer in 2020 attributable to alcohol consumption: a population-based study. Lancet Oncol. 2021 Aug;22(8):1071-1080. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(21)00279-5. PMID: 34270924; PMCID: PMC8324483.