[Hangover Symptoms: ‘Headache’]

Hangover, especially headache, is a
common symptom experienced by many people the day after excessive alcohol
consumption. The primary cause of such headaches is a toxic substance called
‘acetaldehyde’, produced during the process of digesting alcohol. When we
drink, our body starts to break down alcohol, and during this process,
acetaldehyde is produced. Acetaldehyde is highly toxic, causing symptoms like
nausea and vomiting.

To eliminate acetaldehyde, our body
works hard, particularly causing dilation of blood vessels in the head. This
vasodilation leads to headaches and is a temporary phenomenon as the body
detoxifies acetaldehyde. However, this can cause physical discomfort due to
headaches.

[Relieving Hangover and Headaches]

To alleviate hangover and headaches,
it’s important to effectively break down and remove acetaldehyde. Consuming
nutrients like Vitamin C, asparagine, methionine, glutathione, and catechins
can help in this process. These nutrients are found in certain foods. For
example, bean sprout soup and dried pollack soup are effective in relieving
hangovers.

*Bean Sprouts

Bean sprouts are rich in asparagine,
Vitamin C, and Vitamin B1, making them very effective in relieving hangovers.
Asparagine helps in breaking down acetaldehyde, while Vitamin C and B1 support
the body’s recovery. Meanwhile, dried pollack soup contains amino acids like
methionine and lysine, which help protect and recover the liver. These amino
acids enhance the liver’s detoxifying abilities and reduce discomfort from hangovers.

*Tomatoes

Tomatoes aid in expelling acetaldehyde
and alleviating heartburn. The Vitamin C and other nutrients in tomatoes not
only help in hangover relief but also positively impact overall health. Apples
and bananas are beneficial in restoring blood sugar and vitamin levels, and
neutralizing stomach acids, thus easing stomach discomfort. These fruits are
easy to digest and effective in reducing gastrointestinal discomfort from
hangovers.

*Eggs

Eggs are rich in methionine, needed for
breaking down alcohol in the liver. Methionine supports the liver’s detox
process and provides essential amino acids for hangover recovery. Cucumbers,
with their high water content, help alleviate dehydration caused by alcohol.
This hydration dilutes alcohol in the body, reducing headaches and fatigue from
dehydration.

*Water

Drinking sufficient water is also
important. Alcohol promotes diuresis, excessively expelling water from the
body, so drinking water prevents dehydration and helps dilute alcohol, aiding
in detoxification. Water calms the stomach and is effective in reducing
headaches and fatigue caused by hangovers.

[Foods & Medications to Avoid for
Hangover Relief]

Spicy foods like jjamppong or ramen may
seem helpful for hangover relief, but their effectiveness can be limited. These
foods can damage the stomach lining due to high salt content and spicy flavors,
and synthetic flavorings or additives can burden the liver. Additionally,
greasy foods are slow to digest and put a strain on the stomach, hindering the
alcohol breakdown process in the liver and are not suitable for hangover
relief.

One attempt to alleviate
hangover-induced headaches is taking antipyretic analgesics. However, this can
be a very dangerous choice. Acetaldehyde, a toxic substance produced when
alcohol is metabolized in the body, still remains during a hangover. This
compound, already being processed by the liver, can react with acetaminophen
commonly found in antipyretic analgesics, causing severe damage to the liver.

With acetaldehyde already burdening the
liver, taking acetaminophen can increase the strain, leading to a higher risk
of liver damage, and in severe cases, liver dysfunction or failure.

Therefore, it’s important not to consume
antipyretic analgesics in a hangover state. Specifically, drugs like
acetaminophen should not be used as a means to alleviate a hangover.