Alright, let’s get real there is one thing humans have been dealing with since the dawn of time, and it is hangovers. From the earliest civilizations right up to the present time, people have been trying to figure out what exactly happens when you drink too much and how to cure it. Hangovers are universal, something that connects generations across thousands of years, and the story of understanding them is actually pretty fascinating. With Kirill Yurovskiy, let’s take a closer look at the history of hangover research and trace how we got from ancient “cures” to modern science seeking ways to solve the mystery of this age-old syndrome.
- Ancient Times: First Remedies and Early Beliefs
People have been drinking alcohol for several thousand years, and along with that came the inevitable hangovers. People of ancient times didn’t comprehend hangovers as we do today, but they knew one thing—they needed relief.
Ancient Egyptian Wisdom and Herbal Remedies
In Ancient Egypt, around 1500 BC, people were already brewing beer, and hangovers were probably just part of the experience. They turned to herbal remedies, believing certain plants had “healing” powers.
They would make concoctions with myrrh (a type of resin) and other herbs that they thought would balance the body’s “humors.” Looking back, it was their way of trying to rebalance themselves after a heavy night.
Roman and Greek Approaches: Cabbage and Owls’ Eggs
The Roman philosopher Pliny the Elder, on the other hand, claimed that one could avoid hangovers after eating a raw cabbage before drinking it. The Greeks, for their part, had the strangest habit of hangover treatment: fried canary or owl eggs. Just imagine waking up in the morning after some wild night, and voilà, someone gives you an owl’s egg to feel better-it is wild! But for them, these “cures” were serious attempts to ease the discomfort of hangovers.
- The Middle Ages: Spiritual Remedies and Fasting
In the Middle Ages, the understanding of the body and its functions had immense influences from religion and superstition. People didn’t know much about the science behind hangovers, so they often turned to spiritual practices for relief.
Prayers and Fasting
The Middle Ages were steeped in spirituality, and physical ailments could easily be blamed upon spiritual causes. Instead of herbal concoctions, many people believed hangovers were a sign of indulgence or a test from God. Some would fast or pray to “purify” themselves after a night of heavy drinking, thinking it would cleanse their body and soul.
Vinegar and Water Cocktails
However, not all remedies were strictly spiritual. People also drank mixtures of vinegar and water, which might sound unappealing, but it was thought to help balance the body. Although they didn’t fully understand dehydration, they knew that drinking something sour could shock the body and bring some relief.
- The Enlightenment: Early Scientific Curiosity
The Age of Enlightenment bore a new sense of thinking more logical, less superstitious. Science and medicine were taking off, and folks became curious about the physical effects of booze on the body.
The First Hangover Research and Alcohol Chemistry
As chemistry started to evolve, alcohol and its after-effects became much more interesting to scientists. They realized that headaches and nausea were common symptoms after drinking. They did not know all the fine details yet, but they related alcohol to dehydration and to the nervous system. This was the basis for hangovers as a more scientific phenomenon rather than ancient myths going into real observations.
Recognition of “Veisalgia”
During this period, physicians started referring to “veisalgia” – a term derived from the Norwegian word “kveis,” meaning “uneasiness after debauchery,” combined with the Greek word “algia,” meaning pain. This term officially described hangover syndrome as a distinctive physical response to alcohol, and this was quite an important step in accepting hangovers as real, not just a punishment for partying hard.
- The 20th Century: Understanding Alcohol’s Impact on the Body
Fast forward to the 20th century, and scientific research into hangovers really began to accelerate. With advances in medical technology and chemistry, researchers could now study what happens in the body when we drink alcohol, and what leads to those dreaded hangover symptoms.
Dehydration, Toxins, and Blood Sugar Drops
Starting in the mid-1900s, scientists were able to verify that an overwhelming portion of hangover symptoms indeed come from dehydration. Alcohol makes us go through more fluids, which, in turn, impairs brain cell function, causing headaches, and basically that all-over feeling of dryness. Scientists learned, though, that it wasn’t just dehydration. The alcohol itself is broken down into toxins like acetaldehyde, which the liver has to struggle to filter out. But besides that, alcohol can cause blood sugar to fall, leading to exhaustion and moodiness.
Hangover Remedies and Vitamins
Pharmaceutical companies positioned the hangover as a new frontier in medicine, and various “cures” and remedies reached the market. While some focused on rehydration and vitamins-just think of all those “hangover pills” filled with B vitamins-others were purely experimental. The outcomes vary, but what became apparent with the commercialization of hangover relief was just how much people would invest in feeling better after a night out.
- Modern Science: The Ongoing Quest to Understand Hangovers
The research into hangovers today is more complete, yet somehow, it remains very much a mystery. Scientists know the basic mechanisms that cause hangovers, like dehydration and toxin buildup, but there’s more to a hangover than just that. Researchers continue to study hangovers, hoping to finally solve this ancient problem once and for all.
Genetics and Alcohol Tolerance
Genetics, one of the big discoveries in recent years, plays a role in how people experience hangovers. Some people never seem to get hangovers, while others feel terrible after just a few drinks.
Genetic differences in how our bodies process alcohol account for part of this variation. For instance, some individuals break down acetaldehyde at a faster rate than others. Fewer toxins are building up, meaning less pain the following morning.
The Brain’s Role in Hangover Symptoms
The other area is the brain. Alcohol interferes with neurotransmitters, which can cause mood swings and anxiety- possibly even depression on a hangover. That “hangxiety,” as some call it, is a real thing, and researchers are looking into how booze affects the brain’s chemical equilibrium. This is a new frontier in hangover science and one that could eventually lead to more effective hangover treatments.