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Hangover Clinic
A recent survey shows it takes an average of just 3.2 drinks to cause
hangover symptoms. For 10 percent of people it takes one or two.
What causes hangovers? The main culprit is congeners.
Congeners are the byproducts of the fermentation process that give
alcoholic beverages their aroma, color and flavor. When congeners
enter your bloodstream, your immune system eliminates them by
releasing proteins called cytokines. This surge of cytokines causes
inflammation leading to headache, nausea and body aches. This
powerful reaction to alcoholic beverages can turn a night of celebration
into a morning of misery. But Chaser attracts and absorbs congeners
before they can do their damage helping you wake up refreshed.
According to a report by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
Alcoholism, productivity losses attributed to alcohol were estimated at
$119 billion for 1995. While hangovers may account for just a part of
that amount, the report found “a positive relationship between the
frequency of being ‘hungover’ at work and the frequency of feeling
sick at work, sleeping on the job, and having problems with job tasks
or co-workers.”
A 2000 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine states, “In
the United Sates, related absenteeism and poor job performance cost
$148 billion annually (average annual cost per working adult, $2,000).
Although hangover is associated with alcoholism, most of its cost is
incurred by the light-to-moderate drinker. Patients with hangover may
pose substantial risk to themselves and others despite having a
normal blood alcohol level. Hangover may also be an independent risk
factor for cardiac death.”
The same study goes on to state, “Hangover has never been shown to
effectively deter alcohol consumption, and no evidence shows that
alleviation of hangover symptoms would result in further consumption.
In contrast, the discomfort of hangover
symptoms may prompt further alcohol intake (for example, the
'eye opener'). One study of 178
persons found that ‘those who experience greater hangover may
choose to drink more alcohol in order to relieve these adverse
effects.’”
A study of military pilots completing a simulated flying task revealed
significant decrements in some performance measures (particularly
among older pilots) eight to 14 hours after they consumed enough
alcohol to be considered legally drunk.
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