The Food Chain What is the ultimate hangover cure?
Dec 18, 2025
Join experts Andrew Scholey, a Professor of human psychopharmacology, Marisa Moll, a nutritionist focusing on the gut microbiome, and Jonathon Shears, an English literature professor, as they explore the science of hangovers. Scholey reveals how alcohol is metabolized and the role of genetics in hangover severity. Moll shares dietary strategies to lessen hangover impacts, while Shears delves into the cultural and literary significance of hangovers throughout history. A fascinating exploration of a universal experience!
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Hangover Is An Inflammatory State
- A hangover is a cluster of negative symptoms that occur when blood alcohol concentration is near zero.
- Inflammation and altered brain blood flow from alcohol metabolites drive those symptoms.
Alcohol Metabolites Trigger Inflammation
- Alcohol breakdown produces acetaldehyde and acetate which prompt an inflammatory response.
- Those inflammatory markers affect brain function and cerebral blood flow, worsening hangover symptoms.
Hangover Can Impair Driving Performance
- Hangover impairs function even when blood alcohol tests read zero.
- People can show driving impairments comparable to legal intoxication despite no detectable alcohol.