The heavy morning after a night of drinking largely depends on how much alcohol was consumed. However, a team of researchers from the University of Birmingham, led by Professor Sally Adams, has turned its attention to another culprit of hangovers—congeners.
These chemical compounds are formed during the fermentation process of alcoholic beverages. They are responsible for the drink’s flavor and aroma, but they also play a significant role in hangovers. The intensity of a hangover can vary depending on the type of drink consumed the night before.
As you gather around the festive table, beware of the sneaky congeners
Hangovers are equally unpleasant, regardless of your drink of choice. Yet, surprisingly, many people claim they feel worse the morning after drinking red wine compared to beer.
According to Professor Sally Adams, who studies the effects of on the human body, the darker the drink, the more severe the hangover tends to be.
Different beverages contain varying amounts of congeners, the researcher noted. Red wine and other dark drinks (like brandy and rum) have higher levels. Whiskey, gin, and white wine contain somewhat fewer congeners, while vodka and beer have the least. “Drinks with the highest congener content can lead to more severe hangovers,” said Adams.
She added that a 2009 study published in the journal Nature found that bourbon contains 37 times more congeners than vodka.
Another study conducted in 2010 confirmed that bourbon can indeed cause a worse hangover than vodka. Researchers from Brown University in Massachusetts asked volunteers to drink caffeine-free cola, vodka, or bourbon. It turned out that those who drank bourbon experienced than those who drank vodka, as reported by the Daily Mail.
As Professor Adams pointed out, in addition to the choice of drink, several factors influence the onset of hangover syndrome. These include genetic predisposition, the food consumed alongside alcohol, age, and gender.
While a high congener content in a drink contributes to headaches, the primary cause of hangovers remains the amount of alcohol consumed, insists Sally Adams.
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