As long as there has been alcohol, there has been hangovers. It's literally one of the civilized world's oldest problems. Is it purely human nature that we always tend to linger too long, consume a few drinks too many or wish for just a little more of anything that's good? Maybe. It's also just a matter of science. Our bodies were made to metabolize alcohol, but not every body is created equally when it comes to this feat. And, it goes without saying that our livers were not made for crippling amounts of alcohol.

So, if we are going to find solutions, we have to dig a little deeper into the problem. What is a hangover? How do our livers metabolize alcohol? And what can we do (or take) to help our poor livers do it better, faster and with less damage?

The answers will probably shock you. Fact is that most medical professionals still don't really understand hangovers, their causes or what can be done to help.

Most people think that hangovers are just dehydration, but this view is very flawed. Correlation does not mean causation. Yes, dehydration is a side effect of drinking alcohol, which is a diuretic, meaning that it forces the body to expel more water than it retains. However, dehydration is very mild, easily solved and not the root cause of all the pain and suffering, as you will soon see.

There's a lot more going on with hangovers. The easiest way to take a closer look is to consider a Problem-Solution approach. What are the biggest issues causing the pain, ranked by priority and severity? And what are the obvious and not-so-obvious solutions?

Of course, everyone who drinks alcohol should be over the age of 21, they should always get a sober ride and avoid binge drinking at all cost. Aside from that, there is a wide range of what can be considered moderate or responsible. Age, gender, body-weight and overall health are all determining factors. Each person responds differently to the specific toxins from popular alcoholic beverages like liquor, beer and wine. What are those toxins exactly?

Ethanol itself is a mild toxin, as are other irritants like sulfates, sulfites, nitrites, nitrates and other impurities. Some are naturally occurring, while others are added as preservatives or merely form as products of fermentation. In general, cheap booze typically has far more of these additional toxins and irritants. 

However, the most prevalent toxin and the #1 root cause of the suffering is alcohol's evil cousin Acetaldehyde, which is said to be as much as 30 times more toxic than the alcohol that you drank in the first place! Acetaldehyde is present in some drinks; it's considered an impurity in beer, but also forms as a natural product of fermentation, especially in fruit-fermented drinks like cider and wine. 

The biggest source of Acetaldehyde comes from the liver itself. Et tu, Brute? Yes, your own liver is making the nasty poison that makes you suffer the morning after drinking. To truly understand Acetaldehyde (ALD) for short, you need a very quick lesson in Alcohol Metabolism. Don't worry, it's relatively painless, far more so than the side effects of ALD in the body, which include nausea, headache, vomiting and in extreme cases death. Sounding like a hangover to you yet?

Alcohol/Ethanol is the beer, wine or liquor that you drank. After entering the blood stream and making you feel all warm and fuzzy, it eventually ends up in your liver, which is where all of the action happens. Some alcohol is metabolized in the brain and a few other minor places, but the majority happens in the liver. There, Ethanol meets the liver enzyme Alcohol Dehydrogenase, converting into Acetaldehyde. Think of your liver like a filter for your blood. It removes toxins 24/7 to keep you alive. The filter works by using liver enzymes to turn deadly toxins into safer chemicals that can be removed from the body in the bile as waste products. Essentially, your body is kind of dumb because it takes the mildly toxic Ethanol and turns it into the extremely toxic and nauseating Acetaldehyde. Not cool, Liver. Not cool. However, if it did not do this, you might drop dead from one drink. So keep that in mind. 

Now we are stuck with Acetaldehyde, a major toxin that roams your body causing damage to your cells and internal organs. It's the main cause of the suffering, resulting in nausea, headache, vomiting and general feelings of awfulness. If you were wondering about the DHM from the diagram, we will get to that soon. There's also the matter of Glutathione or GSH, which is not in the graphic above, but is an important co-factor for metabolizing alcohol. GSH is the blood form of this amino acid and it basically acts like a "Master Antioxidant" to neutralize the damaging effects of the free radical Acetaldehyde. We like to think of Glutathione as a Bouncer, rounding up the bad guys who are ruining the party and dragging them toward the exit. Once in your liver the Acetaldehyde meets up with the liver enzyme Aldehyde Dehydrogenase and it converts into Acetic Acid, which is basically just an inert, harmless vinegar-like substance. It's eliminated from the body or recycled for energy production. For those who argue with me about Acetaldehyde being the root cause of feeling terrible, see the two proofs below.

Many people, especially medical professionals who should know better, believe and perpetuate the misinformation that hangovers are just dehydration. And therefore, a simple IV will alleviate all of the problems. While cleaning out your system and replacing fluids are critical (and help with the toxins to some extent), it does not address all of the leftover Acetaldehyde hanging around your body and causing misery. Individuals who suffer from Alcohol Flushing make a great case study for how toxic Acetaldehyde can be. These folks have a deficient liver enzyme that does not allow them to break down the ALD toxin. Side effects of this vary and can include low alcohol tolerance, headache, mild flushing, vomiting and/or extremely painful hangovers. Since their livers are not breaking down the toxin properly, they basically experience an almost instantaneous hangover. The body attempts to flush out the toxin by other means, since the liver is not an option. Remember that the skin is a detoxifying organ and can eliminate some of the toxic stuff through sweat. Acetaldehyde is so irritating and inflammatory to our cells that it literally makes them turn bright red. The result is that Alcohol Flush sufferers get a rash or a bright red face from just a few drinks. In mild cases, it's just an embarrassing inconvenience, but it also reveals a deeper issue: damage being done to the body's cells, both inside and out. Oddly, even though this is a genetic issue, natural substances containing DHM have shown to be very effective in helping to avoid the problem.

Sure, the premise of our whole discussion is that "Alcohol can be fun". However, what's not fun is alcoholism and the many health, personal and social problems it can cause. That's why we always recommend drinking in moderation. There are some people that simply cannot do this because of addiction. Our philosophy is that it's important to maintain balance in all things. One treatment for alcoholics is a drug called Antabuse, which is taken to help persuade alcohol addicts to avoid drinking. How does it do this? It literally blocks the ALDH2 liver enzyme, so that when he or she takes a drink it causes an instantaneous and often violent hangover. One pill and the biggest, toughest man or woman will be doubled over in pain and likely severe nausea and vomiting from drinking only a beer or two. It's a brutal treatment, but highly effective. Again, hangovers suck and nobody wants to feel that way. This makes another perfect proof for the theory that Acetaldehye is the primary cause of the suffering. And, it is similar to the Alcohol Flushing example, only here the deficient liver enzyme is being induced by a pharmaceutical intervention.

The plant in the picture is called Japanese Raisin Extract (Hovenia dulcis) and it naturally contains DHM and other potent healthful compounds. Additionally, antioxidants can help battle the free radical damage, which can cause DNA mutation and speed the signs of aging. However, not just any antioxidants will do. We want liver and alcohol-specific antioxidants, such as Glutathione.

Remember that Glutathione is the "Master Antioxidant" that acts as a bouncer for toxins in the body. It helps drag them kicking and screaming to the liver and acts as an important co-factor in alcohol metabolism. Setria L-Glutathione is a natural supplement that may increase Glutathione levels by as much as 30% in the body.

In summary, one of the best solutions is to increase liver enzyme levels, activity and efficiency, which DHM appears to do. A secondary solution is increasing the body's levels of Glutathione to help protect from the damage and remove toxic Acetaldehyde faster.

Not all inflammation is created equally. For example, a minor injury or aches and pains can cause localized inflammation. Anti-inflammatory drugs work because they help to alleviate the inflammation and pain. However, since inflammation is a signal to the brain that repairs or attention is needed, there is a trade-off. You may put off the pain with these drugs, but you may also slow down the healing process. Other short-term inflammation can be quite beneficial, for example that which is caused by exercise, resulting in muscles repairing themselves to be bigger and stronger.

The inflammation caused by alcohol is an issue, but it's a short-term problem that time, rest and recovery and a few other tricks can knock out pretty quickly.

It's obvious that the most common treatment for inflammation is Over-the-Counter drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen and acetaminophen, and they are highly effective. Many people claim they are very effective when taken before bed, after alcohol consumption. However, they can also cause further damage to critical organs such as the liver. Natural alternatives like Turmeric, Boswellia, Ginger, White Willow Bark and Tart Cherry Extract have potent anti-inflammatory effects with almost zero side effects. Always check with your physician, but they are worth a try. The faster you alleviate the inflammation from alcohol, the better you will feel.

A huge part of the problem is something called Glutamine Rebound, which prevents deep sleep. L-Glutamine is an amino acid that comes from food and is also made in the body. It's considered conditionally essential, but it is very stimulating to the brain. With Glutamine Rebound your body responds to the alcohol by over-producing L-Glutamine, which excites your brain and keeps it from reaching those deeper sleep cycles where most of the rest, recovery and repair happens. That's why no matter how much you sleep, you can't seem to achieve a truly restful state and recovery remains so elusive.

It's not fully understood why, but DHM from Japanese Raisin Extract seems to positively affect the GABA receptors in your brain to help fight Glutamine Rebound. GABA is another amino acid that acts like a neurotransmitter in the brain. It's a relaxation and sleepy time chemical. And normalizing its balance somehow offsets the Glutamine levels in the brain so that you can achieve deeper and more restful sleep. The more quality sleep you get, the better you will feel tomorrow.

Our only issue is with those people who say it is the "cause" of hangovers, which is very misleading. Even if you hydrate perfectly, you can still end up very hungover, due to a buildup of toxins, more specifically the "Hangover Toxin" we mentioned called Acetaldehyde. And yes, hydrating well does help remove this toxin, but not nearly as much as the other solutions suggested. Why not do both well?

A small thought experiment reveals the truth. Do you get dehydrated when you spend all day at the beach or go for a jog in the hot summer sun? The answer is clearly "Yes". Do you feel hungover? No. Anyone who has had a bad hangover knows that there's no other feeling quite like it. In fact, if you feel that sick due to dehydration, you should probably see a doctor or take extreme measures because you are most likely dealing with heat stroke or severe dehydration, both of which can lead to death. 

Alcohol usually causes only mild dehydration, which is a very easy problem to remedy.

Most of us understand that drinking water before, during and after drinking alcohol is the best way to stay hydrated and offset the diuretic (water-loss) effects. What might not be as clear is that many of the "solutions" and products on the market are not miracle beverages. Yes, Pedialyte, Gatorade or other sports drinks can be convenient and helpful ways to consume water and electrolytes. However, Mother Nature's medicine cabinet has some pretty strong contenders too. Coconut water, bananas, avocados and pretty much all fruits and vegetables contain the needed electrolyte minerals. Drinking a few glasses of water and eating healthful foods is just as good as any product on the market. That being said, we are huge fans of the Ultima product, which is convenient, all-natural and sugar-free.

We all die in the end, no matter what we do. The truth is that you may never touch a drop of alcohol in your life and still die an early death from cancer or another unexpected cause. This is not intended to say that you should not care for your body and just throw caution to the wind, quite the opposite. However, we also must focus on our quality of life. If only we could both remain healthy and live life to the fullest. 

Our philosophy has always been that it's all about balance. That's why we named our company Intox-Detox. There's a natural cycle and a balance to life. Spend all your time detoxifying and you may miss out on some of the fun of life. Most of us just don't want to live our whole lives without a cheeseburger, glass of wine or ice cream sundae here and there. To each their own. On the other hand, if all you do is intoxicate your body, you threaten your long-term health and personal relationships, and you simply cannot contribute positively to the world. 

That's why we created Intox-Detox to help responsible social drinkers maintain the delicate balance between staying healthy and living life to the fullest. 

The obvious first step is to eat a healthy diet and manage lifestyle to make better choices. Always drink responsibly and choose your drinks wisely. We all have a "kryptonite" that just doesn't treat our bodies well. For some it's tequila, whiskey, red wine or champagne. Try not to drink it if it gives you a headache or makes you feel ill. Thankfully, there are also many natural herbs, Super Foods and nutraceuticals that can help you protect your liver from all of the nasty toxins around us, including alcohol. 

By including certain potent antioxidants you can fight the free radical driven process of aging, which is where all the toxins in your body damage cells and age you at the cellular level. And specifically, try to include liver-specific antioxidants that help you detox and protect your body, even as you enjoy some drinks. For example, the "Master Antioxidant" Glutathione mentioned above, which boosts immunity, battles against toxins and supports anti-aging.

Carefully made to our highest standards, Intox-Detox contains only the finest clinically proven ingredients. Our team hand-selected the purest herbal extracts and we partnered with patented Setria L-Glutathione and Apres-Flex for your peace of mind

Intox-Detox is proudly manufactured in the USA to be FDA-compliant, all-natural, non-GMO, gluten-free and vegan. There are no additives, preservatives or colors. Only the very best liver health ingredients in clinically proven and clinically dosed amounts.