Why don’t some people have hangovers? Despite drinking all night, we’ve all met someone who appears immune to hangovers. Some people consider two-day hangovers the norm on one end of the spectrum. On the other hand, there are none. It has been reported that 23% of people do not have hangovers. But is it possible to never get a hangover? This article will examine the science of why I don’t get hangovers.
Why Don’t I Get Hangovers?
Before we get into why I or others may or may not have hangovers, we must first understand how alcohol is metabolized in the body and what causes a hangover.
Within 90 seconds of drinking, your blood alcohol levels begin to rise. When this occurs, your liver clears alcohol from your bloodstream by breaking it down to produce energy.
Your liver can only process alcohol at a specific rate, usually one drink per hour. Your weight, age, gender, and metabolism heavily influence this. As a result, everyone’s rate of alcohol metabolism will differ. However, on average, it is around one drink per hour.
When you drink at a rate faster than this, your blood alcohol levels rise, and you begin to feel the pleasurable effects of alcohol. At the same time, the accumulation of alcohol in your bloodstream strains your liver, which struggles to cope with the additional load.
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As a result, hangovers are caused by alcohol through the following mechanisms:
- Inflammation: As alcohol degrades, toxic byproducts such as acetaldehyde react with your cells, causing inflammation.
- Dehydration: Alcohol causes dehydration by inhibiting the release of ADH, a hormone your pituitary gland produces. As a result, your kidneys excrete excess water.
- Sleep disruption: Alcohol prevents your brain from entering the REM stage of sleep, which is necessary for waking up fully rested.
Even though it’s still not clear how alcohol causes hangovers, most people think that a mix of the above factors is to blame. So, now that the science is out of the way, let’s examine whether it’s true that some people don’t get hangovers.
What Are the Most Common Hangover Symptoms?
Of course, we all know from personal experience that a hangover entails an entire day spent in bed watching TV reruns and attempting to wake up. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism states that common hangover symptoms include fatigue, weakness, thirst, headache, muscle aches, nausea, stomach pain, vertigo, sensitivity to light and sound, anxiety, irritability, sweating, and increased blood pressure.
Why Do Some People Get Hangovers and Some Don’t?
Individuals differ in why some people do not get hangovers while others do.
1. Genetics is crucial.
According to Shapiro, genetics play a role in why some people don’t seem to get hangovers. “They can break down the byproducts genetically and metabolically so that they don’t affect them the next day,” she says.
This is supported by research: In 2014, researchers examined data from 4,000 people in Australia’s Twin Registry (basically, a database of volunteers chosen for their medical history to participate in research) and discovered that “genetic factors accounted for 45 percent of the difference in hangover frequency in women and 40 percent in men.”
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2. Alcohol metabolism
Some schools believe that people who don’t get hangovers metabolize alcohol faster. This means alcohol leaves their bloodstreams more quickly, so they may not get hangovers.
However, a Dutch study discovered this was untrue in their test subjects. They found that both groups of people claimed to get hangovers and those who claimed not to have the same pleasurable effects from alcohol. Furthermore, when they were breathalyzed, the alcohol concentrations reached the same peaks and decreased at the same rate.
This suggests that those who don’t get hangovers aren’t experiencing the effects of alcohol differently in terms of metabolism. However, they emphasize that their study was small and could have been improved by testing blood samples rather than breathalyzer tests.
3. The amount of alcohol consumed
Too much alcohol consumption causes hangovers. Hangovers occur when you consume more alcohol than your liver can process. And the more you drink, the worse your hangovers become.
Researchers discovered that four-fifths (79%) of those who claimed not to have hangovers had an estimated blood alcohol level of less than 0.10% in a study of 789 Canadian students.
To put this in context, this is roughly twice the 0.05% safe driving limit in many European countries, including the Netherlands, France, and Germany. The limitation in England and Wales and many states in the United States is 0.08%.
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As a result, 0.10% isn’t far from the safe driving limit. In other words, the lack of hangovers is most likely due to insufficient alcohol consumption. Although we do not advocate drinking more alcohol to get a hangover, the amount of alcohol consumed significantly impacts whether you experience adverse symptoms.
Those who drink and stop before reaching hangover levels should be commended. Because, in the end, hangovers are your body’s way of telling you that you’ve had too much to drink.
4. Emotional aspects
This means that some people are less bothered by hangovers. People are said to have different “pain thresholds.” The same is true for how bad hangovers feel.
Everyone is unique and reacts differently to unpleasant symptoms. As a result, some people are more affected by hangovers than others simply because they bother them less.
5. Age
Age isn’t just a number when it comes to hangovers. As we get older, hangovers often get worse because our bodies are less able to handle the harmful effects of alcohol. So, if you’re reading this at 21 and think you’re immune to hangovers, wait until you’re 31 to find out!
6. Gender may play a role.
Women may also be more susceptible to hangovers because they metabolize alcohol differently (giving women a lower alcohol tolerance than men). However, Shapiro cautions that she hasn’t seen any conclusive research. She believes that genetics have a more significant influence than potential gender differences.
People Who Do Not Get Hangovers—the Negatives
You might think it’s fantastic that some people don’t get hangovers. I go out drinking all night and wake up feeling fine. But that is not the case.
The adverse effects of alcohol continue to place a strain on your liver. Just because hangovers are less severe for whatever reason does not mean alcohol is not damaging the liver and other organs.
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No studies show that people who are resistant to hangovers develop alcohol-related illnesses.
It is also believed that people who do not experience hangovers are more likely to develop problem drinking, also known as “alcoholism.” However, there are conflicting findings, with some studies claiming the opposite.
Similarly, some studies claim that people who don’t get hangovers will drink more, increasing their risk of having a drink-related injury.
In conclusion, being “immune to hangovers” does not mean that excessive drinking is not harmful to the body. Also, some studies show that people who don’t get hangovers are more likely to become dependent on alcohol in the future. However, this is still being debated.
How Rare is it Not to Get Hangovers?
Hangovers are the unpleasant physiological and psychological effects of consuming moderate to large amounts of alcohol. It usually appears around 10 hours after your blood alcohol level peaks, but this varies depending on gender, weight, and genetic disposition.
Some people, however, do not experience hangovers at all. According to reports, 3% and 23% of the population is hangover-resistant. Not surprisingly, because they do not share the deterrent effect of hangovers, these people may be more likely to become heavy drinkers.
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Hangovers can last anywhere from a few hours to more than a day. Because alcohol affects so many systems in our bodies and brains, a hangover is equally complex, with many possible symptoms.
Can You Be Immune to Hangovers?
Several studies have been conducted on various population groups to determine whether or not they experience hangovers. According to the survey, 10% and 30% of people reported no hangovers.
Having said that, the majority of the studies used university student groups. Because they are young, fit, and healthy, their bodies are more likely to withstand and repair the damage caused by alcohol. We’ve all heard that hangovers worsen with age! As a result, this population group does not precisely represent everyone.
Regardless, some people are much older and do not suffer from hangovers. Are these people immune to hangovers?
It’s a simple question with a complicated answer. There are several factors to consider when determining whether or not some people experience hangovers. That’s what we’ll talk about next.
Which Alcohol Causes the Least Hangover?
As a general rule, the darker the alcohol, the worse the hangover, says Sloane Davis, a certified nutritionist and personal trainer. “Vodka is well-known for being the best alcoholic beverage for the least amount of hangover.” Gin, light rum, and white wine come in second and third, respectively, with brandy and whiskey at the bottom of the list. Specific congeners (small amounts of different chemicals in alcohol) have been shown in studies to contribute to the severity of a hangover. Avoiding a hangover ultimately means avoiding alcohol, but certain spirits can be less severe.
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“A light beer will always be a better choice than a dark beer, and white wine will always triumph over a glass of red wine to alleviate the dreaded hangover,” Davis says. “Wine’s sugar and sulfates keep people awake at night.” She suggests trying sulfate-free wines and avoiding dark, such as dark rum, red wine, whiskey, brandy, and dark beer.
What Else Should You Avoid?
Lighter-colored drinks should result in fewer hangovers. However, there are some other factors to consider.
1. Mixers containing caffeine
Caffeinated beverages and mixers will only exacerbate the situation. Caffeine is a stimulant that prevents people from getting into deeper stages of sleep.
Caffeine is also a diuretic, which can exacerbate dehydration. Caffeine is thus something to avoid if you’re looking for drinks that will give you a minor hangover.
2. Sugary beverages
As previously stated, blood sugar spikes followed by an inevitable sugar crash can exacerbate hangover symptoms. You’d be surprised at how much sugar is in your mixers; even drinks like tonic water contain a lot of sugar.
3. Carbonated beverages
Alcohol absorption is reportedly faster with fizzy drinks, according to studies. Because your liver can only metabolize alcohol at a specific rate, rapid increases in blood alcohol concentration have a more toxic effect on your body.
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Avoiding fizzy alcoholic drinks such as beer or carbonated mixers may result in a less severe hangover.
How do you avoid a Hangover?
1. Take your time.
A standard drink takes our bodies about an hour and a half to process. If you drink slowly, your body has a better chance of processing alcohol, which means your blood alcohol peak will be lower, and it has been shown to give you less of a hangover.
2. Drink water along with your alcoholic beverages.
Other methods of diluting alcohol include adding more ice to drinks, soda to wine, lemonade to beer, or adding more non-alcoholic mixers to spirits. Flat liquids are preferable because fizzy drinks may cause you to absorb alcohol more quickly.
3. Drink smaller portions.
Smaller glass sizes have been shown to result in less alcohol consumed throughout the evening.
4. Clear spirits should be consumed.
There are fewer congeners in these. According to one study, vodka produced a less severe hangover than whisky, though both vodka and whisky drinkers had poor sleep and concentration the next day.
Why don’t I get hangovers after drinking?
After a night of drinking, I Had No Hangover
Even after consuming a lot of alcohol, you may have a drinking problem if your body starts to depend on it and your tolerance increases. Alcohol can become so ingrained in the body that you may not experience typical morning sickness or headaches.
How do I know if I’m an alcoholic?
Experiencing momentary blackouts or short-term memory loss are two typical signs of alcohol consumption. Displaying signs of excessive mood swings and irritation. Making justifications for drinking, such as the need to unwind, manage stress, or feel normal.
What percent of the population is immune to hangovers?
The term “hangover resistant” refers to the 20–25% of alcohol drinkers who do not experience any symptoms of a hangover following a night of heavy drinking 36.
What do hangovers depend on?
Alcohol boosts stomach acid production and slows down stomach emptying. These conditions may cause pain, motion sickness, or vomiting. Blood sugar levels can drop as a result of alcohol. If your blood sugar levels go too low, you could have seizures, mood swings, weakness, shakiness, and exhaustion.
Why can I not get drunk?
However, if a person drinks a lot but doesn’t appear to get intoxicated, they have a very high tolerance for alcohol. Your body’s extraordinary capacity to digest alcohol leads to tolerance. Unlike other drugs, your body strives to adapt to alcohol’s prolonged presence.
How Much Do You Have To Drink To Get a Hangover?
Five to seven cocktails in four to six hours almost always result in a hangover in men. Women have the same reaction after three to five drinks. The symptoms of a hangover will peak around 12 hours after your drink when your BAC returns to zero.
Is a Hangover Just Dehydration?
Hangovers differ from person to person but typically include headaches, nausea, tiredness, and dehydration. One of the primary causes of hangover symptoms is dehydration.
Are Bad Hangovers Genetic?
The heritability of alcohol intoxication was found to be around 50% and 55% for hangovers. These findings suggest that genes play a significant role in hangover experience, with unshared environmental factors (such as access to alcohol) accounting for the remainder of the variation.
Is Alcohol Tolerance a Thing?
Tolerance refers to the ability to drink more before feeling the effects or passing out. Some people are naturally more tolerant of alcohol than others, but it can also be caused by excessive drinking or high doses. Learn more about alcohol tolerance and why it isn’t always a good thing.
Conclusion
That concludes our in-depth examination of why some people don’t get hangovers.
We’ve gone over all of the possible explanations. Sometimes, this is because people who don’t get hangovers drink responsibly. It could be due to your metabolism or genetic factors in some cases.
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Studies show up to a quarter of people do not experience hangovers. But why isn’t it so obvious? So, if you’re wondering, “Is it normal that I don’t get hangovers?”
The answer is that you are not necessarily alone. But regardless, it’s critical to stay within safe drinking limits because it’s the safest way forward.
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