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Age Worsens Hangovers

by Kathy Jones on Mar 20 2011 4:36 PM

 Age Worsens Hangovers
An expert has said that hangovers actually get worse as we get older.
Jim Schaefer, an alcohol metabolism expert and anthropology professor at Union College in upstate Schenectady, told MSNBC.com that as people age, their bodies are not as adept at processing alcohol as they once were.

"The critical enzymes for breaking down booze are somewhat diminished in efficiency as we age," the New York Daily News quoted Schaefer as saying.

According to Schaefer, the body depends on the enzymes alcohol dehydrogenase, or ALDH, and aldehyde dehydrogenase, or ADH, to break down alcohol into a nontoxic substance called acetic acid.

As those enzyme levels go down, hangovers get worse.

If you do plan to party, Schaefer says, keep another point in mind: Pounding cheap booze leads to pounding headaches the next morning. Inexpensive beer, wine and liquor are guaranteed to intensify hangovers over pricier options, he said.

"The more expensive liquors are often filtered and triple or more distilled-thus, cleaner alcohol, less junk," he said.

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Source-ANI


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