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Alcohol without the hangover – scientists are finding ways

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Re: Alcohol without the hangover – scientists are finding ways

#121

I have discovered that for me personally, taking magnesium before, during or shortly after having drinks greatly reduces hangovers. I typically get really strong headaches the day after from 2-3 drinks. If I take a 100mg magnesium supplement it is massively reduced. Alcohol depletes magnesium from your body so I guess it counters that.

NAC (N-acetyl-cysteine) is a precursor to glutathione, which is used up by your liver to break down the primary toxic metabolite of alcohol: acetylaldehyde. NAC is known as an OTC hangover "preventative," but don't take it chronically because it is a mucolytic and messes with other processes.

Aside: as a non-alcoholic fermentation, kombucha contains a lot of acetylaldehyde, so avoid it during a hangover.

Re: Alcohol without the hangover – scientists are finding ways

#122
Reading about this venture to make anf popularize GABA tickling drug without the self limiting ill effects is worrying in the long term.

Such things exist, and sure, one is fine.. but one a day for a week and then you are heading for an undescribably hellish withdrawal.

I had a brief dalliance with Phenibut for anxiety self medication. It targets GABA receptors, and boy does it work. But read about it in the forums and then you'll find the horror stories of people trying to quit, or running out and having months of nightmares and shakes and paranoia. I noped out of that in time, thankfully.

Re: Alcohol without the hangover – scientists are finding ways

#123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

3,5% is actually the maximum ABV you can get in supermarkets in Sweden by law. For anything higher ABV than that you need to go to the government-owned chain called Systembolaget or go to a bar or restaurant that has a license to serve alcohol. Because of the restrictions though, craft breweries have been making some great <3,5% beers that they sell at supermarkets.

> 3,5% is actually the maximum ABV you can get in supermarkets in Sweden by law. For anything higher ABV than that you need to go to the government-owned chain called Systembolaget Jesus that sounds terrible. I get the good intent I suppose but the hell..

It used to be the same in Colorado until recently. State law mandated only 3.2% alcohol by weight (~4.0% ABV) could be sold in grocery stores or consumed in state parks. It changed with a state-wide referendum.

There is a theory that this law is why craft beer boomed in Colorado. It is easier for small breweries to sell beer through a mom & pop liquor store than a national chain grocery store. Folks were more used to buying beer at liquor stores than other states.

Re: Alcohol without the hangover – scientists are finding ways

#124
post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just hydrate and take a multivitamin when I do plan on drinking a bit. And drink lots of water after.

Drinking lots of water before going to bed works really well - when you remember doing that...

In my university days I advocated for a tactical sandwich. Something easy to eat, probably salty like a blt and with a glass of water - had at the time you feel you transition from drunk to hungover (that's what makes it tactical). I'd make it before going out, and set an alarm for 3-5 in the morning. The alarm wakes you up, you inhale the food and drink and fall asleep immediately. Made (in my detailed scientific studies) a big difference.

Drinking less would have been the much more sensible option.

Re: Alcohol without the hangover – scientists are finding ways

#125
post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just hydrate and take a multivitamin when I do plan on drinking a bit. And drink lots of water after.

Drinking lots of water before going to bed works really well - when you remember doing that...

+1 yes, this is the most important trick.

Re: Alcohol without the hangover – scientists are finding ways

#126

I have discovered that for me personally, taking magnesium before, during or shortly after having drinks greatly reduces hangovers. I typically get really strong headaches the day after from 2-3 drinks. If I take a 100mg magnesium supplement it is massively reduced. Alcohol depletes magnesium from your body so I guess it counters that.

Chronic alcohol consumption can also cause thiamine deficiency.

Re: Alcohol without the hangover – scientists are finding ways

#128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes and... This is not ambiguous: There is no safe amount that does not affect health.[1] "We cannot talk about a so-called safe level of alcohol use. It doesn’t matter how much you drink – the risk to the drinker’s health starts from the first drop of any alcoholic beverage. The only thing that we can say for sure is that the more you drink, the more harmful it is – or, in other words, the less you drink, the safer…

I feel like these kinds of statements are not very helpful. Knowing that even a single drop of alcohol is harmful without calibrating that risk does not give me enough information to alter my behavior. Fermented foods are inherently a bit alcoholic; does eating them mean I'm doomed? If not, then at what point does imbibing alcohol turn into a real health hazard? What are the risks compared to, say, eating prosciutto…

Yes well luckily there’s an entire field dedicated to this problem: actuarial science

It’s pretty accurate at this point

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actuarial_science

Re: Alcohol without the hangover – scientists are finding ways

#129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No these aren’t the same risk calculations and in fact use different measurement language - this is important because it’s an actual argument that is fallacious and regularly used. This is the same poorly argued version of: “Milk is a gateway drug” when we’re evaluating a claim like “x% of y users used z drug before starting y, therefore z induces y” but actually irrelevant when asking for causal precursors. That is…

Your own argument is exactly the same though, just for alcohol.

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