hangover gets worse as you age

If you’ve ever found yourself uttering words to the effect of “I swear I just don’t seem to recover the way I used to after a big night out,” you’ll be happy to know it’s not just in your mind.

Elite Daily recently invited Dr. Kevin Soden and fitness expert Ricki Friedman to delve into exactly why our hangovers seem to become more nausea-inducing and head-throbbing every time we blow out another birthday candle. And science (as always) seems to have the answer.

Firstly Soden and Friedman explained that a lot of our hangover torture is due to the way our bodies process alcohol.

Generally, we’re capable of processing one standard drink per hour. If you spend the night knocking back the bevies at a much faster speed, you’re asking a hell of a lot of your system. Because the process of metabolising alcohol turns a highly toxic chemical into a non-toxic one, the toxicity levels build up as your liver struggles with the process, therefore leaving you effectively poisoned with alcohol.

We’re sure we don’t need to remind you that this results in you feeling dehydrated, nauseous and fatigued.

So why is does this process seem to get worse with age? Friedman explains our livers aren’t quite up to the task anymore. “As we get older, our livers produce less antioxidants, and the toxins end up passing through our bodies causing headaches, vomiting and all those other really fun hangover experiences.”

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In addition, ageing livers often become fatty due to changes in lifestyle and diet. A fatty liver is one which is inefficient in processing alcohol, therefore leaving you with a much worse hangover than you would have experienced in your younger years.

Back in the day you used to be able to party all night, throw back shots like no ones business and after a quick shower, turn up semi-presentable to work. Nowadays your hangover seems to be a prolonged journey of pain and torture which often lasts the entire duration of the day. We know, it’s not fair.

Alcohol also disrupts our sleep patterns which can, in turn, affect the way we bounce back after a big night on the turps. Drinking alcohol, claims Soden, affects the REM patterns of sleep, which enable the body to recover and repair.

Perhaps it's time to hang up your card carrying membership at happy hour and stick to the recommended amount of drinks per night. Your 'tomorrow self' will thank you for it.

Have your hangovers become more and more horrific with every year you age?

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BreadKATIE THOMSITT, Dieticians Australia spokesperson says: "Lots of people shy away from bread to achieve weight loss. But bread is such an important source of fibre, and plays such a helpful role in weight loss and preventing bowel cancer. A couple of slices of a dark, seedy bread per day is absolutely fine."

CheeseKATIE SAYS: "Cheese is definitely a higher fat source of dairy, but still a good dairy fat. Choose low-fat options if you have it regularly, otherwise consume it in moderation. One serve of dairy is 30g, so a couple of slices is absolutely fine."

ChocolateKARA LANDAU, The Travelling Dietician says: "Studies have been able to show that dark chocolate can improve insulin sensitivity, reduce blood pressure in healthy individuals, protect against heart disease, and improve HDL good cholesterol (not a bad start for such a tasty food!). Dark chocolate also contains polyphenols, whilst white chocolate does not. These polyphenolic compounds are able to relax blood vessels allowing for better blood circulation, and thereby assisting with the maintenance of healthy blood pressure levels."

CoffeeKATIE SAYS: "Coffee is a really good snack, in particular if its milk-based to get the dairy in - for example, a skim latte. As long as its in moderation - daily guidelines say a maximum of three per day! And you want lots of water on top of that."

EggsKARA SAYS: "Yes, even the yolks are good for you! Healthy fat soluble vitamins, as well as half the protein found in an egg, are all found in the yolk!"

Avocado KATIE SAYS: "Avocado is a healthy fat. Lots of people think its high-fat and not good for you, but its rich in mono unsaturated fats, which give you protection against heart disease. It also helps with controlling lower cholesterol levels."

nutsKATIE SAYS: "Nuts fall into the same category as avocado - they have lots of healthy oils and fibre."

dairyKARA SAYS: "Often milk and yoghurts are fortified with Vitamin D (a fat soluble vitamin) which requires a small amount of fat to be present in order for the body to absorb it, therefore having the full fat variety can be of value to enhance the nutritional benefits from the products' consumption. The fat in the dairy also aids with satiety, which could prevent unhealthy snacking at a later point in the day."

PotatoKATIE SAYS: "Potato always gets a bad rap as a starchy vegetable, but it's an excellent source of fibre. Sweet potato in particular is great for weight management and sugar level control. Potatoes are also really rich in potassium."

Red meatKARA SAYS: People tend to restrict red meat unnecessarily, thinking that its high in saturated fat. "But lean red meat is high in protein, CLA (which has been found to be associated with lower body fat percentages), B12, iron and zinc. These are all nutrients we want to get into our body!"

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The reason your hangovers get more and more horrific as you age.

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