Piercing headaches, nausea and exhaustion are all too familiar to anyone who has ever had a few too many drinks.
But have you ever wondered why you feel so much worse in the morning after a night of red wine than many other types of drinks?
Researchers think they’ve found the reason why those delicious cabernets and pinots cause so much pain the next day.
According to American scientists, a substance called quercetin – which is abundant in red wines – can prevent the body from processing alcohol properly.
Red wine contains more quercetin because whole grapes, including the skins, are used; white wine has the skin and seeds removed.
Quercetin is also more abundant in grapes exposed to more sunlight, according to researchers at the University of California.
This means that cheaper red wine may actually be better for preventing a hangover, because cheaper grape varieties are grown on vines with a large canopy and lots of leaves, so they don’t get as much sun.
“If you’re willing to take a chance, look for a cheap, lighter red wine,” said Professor Andrew Waterhouse, an expert in oenology, and Apramita Devi, a postdoctoral researcher in food science. The conversation.
Researchers think they have discovered the reason why wine – and especially red wine – causes such quick and undeserved headaches
The NHS recommends people drink no more than 14 ‘units’ of alcohol – around six glasses of wine or pints of beer – per week
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The scientists don’t know exactly how quercetin affects people directly, but they think it blocks an enzyme necessary to break down alcohol in the body.
“First, alcohol is converted (in the liver) into the compound acetaldehyde,” they said.
‘The enzyme ALDH then converts the acetaldehyde into acetate, a common and harmless substance.’
Once this happens, it can be removed from the body as waste.
However, quercetin prevents acetaldehyde from converting to acetate, so it stays in the body and causes inflammation and headaches.
“Our enzyme tests suggest that quercetin… disrupts alcohol metabolism in your body,” she added.
Studies have previously suggested that sulphites – preservatives used to extend shelf life and keep wine fresh – may be the cause of red wine headaches, which can strike within half an hour of drinking even small amounts.
However, in general, sulfite content is higher in sweet white wines than in red wines.
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Another possible culprit is histamine, an ingredient more common in red wine than in white or rose wine.
Histamine can dilate the blood vessels in the body, which can cause headaches. But the research is limited.
The team, who published their research on quercetin in the journal, Scientific reportsnow hope to test their theory with clinical studies on the effects of red wines with different quercetin levels.
They hope the findings could be just that help people avoid red wine headaches in the future.
Leading experts have debated the harms of moderate alcohol consumption for decades.
It came into the spotlight last year when WHO officials warned that no amount of alcohol is safe.
The NHS recommends people drink no more than fourteen ‘units’ of alcohol – around six glasses of wine or pints of beer – per week.
This has been diluted in recent decades in light of studies illustrating the health hazards of alcohol.
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Meanwhile, the US says women should have no more than seven standard drinks a week, while men should have 14.
Scientists across the board agree that excessive alcohol consumption can permanently damage the liver, cause a range of cancers and increase blood pressure.
It strains the heart muscle and can lead to cardiovascular disease (CVD), increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Binge drinking – sometimes defined as consuming five drinks in two hours – can cause the heart to beat irregularly, which can cause symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue and increased blood pressure.
The World Health Organization estimates that alcohol kills three million people around the world every year.