Sex Differences in the Presence and Severity of Alcohol Hangover Symptoms.

Van Lawick Van Pabst van Lawick van Pabst,Verster Verster,Devenney Devenney

doi:10.3390/jcm8060867

Van Lawick Van Pabst van Lawick van Pabst, Verster Verster + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm8060867

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Abstract

Studies have demonstrated significant sex differences in alcohol intoxication effects. In contrast, the majority of studies on the alcohol hangover phase did not investigate sex differences. Therefore, the current study examined possible sex differences in the presence and severity of alcohol hangover symptoms. Data from n = 2446 Dutch students (male = 50.7%, female = 49.3%) were analyzed. They reported the presence and severity of 22 hangover symptoms experienced after their past month heaviest drinking occasion. Subjects were categorized according to their estimated peak blood alcohol concentration (eBAC) and presence and severity of the hangover symptoms were compared between men and women. In the lowest eBAC group (0% ≤ eBAC < 0.08%), no significant sex differences were found. In the subsequent eBAC group (0.08% ≤ eBAC < 0.11%), severity of nausea was significantly higher in women than in men. In the third eBAC group (0.11% ≤ eBAC < 0.2%), women reported higher severity scores on nausea, tiredness, weakness, and dizziness than men. Men reported the presence of confusion significantly more often than women, and women reported the presence of shivering significantly more often than men. In the fourth eBAC group (0.2% ≤ eBAC < 0.3%), women reported higher severity scores on nausea and tiredness than men. In the highest eBAC group (0.3% ≤ eBAC < 0.4%), no significant sex differences were found. In conclusion, across the eBAC groups, severity scores of nausea and tiredness were higher in women than in men. However, albeit statistically significant, the observed sex differences in presence and severity of hangover symptoms were of small magnitude, and therefore, have little clinical relevance.

Highlights

The alcohol hangover is defined as the combination of mental and physical symptoms that are experienced the day after an episode of heavy alcohol consumption, starting when blood alcohol concentration (BAC) approaches zero [1]
The current analyses showed that some sex differences in the presence and severity of hangover symptoms were observed
In contrast to Piasecki et al [74], self-rating of the effects of alcohol (SRE) scores did not significantly differ between hangover-sensitive and hangover-resistant drinkers, and the SRE scores did not significantly correlate with hangover severity. These findings suggest that sex differences in alcohol sensitivity seen during the intoxication phase may be unrelated to the sensitivity for alcohol effects expected during the hangover state

Summary

Introduction

The alcohol hangover is defined as the combination of mental and physical symptoms that are experienced the day after an episode of heavy alcohol consumption, starting when blood alcohol concentration (BAC) approaches zero [1]. Alcohol hangovers may negatively impact people’s psychological and physical well-being by increasing accidents and injury [2,3] and impairing daily activities such as driving a car [4,5] or riding a bicycle [6]. Females have more body fat and less water than men of the same body weight [7]. Since alcohol is dispensed in body water, women reach higher BAC levels than men despite consuming an identical number of alcohol units [7]. Women usually have increased bioavailability and faster disappearance rates than men [8]. Alcohol appears to impair cognitive and psychomotor functioning in women more than in men [9,10]

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