Hangover Severity Research Articles

Effects of GSH on Alcohol Metabolism and Hangover Improvement in Humans: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Crossover Clinical Trial.

The definition of alcohol hangovers refers to a combination of mental and physical side effects that occur after drinking. One of the ways that hangovers can be ameliorated is by promoting the rapid and effective elimination of acetaldehyde to alleviate the discomfort it causes. This study aimed to investigate the effects of GSH (yeast extract containing 50 mg of glutathione) on the hangover-relieving effect. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled crossover clinical trial was conducted with 40 participants who reported experiencing hangover symptoms. Participants consumed alcohol at a rate of 0.78 g per kg body weight with 40% whiskey, adjusted according to their weight. Alcohol and acetaldehyde concentrations in serum were analyzed at 0, 0.25, 1, 2, 4, 6, and 15 h after alcohol consumption. In the GSH group, the serum alcohol concentration decreased, although this change was not statistically significant. The serum acetaldehyde concentration was significantly lower in the GSH group in comparison to the placebo group (at 0.25, 1, 4, and 6 h (p < 0.01) and at 0.5, 2, and 15 h (p < 0.001) after alcohol consumption). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups on questionnaires such as the Acute Hangover Scale and the Alcohol Hangover Severity Scale. Overall, we consider the discovery that GSH lowered acetaldehyde concentration, a crucial factor in alcohol metabolism, to be more considerable. Therefore, GSH administration effectively reduces acetaldehyde levels in serum. This result suggests that this effect may contribute to the relief of hangover symptoms.

N-Acetylcysteine Ineffective in Alleviating Hangover from Binge Drinking: A Clinical Study.

Alcohol hangover (veisalgia) is a fairly common phenomenon. The pathogenesis of veisalgia is not understood and treatment has not yet been established. Occasionally, students take N-acetylcysteine (NAC) before binge drinking to alleviate hangover. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of NAC on serum levels of electrolytes, enzymes, oxidative stress biomarkers and symptoms of veisalgia in binge drinking. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, healthy students were randomly assigned into two groups: one receiving NAC and the other receiving a placebo. Blood samples were taken before drinking, 30 min after a 1.5 h long drinking session, and the subsequent morning. Serum levels of electrolytes, urea, enzymes, ethanol, 8-Hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and N-epsilon-hexanoyl-lysine were measured. The participants completed the Acute Hangover Severity Scale (AHSS) assessment based on symptoms, and 40 students (20 male), aged 23 ± 2 years, were included in the study. Their mean blood ethanol concentration was 1.4 g/kg. Serum sodium levels were increased after drinking, and urea decreased the following morning compared to their levels before drinking in both groups. Serum 8-OHdG levels were increased after drinking and remained elevated until the following morning, compared to the levels before drinking, in both groups. NAC had no effect on sodium, urea and 8-OHdG levels or the symptoms of veisalgia. In conclusion, binge drinking causes a transient increase in serum sodium and as a prolonged increase in oxidative marker 8-OHdG levels. NAC had no effect on the sodium and 8-OHdG levels.

Inflammation, oxidative stress and gut microbiome perturbation: A narrative review of mechanisms and treatment of the alcohol hangover.

Alcohol is the most widely abused substance in the world, the leading source of mortality in 15-49-year-olds, and a major risk factor for heart disease, liver disease, diabetes, and cancer. Despite this, alcohol is regularly misused in wider society. Consumers of excess alcohol often note a constellation of negative symptoms, known as the alcohol hangover. However, the alcohol hangover is not considered to have long-term clinical significance by clinicians or consumers. We undertook a critical review of the literature to demonstrate the pathophysiological mechanisms of the alcohol hangover. Hereafter, the alcohol hangover is re-defined as a manifestation of sickness behavior secondary to alcohol-induced inflammation, using the Bradford-Hill criteria to demonstrate causation above correlation. Alcohol causes inflammation through oxidative stress and endotoxemia. Alcohol metabolism is oxidative and increased intake causes relative tissue hypoxia and increased free radical generation. Tissue damage ensues through lipid peroxidation and the formation of DNA/protein adducts. Byproducts of alcohol metabolism such as acetaldehyde and congeners, sleep deprivation, and the activation of nonspecific inducible CYP2E1 in alcohol-exposed tissues exacerbate free radical generation. Tissue damage and cell death lead to inflammation, but in the intestine loss of epithelial cells leads to intestinal permeability, allowing the translocation of pathogenic bacteria to the systemic circulation (endotoxemia). This leads to a well-characterized cascade of systemic inflammation, additionally activating toll-like receptor 4 to induce sickness behavior. Considering the evidence, it is suggested that hangover frequency and severity may be predictors of the development of later alcohol-related diseases, meriting formal confirmation in prospective studies. In light of the mechanisms of alcohol-mediated inflammation, research into gut permeability and the gut microbiome may be an exciting future therapeutic avenue to prevent alcohol hangover and other alcohol-related diseases.

Hairy drinking may cause severe hangover symptoms in patients taking low-dose minoxidil.

Hairy drinking may cause severe hangover symptoms in patients taking low-dose minoxidil.

Baijiu hangover: Correlation analysis between neurobiochemical and behavioral parameters in a mouse model and clinical symptoms

Baijiu, a distilled Chinese spirit, is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages. However, excessive drinking of Baijiu may cause severe hangover symptoms, including headache, reduced appetite, and dizziness. Herein, we aimed to characterize various clinical hangover symptoms induced by binge consumption of Baijiu samples with different post-drinking qualities in a BALB/c mouse model. Baijiu sample with higher concentrations of alcohols and aldehydes resulted in more severe hangovers in population. Mice administered with the low post-drinking quality Baijiu exhibited altered neurobiochemical parameters and impaired motor performance 10 h after gavage dose of 4.3 g ethanol/kg body weight, including decreased brain 5-hydroxytryptamine, sucrose preference, increased serum endothelin and gait ataxia. Correlation analysis further revealed that these mouse indices were strongly correlated with hangover symptoms in population, and profound correlations were observed between mice indicators and Baijiu congeners. These results indicated that assessing these mouse indices at 10 h after administration can effectively discriminate Baijiu with different hangover effects, and high concentrations of congeners, such as alcohols and aldehydes, may be responsible for the varying post-drinking qualities of Baijiu.

Advanced clinical symptoms of the antihangover compound HK-GCM-H01 in healthy Koreans.

A hangover is a combination of negative mental and physical symptoms, such as headache, diarrhea, and loss of appetite, that occur after alcohol consumption and can vary depending on individual genetic and environmental factors. To quickly relieve these hangover symptoms, a new hangover relief compound called HK-GCM-H01 has been developed. This compound, HK-GCM-H01, consists of fermented rice germ extracts, yeast extract mixtures, cili extract powder, and concentrated nipafam powder, all of which are known to relieve hangover symptoms. The safety and clinical symptoms of HK-GCM-H01 were evaluated, along with the pharmacokinetic properties of alcohol and acetaldehyde after its administration. This study was conducted on 50 healthy Korean men using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-intake, crossover design. To evaluate clinical symptoms, Acute Hangover Scale and Alcohol Hangover Severity Scale were used, and the pharmacokinetic evaluation parameters included the maximum plasma concentration, the time to peak plasma concentration, the terminal half-life, and the area under the plasma concentration-time curve from X hours to Y hours. A significant reduction in clinical symptoms was observed after alcohol consumption in the group that consumed HK-GCM-H01 with added hangover relief compound, as was a significant decrease in blood exposure to acetaldehyde compared to the placebo group. There were no adverse events or significant changes in liver function indicators reported during the safety evaluation. These findings indicate that HK-GCM-H01 is safe and significantly reduces plasma concentrations of acetaldehyde, the main cause of hangover, suggesting that it improves hangover symptoms.

An evening of alcohol consumption negatively impacts next-day immune fitness in both hangover-sensitive drinkers and hangover-resistant drinkers

BackgroundSurvey research found poorer baseline immune fitness for self-reported hangover-sensitive drinkers compared to hangover-resistant drinkers. However, up to now a limited number of clinical studies revealed mixed results regarding the relationship between the concentrations of biomarkers of systemic inflammation in blood or saliva with hangover severity, and could not differentiate between hangover-sensitive drinkers and hangover-resistant drinkers. The aim of this study was to assess immune fitness and saliva biomarkers of systemic inflammation at multiple timepoints following an alcohol day and alcohol-free control day. Methods: The study had a semi-naturalistic design. In the evening before the test days, participants were not supervised. They could drink ad libitum drinking on the alcohol test day and refrained from drinking alcohol on the control day. Activities and behaviors on the alcohol and control day were reported the follow morning. On both test days, from 09:30 to 15:30, hourly assessments of immune fitness (single-item scale) and overall hangover severity (single-item scale) were made and saliva samples were collected for biomarker assessments. Results: N = 14 hangover-resistant drinkers and n = 15 hangover-sensitive drinkers participated in the study. The amount of alcohol consumed on the alcohol day did not significantly differ between the hangover-resistant group (mean (SD) of 13.5 (7.9) alcoholic drinks) and the hangover-sensitive group (mean (SD) of 12.4 (4.4) alcoholic drinks). All hangover-sensitive drinkers reported having a hangover following the alcohol day (overall hangover severity score 6.1 (on a 0–10 scale) at 09:30, gradually decreasing to 3.3 at 15:30), whereas the hangover-resistant drinkers reported no hangover. On the control day, immune fitness of the hangover-sensitive group was significantly poorer than the hangover-resistant group. On the alcohol day, both groups showed a significant reduction in immune fitness. The effect was evident throughout the day, but significantly more pronounced in the hangover-sensitive group than the hangover-resistant group. No significant differences between the groups were found at any time point on the two test days for saliva concentrations of Interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Conclusions: Whereas hangover-sensitive drinkers reported a hangover following an alcohol day and hangover-resistant drinkers did not, both groups reported significantly reduced immune fitness throughout the day. However, the reduction in immune fitness among hangover-sensitive drinkers was significantly more pronounced in comparison to the hangover-resistant group.

Predictors of Hangover Frequency and Severity: The Impact of Alcohol Consumption, Mental Resilience, Personality, Lifestyle, Coping and Mood.

Mental resilience is the ability to bounce back from daily life stressors such as divorce or losing a job. Extensive research has demonstrated a negative relationship between mental resilience and alcohol consumption. That is, both the quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption are greater in individuals with lower levels of mental resilience. There has, however, been little scientific attention paid to the relationship between mental resilience and alcohol hangover severity. The objective of this study was to evaluate psychological factors that may impact the frequency and severity of alcohol hangovers, including alcohol intake itself, mental resilience, personality, baseline mood, lifestyle, and coping mechanisms. An online survey was conducted among Dutch adults (N = 153) who had a hangover after their heaviest drinking occasion in the period before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (15 January to 14 March 2020). Questions were asked about their alcohol consumption and hangover severity on their heaviest drinking occasion. Mental resilience was assessed with the Brief Mental Resilience scale, personality with the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised Short Scale (EPQ-RSS), mood via single item assessments, and lifestyle and coping with the modified Fantastic Lifestyle Checklist. The partial correlation, corrected for estimated peak blood alcohol concentration (BAC), between mental resilience and hangover severity was not significant (r = 0.010, p = 0.848). Furthermore, no significant correlations were found between hangover severity or frequency and personality and baseline mood. For lifestyle and coping factors, a negative correlation was found between the use of tobacco and toxins (i.e., drugs, medicines, caffeine) and the frequency of experiencing hangovers. Regression analysis revealed that hangover severity after the heaviest drinking occasion (31.2%) was the best predictor of hangover frequency, and that subjective intoxication on the heaviest drinking occasion (38.4%) was the best predictor of next-day hangover severity. Mood, mental resilience, and personality were not relevant predictors of hangover frequency and severity. In conclusion, mental resilience, personality, and baseline mood do not predict hangover frequency and severity.

Does Personality, Trait Emotion Regulation, and Trait Attentional Control Contribute toward the Experience and Impact of an Alcohol Hangover?

Mixed results have been reported for the relationship between personality and hangover, but recent findings have indicated that regulatory and attentional control processes may relate to hangover severity and the impact of a hangover on completing daily activities. This study aimed to explore how these factors relate to hangover severity, hangover impact, and to unhealthy alcohol use. In total, 108 participants completed a survey, rating the severity and impact of their last-experienced hangover and completing measures of the above factors. Separate multiple linear regressions were conducted to analyse each outcome (severity, impact, unhealthy drinking). For severity, the overall regression was significant (Adj. R2 = 0.46, p < 0.001), with the attentional control factor 'Focusing' (B = -0.096, p = 0.011), and personality factor 'Agreeableness' (B = 0.072, p = 0.005) predicting severity. For impact, the overall regression was significant (Adj. R2 = 0.41, p < 0.001) with the attentional control factor 'Shifting' (B = -0.252, p = 0.021), personality factors 'Extraversion' (B = 0.225, p = 0.009) and 'Agreeableness' (B = -0.156, p = 0.042), and hangover severity (B = 1.603, p < 0.001) predicting impact. For unhealthy drinking, the overall regression model was significant (Adj. R2 = 0.45, p < 0.001) with emotion dysregulation factors 'Awareness' (B = 0.301, p = 0.044) and 'Impulse Control' (B = 0.381, p = 0.011) predicting unhealthy drinking. These findings add to our understanding of the heterogeneity of hangover experience and highlight that attentional control, emotion regulation, and personality play important roles in the experience and impact of a hangover.

Alcohol Consumption, Hangovers, and Smoking among Buenos Aires University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In Argentina, the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic led to serious changes to social interaction, health, economy, and education. Argentina experienced two extensive lockdown periods. University education remained virtual for almost two academic years. The purpose of the present work was to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 lockdowns in Argentina on alcohol consumption, hangover severity and smoking among university students in Buenos Aires. A retrospective online survey was conducted in 2021 among students of the University of Buenos Aires. Participants aged 18-35 years old were asked about the average number of alcoholic drinks and number of drinking days per week, binge drinking occasions, drunkenness, next day hangover severity, number of hangovers per month, and smoking behavior. The results showed that the first and second COVID-19 lockdowns were associated with significant reductions in both weekly alcohol consumption, and hangover severity and subjective intoxication on their heaviest drinking occasions. Males consumed significantly more alcohol than females, and older students (25-35 years old) consumed more alcohol than younger students (18-24 years old). In addition, younger students reduced the number of cigarettes smoked per day during the two lockdown periods while older students exhibited significantly more smoking days per week. In conclusion, the present work in Argentinian students revealed a significant reduction in weekly alcohol consumption, and subjective intoxication and hangover severity on their heaviest drinking occasions during the pandemic lockdown periods.

Blackouts and hangover experiences among Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White college students

Blackouts and hangovers may negatively impact college students’ health and productivity. However, few studies have considered the impact of cultural differences on students’ individual experiences with blackouts and hangovers. To address this issue, the current study explored the potential relationships of shame and resilience with Hispanic (n = 381) and non-Hispanic White (NHW, n = 332) students’ self-reported blackouts and hangover experiences. Students completed an online survey measuring shame, resilience, presence of lifetime blackout experiences preceding a hangover, and past-year hangover severity. Analyses included separate path models examining shame and resilience, and the interaction between shame and resilience with Hispanic ethnicity in relation to blackouts and hangover experiences. Significant pathways emerged between resilience, but not shame, and blackouts and hangover experiences. A subscale of resilience reflecting personal competence and tenacity was related to greater likelihood of reporting blackouts and greater hangover severity for Hispanics but not NHW students. Conversely, a dimension of resilience characterized by trusting one’s instincts and tolerance of negative affect was related to a lower likelihood of reporting a blackout preceding a hangover for Hispanics but not NHW students. Finally, a resilience subscale associated with spiritual influences was positively related to blackouts in the participant population as a whole. These results reinforce the notion that resilience is an important target for intervention and prevention of hazardous drinking, but reveal that it may have both positive and negative effects in college students, which may differ by ethnicity.

Hydrogen intake relieves alcohol consumption and hangover symptoms in healthy adults: a randomized and placebo-controlled crossover study

Alcohol-induced hangover represents a significant, yet understudied, global hazard and a large socioeconomic burden. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of hydrogen on relieving drinking and hangover symptoms in 20 healthy volunteers. In this pilot, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, matched, crossover interventional trial, participants were matched into pairs and randomly assigned. Study group 1 inhaled placebo air for 1 h, followed by drinking 100 mL liquor (40% alcohol) within 10 min, and then pure water. Study group 2 inhaled a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen gas for 1 h, followed by drinking 100 mL liquor within 10 min, and then hydrogen dissolved in water. On a second intervention day (crossover) ≥1 wk later, study-group subjects were switched to the opposite order. Breath alcohol concentration (BrAC), hangover severity, and cognitive scores were measured. The BrACs within the hydrogen group were significantly lower than those within the placebo group after 30 min, 60 min, and 90 min (P< 0.05). The hydrogen group reported having fewer hangover symptoms compared with the placebo group (placebo: 77% of symptoms absent, 19.7% of mild symptoms, 2.7% of moderate symptoms, 0.7% of severe symptoms; hydrogen: 88.6% of symptoms absent, 10% of mild symptoms, 1.3% of moderate symptoms, 0% of severe symptoms; P< 0.001). Hydrogen treatment improved cognitive testing scores (P< 0.05), including attention and executive functions. Furthermore, consumption of hydrogen was negatively (β = -13.016; 95% CI: -17.726, -8.305; P< 0.001) and female sex was positively (β = 22.611; 95% CI: 16.226, 28.997; P< 0.001) correlated with increased BrACs. Likewise, the consumption of hydrogen was negatively (OR: 0.035; 95% CI: 0.007, 0.168; P< 0.001) while female sex was positively (OR: 28.838; 95% CI: 5.961, 139.506; P< 0.001) correlated with the severity of hangover symptoms. Hydrogen decreases BrACs and relieves the symptoms of hangovers. This trial was registered at the China Clinical Trial Registry (http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=58359) as ChiCTR2200059988.

Availability of different types of alcohol and amount of intake and next-day hangover – a naturalistic randomized controlled pilot trial

PurposeThe authors tested the hypothesis that having a high availability of different types of alcoholic drinks (beer, wine or spirits) as compared to being confined to one type only associate with a higher alcohol intake and worse next-day hangover.Design/methodology/approachThis randomized controlled pilot trial took place over one evening and included 35 individuals randomized into two groups. Individuals in the mixed-type group could consume any type of alcoholic drink (beer, wine, cocktails), whereas individuals in the single-type group were to adhere to one type of own choice. Information on number of drinks was obtained continuously during the trial. Hangover symptoms were reported by participants using the Acute Hangover Severity Scale (AHSS) at 8:00, 12:00 and 16:30 the following day. Median regression was used to assess number of drinks and maximum AHSS in two groups.FindingsParticipants in the mixed-type group consumed significantly more drinks compared to the single-type group (10.9 vs 5.7, p < 0.001). The maximal AHSS score the day after drinking was higher in the mixed-type group as compared to the single-type group (median 4.3 vs 2.6, p < 0.0001).Originality/valueThis study suggests that having a variety of alcoholic drinks available associates to a higher alcohol intake and more severe hangover as compared to having to adhere to one type only. Larger studies are warranted to validate findings.

Associations between Mental Resilience, Mood, Coping, Personality, and Hangover Severity.

Extensive research exists on relationships between psychological constructs and alcohol consumption. However, research on relationships with hangover severity remains limited. This study aimed to assess the associations between mental resilience, mood (i.e., depression, anxiety, and stress), coping, personality, and hangover severity. A total of N = 690 participants completed an online survey by answering questions regarding their demographics, alcohol use, hangover prevalence and severity, and several psychological assessments (Brief Resilience Scale, DASS-21, Brief Cope, and Brief Version of the Big Five Personality Inventory). Significant associations were found between hangover severity and mental resilience, mood, and avoidant coping. Higher levels of mental resilience were associated with less severe hangovers, whereas poorer mood was associated with more severe hangovers. No significant associations were found with personality traits. These findings demonstrate that several associations between psychological constructs and hangover severity exist and suggest a role of psychological factors in the pathology of the alcohol hangover. As our findings contrast with the results of previous studies that did not report an association between mental resilience and the presence and severity of hangovers, further research is warranted.

Alcohol Consumption on the Heaviest Drinking Occasion and Hangovers during the First Dutch COVID-19 Lockdown.

The purpose of this study was to compare alcohol consumption between the heaviest drinking occasion in the period before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown (15 January–14 March 2020) and the first COVID-19 lockdown period (15 March–11 May 2020) in the Netherlands, including the presence and severity of associated hangovers. The analysis included a sub-sample from the “Corona Lockdown: how fit are you?” (CLOFIT) study, comprising N = 761 participants who reported consuming alcohol in 2020. Overall, on the heaviest drinking occasion during the first COVID-19 lockdown period a significant reduction in number of alcoholic drinks consumed on the heaviest drinking occasion, drinking duration, and estimated BAC was observed. A significant reduction was also observed for subjective intoxication and next-day hangover severity. During the lockdown period, a significant reduction in the frequency of alcohol hangovers was reported. Several age and sex differences were observed. Specifically, men consumed significantly more alcohol than women and experienced hangovers significantly more frequently, both before and during the lockdown. With regard to age, young adults (18–35 years old) significantly reduced their alcohol intake on the heaviest drinking occasion during the lockdown and also reported lower ratings of subjective intoxication and hangover severity. No significant changes were seen for individuals above 35 years old. In conclusion, the first COVID-19 lockdown in the Netherlands was associated with reduced alcohol intake on the heaviest drinking occasion and a reduction in the severity of hangovers, particularly among young male adults.

The impact of past year’s immune fitness and dietary zinc intake on subjective intoxication and alcohol hangover severity

The impact of past year’s immune fitness and dietary zinc intake on subjective intoxication and alcohol hangover severity

The Relationship between Alcohol Hangover Severity, Sleep and Cognitive Performance; a Naturalistic Study.

Alcohol hangover (AH) has been associated with poor sleep due to the negative effects of alcohol intoxication on sleep quantity and sleep quality. The aim of the current study was to further explore the relationship between AH severity and sleep using a naturalistic study design. A further aim was to determine whether quantitative aspects of sleep were a mediating influence on the relationship between AH severity and cognitive performance. As part of the naturalistic study design, 99 drinkers were recruited following a night of drinking in an Australian state capital, with breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) measured as participants were leaving the entertainment district. The following morning at home, participants answered online questions regarding their drinking behaviour on the previous evening, current AH symptoms and sleep quality. Participants also completed an online version of the Trail-Making Test B (TMT-B) to assess cognitive performance. The findings reveal the duration of nightly awakenings to be negatively related to six individual AH symptoms as well as overall AH severity. The number of nightly awakenings, sleep quality and total sleep time correlated with four AH symptoms including overall AH severity. Total AH severity accounted for a moderate amount of variance (11%) in the time to complete the TMT-B. These findings confirm that alcohol consumption negatively affects sleep, which is related to higher next-day hangover severity ratings and poorer cognitive performance.

P.0309 The effect of dihydromyricetin (dhm) from hovenia dulcis extract on alcohol hangover severity

P.0309 The effect of dihydromyricetin (dhm) from hovenia dulcis extract on alcohol hangover severity

Transition to Online Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Impact of Changes in Alcohol Consumption and Experiencing Hangovers on Academic Functioning.

In the Netherlands, the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic had a significant impact on daily life, with two extensive lockdowns enforced to combat the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. These measures included the closure of bars and restaurants, and the transition from face-to-face to online education. A survey was conducted among Dutch pharmacy students and PhD-candidates to investigate the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on alcohol consumption, hangovers, and academic functioning. The analysis revealed a significant reduction in both quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 lockdown periods. This was accompanied with a significant reduction in hangover frequency and lower hangover severity during COVID-19 lockdown periods. The distribution of scores on academic performance showed great variability between respondents: while some participants reported impairment, others reported improved performance during the COVID-19 pandemic, or no change. Women reported that significantly more time investment was associated with maintaining these performance levels. Consistent among participants was the notion of reduced interactions with teachers and other students. Participants who reported more hangovers and most severe hangovers before COVID-19 benefited from the lockdown periods in terms of improved academic performance. Positive correlations were found between study grades/output and both the frequency and severity of hangovers experienced before COVID-19, suggesting that heavier drinkers, in particular, improved academic performance during the lockdown periods. In conclusion, COVID-19 lockdowns were associated with a significant reduction in both alcohol consumption and experiencing hangovers, which was, among heavier drinkers particularly, associated with significantly improved academic functioning.

The 5HTOL/5HIAA Ratio as a Biomarker of Alcohol Hangover

Assessment of the presence and severity of alcohol hangovers relies on the subjective method of self-report. Therefore, there is a need of adequate biomarkers that (1) correlate significantly with hangover severity, and (2) correspond to the level of hangover-related performance impairment objectively. In this naturalistic study, n = 35 social drinkers participated. Urine samples were obtained the morning after alcohol consumption and after an alcohol-free control day. Concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptophol (5-HTOL), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) and the 5-HTOL/5-HIAA ratio were determined. The results confirm previous findings that 5-HTOL and the 5HTOL/5-HIAA ratio are useful biomarkers of recent alcohol consumption. Significant correlations were found with the amount of alcohol consumed, total drink time, and estimated BAC. However, urine concentrations of 5-HTOL and 5-HIAA (and their ratio 5HTOL/5-HIAA) did not significantly correlate with hangover severity. In conclusion, urine 5-HTOL, 5-HIAA, and the 5HTOL/5-HIAA ratio cannot be considered to be suitable biomarkers of alcohol hangover.