After a stressful year, people are finally winding down and year-end parties are in full swing. Shopping centres are abuzz, restaurants are packed, and pubs are filled to capacity. It’s a time for letting go and to reconnect with friends, families and loved ones. Traditionally, this means indulging in special fare. It’s virtually impossible to resist the temptations. But when does too much partying become a health risk? Can you actively lessen its impact?
Research on how bad alcohol really is for you can be confusing. But we know there's no magic bullet to mitigate the health risks of too much drinking and eating. Even small amounts of alcohol can be harmful. But there are some tips that can help you manage festive season celebrations.
Ria Catsicas, a registered dietitian from Joburg, says it's easy to underestimate how much we drink and eat over the holiday season. If you choose to have a few alcoholic drinks, your best strategy is to be mindful about how much you drink and aware of your portion size. Her advice is to intentionally pace yourself and drink nonalcoholic beverages or water in between. The amount we drink is usually determined by the time we spend at a party.
Dr Constance Adams, a specialist physician and endocrinologist from Wits, says there’s a misconception that some types of alcohol are better than others. Different types of alcohol are equally bad: how bad depends on the quantity. If you want to drink, do so in moderation. Women can drink one to two units a day and men, two to three. More than four units during one sitting is regarded as binge drinking, which can cause acute intoxication and lead to organ dysfunction and serious health issues in the short and long term.
Men have a more capacity to tolerate alcohol than women. People who drink regularly have better tolerance than those who only drink occasionally. That's because their bodies have learnt how to metabolise the alcohol more efficiently. So, binge drinking is particularly bad for people who don’t usually drink. The effect of alcohol can be felt about 15 to 45 minutes after it's been consumed.
How is alcohol metabolised?
Alcohol is a toxin that's primarily metabolised and eliminated through the liver. That’s according to Amanda Weber, a registered dietitian in private practice. If you drink alcohol, it's absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the stomach lining and small intestines. It's then carried to all the organs of the body except to bone and fat tissue. The breaking down of alcohol happens in two phases. During phase one, enzymes break down the toxins into metabolite molecules. In phase 2, metabolites are made more water soluble and eventually excreted. On average, the body metabolises about one unit of alcohol per hour depending on gender, genes and if you've eaten.
Dr Burt Jooste is a medical doctor at the Longevity Centre in Fourways, Joburg. He says you should drink water before, during and after consuming alcohol because it dehydrates you. This will help rehydrate the body and minimise its consequences. You should get into the habit of drinking water every hour rather than large amounts once or twice a day, says Jooste. This ensures you stay hydrated.
Weber agrees and adds that her advice to patients is to eat a protein and carb snack before they have alcohol. This helps to slow down absorption into the bloodstream. It forms a lining in the stomach and prevents the alcohol from entering the bloodstream through the stomach wall as rapidly as it would on an empty stomach.
Myths about alcohol
There are many myths about how to recover from a hangover, including drinking black coffee, rehydrating with electrolyte drinks, walking in fresh air, taking a cold shower, sweating it out or eating a fatty breakfast. Unfortunately, these remedies might make you feel better, but they don't remove the alcohol from your system.
Does taking supplements speed up detoxification?
Adams says there are many over-the-counter liver tonics that claim to speed up detoxification and promote cell recovery. They haven't been rigorously tested in clinical trials and aren't approved by regulatory authorities. Their use is based on anecdotal evidence. Taking supplements will not help a healthy person metabolise toxins faster.
People who have underlying health conditions, liver problems or nutrient deficiencies — especially thiamine and folate — could benefit from supplements. This could mitigate the detrimental health effects of excessive alcohol consumption.
Jooste says it's important to be proactive and take control of your health. It's quite possible to party in moderation rather than abstaining and being miserable. His advice is to get the basics right. Exercise, follow a healthy diet, watch portion size and take time out to relax. He often recommends that patients have genetic testing or blood analysis done to establishe if you a deficiency. He also says, “If necessary, you could take one of the many high-quality, person-specific supplements. These can help detoxify the liver and support healthy colon function. There’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. We're all unique.”
So, if you want to adapt your drinking and eating habits, take a leaf out of Generation Z’s party strategy. According to a Forbes article, they drink 20% less than millennials, and millennials drink less than the previous generation. Gen Z chooses moderation rather than abstinence. This is because of a growing awareness of a health-conscious lifestyle.
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