How does alcohol cause hangovers? - Judy Grisel

翻译人员: Yan Li Xiao 校对人员: Yuwei Wu

In a 1973 study, 20 volunteers got drunk once a week for 8 consecutive weeks,

在 1973 年的一项研究中发现， 20 名志愿者连续 8 周，每周喝醉一次，

each time on a different alcoholic beverage,

每次都是因为不同的酒精饮料，

and each time with precisely the same dosage—

而且每次都精确地是 相同的剂量——

this was science, after all.

毕竟这是科学。

The goal of this experiment was to find out which alcoholic drinks

这个实验的目标是找到 哪些酒精饮料

cause worse hangovers.

会导致更严重的宿醉。

Of course, it takes much more than one small study to answer such a question.

当然，它需要远远不止一个 小研究来回答这样的问题。

Since then, science has learned a lot about hangovers—

从此，科学学到了很多 关于宿醉的知识——

though some mysteries remain.

尽管还有一些谜团。

The molecule responsible for hangovers is ethanol,

导致宿醉的分子是乙醇，

which we colloquially refer to as alcohol.

我们俗称它为酒精。

Ethanol is present in all alcoholic beverages, and generally speaking,

乙醇存在于所有的酒精 饮料中，一般来说，

the more ethanol, the greater the potential for a hangover.

乙醇越多， 宿醉的可能性就越大。

The symptoms and severity can vary depending on weight, age,

症状和严重程度 可能会因体重、年龄、

genetics, and other factors.

遗传和其他因素而有所不同。

But still, hangovers generally share some common— and unpleasant— features.

但是，宿醉通常都会有 一些常见且令人不快的特征。

So how exactly does alcohol cause a hangover?

那么酒精到底是怎么导致宿醉的呢？

And is there any way to reliably prevent one?

有什么可靠地办法来防止宿醉嗎？

Alcohol slows down the communication between neural cells.

酒精会减慢 神经细胞之间的沟通速度。

After someone has had their last drink,

在某人喝完最后一杯酒后，

as the concentration of alcohol in the blood drops back to zero,

当在血液里的酒精浓度降到零时，

the brain rebounds from sedation and swings in the other direction,

大脑从镇静中反弹 并朝另一个方向摆动，

entering a hyperactive state.

并进入多动状态。

This may lead to the tremors or rapid heartbeat associated with hangovers.

这可能会导致与宿醉 相关的震颤或心跳加快。

It also makes sleep shorter and less restful than normal.

它还会缩短睡眠时间 并且不像平时那样安宁。

But these effects are just the beginning—

但这些影响只是开始——

alcohol impacts so many of the body’s processes,

酒精会影响很多的身体过程，

throwing delicate balances off-kilter.

使脆弱的平衡失衡。

And even the most familiar hangover symptoms have surprising contributors.

甚至是最熟悉的宿醉 症状都有令人惊讶的贡献。

For example, alcohol disrupts levels of many hormones.

例如，酒精扰乱会许多激素的水平。

One of those hormones is cortisol.

其中一个激素是皮质醇。

Normally, fluctuating cortisol levels help regulate wakefulness

正常情况下，皮质醇水平的波动

throughout the day and night.

会帮助调节白天和晚上的清醒程度。

So the disruption in cortisol during a hangover

所以在宿醉期间皮质醇的干涉

may cause people to feel groggy or disoriented.

可能会导致人们感到昏昏沉沉的 或着让他们迷失方向。

Another hormone alcohol interferes with is vasopressin,

另一种酒精会干扰的激素是加压素，

which normally decreases the volume of urine made by the kidneys.

通常会降低由肾脏 产生的尿液的体积。

By decreasing levels of vasopressin,

通过降低加压素的水平，

alcohol causes people to pee more and become dehydrated.

酒精会导致人们经常 地小便并导致他们脱水。

Dehydration can lead to thirst, dry mouth, weakness, lightheadedness, and headache,

脱水会导致口渴、口干、 虚弱、头晕和头痛，

one of the most common hangover symptoms.

最常见的宿醉症状之一。

In addition to dehydration, hangover headaches can result

除了脱水，宿醉头痛可能是

from alcohol’s influence on chemical signaling in the brain,

由于酒精对大脑中 的化学信号的影响，

especially on neurotransmitters involved in pain signaling.

尤其是涉及疼痛信号的神经递质。

Alcohol can also damage mitochondria,

酒精也会损害线粒体,

which are responsible for producing the ATP that gives us energy.

负责产生给我们能量的 ATP。

This may contribute to the fatigue, weakness, and mood disturbances

这可能会导致宿醉期间经历的

experienced during a hangover.

疲劳，虚弱和情绪障碍。

Meanwhile, alcohol stimulates the immune system,

同时，酒精会刺激免疫系统，

leading to inflammation that can damage cells within the brain,

并导致会损害大脑内的细胞的炎症，

affect mood, and impair memory.

然后影响情绪和损害记忆力。

And it can irritate the gastrointestinal tract

它会刺激胃肠道

and inflame the lining of the stomach and intestines.

并让胃和肠的内膜发炎。

Alcohol may also slow down stomach emptying,

酒精也可能减慢胃排空的速度，

which could lead to increased production of gastric acid.

这可能导致增加胃酸的产生。

This is why alcohol can cause stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting.

这就是为什么酒精会导致 胃痛、恶心和呕吐。

Alcoholic drinks also contain other substances that are produced

酒精饮料还含有其他 赋予饮料独特的风味，

during the fermentation process that give the drink its specific flavor.

在发酵过程中产生的物质。

Some evidence suggests that one of these, methanol,

一些证据表明，其中之一，甲醇，

is particularly bad for hangovers.

对宿醉特别有害。

The body doesn’t start metabolizing methanol

在它完成处理乙醇前，

until it’s done processing ethanol.

身体不会开始代谢甲醇的。

And when it does, the toxic metabolites of methanol

而当它发生时， 甲醇的有毒代谢物

may potentially worsen the hangover symptoms.

可能会恶化宿醉症状。

Beverages that are closer to pure ethanol, such as gin and vodka,

更接近纯乙醇的饮料， 例如杜松子酒和伏特加，

may cause fewer hangover effects.

可能会减少宿醉的影响。

Meanwhile, the presence of flavoring ingredients in beverages

同时，在威士忌、 白兰地和红酒等饮料中

like whiskey, brandy, and red wine,

调味品成分的存在，

may make these kinds of alcohol cause more hangover symptoms.

可能会让这些酒精 引起更多的宿醉症状。

So, the choice of alcoholic beverage matters,

所以，酒类的选择饮料很重要，

but any of them can cause hangovers, simply because they all contain alcohol.

但其中任何一种都可能导致宿醉， 仅仅是因为它们都含有酒精。

So, do common hangover remedies actually work?

所以，常见的宿醉疗法可行吗？

Drinking water and electrolyte beverages can help reduce symptoms

饮用水和电解质饮料可以帮助减轻

related to dehydration.

与脱水有关的症状。

And eating— especially carbs— can help replenish the glucose levels

还有吃东西—尤其是碳水化合物—

alcohol reduces.

可以帮助补充酒精 降低的葡萄糖水平。

But ultimately, the only sure way to prevent a hangover

但最终，预防宿醉唯一可靠的方法

is to drink alcohol in moderation or not at all.

就是适量饮酒或者完全不喝。