Genetics have a major role to play here. Their body is able to break down and get rid of the by-products of alcohol easily - metabolically and genetically. Thus, it doesn't affect them the next morning.
However, some people don't get hangovers at all: Between 3 percent and 23 percent of the population is reported to be hangover-resistant. Not surprisingly, these people may be more likely to become heavy drinkers, as they don't experience the deterrent effect of hangovers.
In addition, roughly 43 percent of both men's and women's ability to avoid developing a hangover comes from genetic inheritance.
Physiology. Even people who are the same height and weight may experience the after-effects of alcohol differently, due to their physiological make up. “Some people will digest things more slowly, and probably will be more sensitive as well to alcohol,” says Dr Mehta.
You might not be thrilled to know that your hangover is just one of the hundreds you'll have in your lifetime. In total, the average person will have about 726.
“It is true to say that your body takes longer to recover from everything after your mid-twenties partly due to inflammation and chronic diseases which your immune system and liver are fighting.
THE ANSWER
Yes, studies show that your body's ability to process alcohol gets less efficient as you age. Key body functions that help metabolize alcohol, like liver enzymes and total body water weight, tend to decrease with age.
Some individuals might have a genetic advantage when it comes to alcohol tolerance, as well. These individuals are naturally less affected or more affected by alcohol than the normal person.
These findings suggest that tolerance develops to experiencing hangovers in subjects who report frequent heavy drinking episodes. Conversely, Courtney et al. [9] found that having more frequent hangovers was a marker for increased future numbers of alcoholic drinks per drinking day.
Hangovers vary from person to person, but usually involve a headache, nausea, tiredness and dehydration. Dehydration is one of the main causes of your hangover symptoms.
But in reality, if someone drinks a lot and never seems to get drunk, they have developed a high tolerance for alcohol. Tolerance occurs because of your body's remarkable ability to process alcohol. Unlike with other drugs, your body actually tries to adapt to alcohol's persistent presence.
“Vodka is known to be the best alcoholic beverage for the most minimal hangover. Gin, light rum and white wine are runner-ups—with brandy and whiskey being at the bottom of the list.
Typical symptoms include fatigue, weakness, thirst, headache, muscle aches, nausea, stomach pain, vertigo, sensitivity to light and sound, anxiety, irritability, sweating, and increased blood pressure. A hangover can vary from person to person.
Alcohol abusers might also suffer more severe hangovers than usual as liver disease develops.
It may sound obvious, but stopping drinking means you will no longer suffer from hangovers. The nausea, headaches, or tiredness you may have felt the morning after drinking could be replaced with improved mood as well as feelings of productivity.
Having an alcohol intolerance is a genetic condition that means your body can't process alcohol easily. With this condition, you have an inactive or less-active form of the chemical that breaks down alcohol in your body.
Physiology of alcohol tolerance
Direct alcohol tolerance is largely dependent on body size. Large-bodied people will require more alcohol to reach insobriety than lightly built people. Thus men, being larger than women on average, will typically have a higher alcohol tolerance.
In heavy drinkers, the average metabolic rate can be significantly faster than occasional drinkers. However, alcoholism damages the liver over time. As this damage becomes more severe, the ability to metabolize alcohol decreases significantly.
A genetic variation that affects the way alcohol is metabolized may make some people flush, sweat or become ill after drinking even a small amount of alcohol. Factors that may make a hangover more likely or severe include: Drinking on an empty stomach.
From there, enzymes break the acetaldehyde down into non-toxic acetate. But, here's the thing: your liver can only do that so fast, and it gets slower as you age. So, in effect, acetaldehyde hangs around in your body for longer, getting pushed into your bloodstream – and increasing that grim hungover feeling.
The reasons for this include changes in body composition to brain sensitivity and liver functioning. Lifestyle factors are at play, too. And since people tend to take more medications—both prescription and over-the-counter—as they age, there are more chances for uncomfortable and even dangerous booze-drug mixing.
' What you are feeling are the effects of dehydration and low blood sugar. To bring your blood sugar back up to normal, you really just need to eat anything with some carbs, but balance it out with protein or healthy fats to prevent further blood sugar drops,” she says.
Another reason your hangovers may be lasting 72+ hours is the rate at which you consume alcohol and what you're drinking. Your body processes alcohol at the same rate no matter what, so when you drink faster you get drunker, and your hangover gets worse.
Tequila, cognac, and whiskey are drinks high in congeners. Bourbon whiskey has a substantial amount of congeners, more than most other alcoholic drinks. Drinking alcoholic drinks high in congeners can give you an intense hangover.
They determined that being hungover can involve impairment of your cognitive functions and interfere with the normal performance of everyday tasks like driving. So, does being hungover mean you're still drunk? Not always, but it can produce the same effects — other than the fun, feel-good ones.