Radio Cadena Agramonte emisiora de Camagüey
Some people can drink alcohol and wake up the next day without a headache, nausea, or fatigue, while many others suffer from the classic effects of a hangover, there is a group that seems to be biologically protected against these symptoms.
The explanation is not in a greater tolerance or in homemade tricks but in the functioning of the metabolism, the key is in how the body processes certain toxic substances generated after drinking.
Recent research has identified that certain genetic variants allow for faster elimination of acetaldehyde, a compound produced when alcohol is broken down by the body.
This substance, if it accumulates, is the main cause of discomfort after consumption; the ALDH2 gene plays an essential role in this process as it encodes an enzyme that helps neutralize this compound before it causes damage.
In addition to ALDH2, researchers have analyzed the impact of the ADH1B gene, which converts alcohol into acetaldehyde at high speed. If this transformation occurs too quickly and the body fails to eliminate the toxin in time, the chances of suffering a severe hangover increase.
On the contrary, those who have a favorable genetic combination seem to better resist the side effects of alcohol.
The study, carried out by the University of Missouri and reported by The New York Times, has been published in the journal Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research.
Expert Damaris J. Rohsenow of Brown University warns that the absence of symptoms does not imply the absence of harm; researchers warn that this genetic resistance could favor to higher and more frequent consumption. (Source: El Confidencial)
