The exact number of drinks it takes for alcohol to cause a hangover revealed – and it's less than you think
It can take fewer drinks than you think to cause a hangover - less than a bottle of wine, according to a GP.
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Dr Bhavini Shah, from LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor, said as little as eight units of alcohol can leave you feeling its effects the day after.
How many drinks does this amount to, you may ask?
It depends on the type of booze you're sipping on.
A shot of vodka, tequila or gin amounts to one unit, so if you down eight shots on their own or with a mixer, it's pretty likely you'll wake up hungover the next day.
Four pints of lower strength beer may also leave you tired and nauseous the morning after.
And since a large glass of wine is three units, just under three of those can leave lingering effects.
Dr Shah walked through how you'll likely feel after each unit of alcohol.
'One or two units of alcohol increases the heart rate, expands blood vessels, and gives a slight 'buzz' which commonly makes people feel more sociable or talkative," he said.
'After four to six units, alcohol begins to impact your nervous system, decreasing reaction time and affecting areas of the brain associated with decision making, resulting in poorer judgement and potentially more reckless behaviour.
'After eight units, your vision and sleep will be affected and you will have consumed more alcohol than your liver can process in one night, resulting in a hangover.
Watch Abi go from alcohol addiction to soobriety like Tommy Fury
"And after ten units, your coordination will be highly impaired and you can expect symptoms of nausea, diarrhoea, and vomiting, as well as dehydration and headaches.
'After 12 units, you are at great risk of alcohol poisoning.'
Laura Jennings, nutritionist and founder of the NutriMethod told Sun Health that as little as two drinks can cause a hangover if you're opting for dark drinks like whiskey and brandy, or your overall diet is largely made up of processed foods.
For context, the NHS advises that you have no more than 14 units of booze throughout the whole week.
It recommends you space the drinks out and have a few booze-free days, rather than having them all in one go.
For men, anything over eight units in a single session is considered a binge.
For women, this is six units, alcohol safety charity Drinkaware says.
How long does booze stay in your system?
Alcohol is toxic, so every time you drink your body has to work to get rid of it from your system.
But it's worth noting hangovers affect everyone differently, depending on your tolerance, weight, hydration and sleep levels, your gender, and even your genes.
'It takes, on average, one hour for your liver to remove one unit of alcohol from your body," Dr Shah explained.
"One unit of alcohol could be a small glass of wine (125ml), half a pint of beer, or a single spirit and mixer (25ml).
'There are additional factors that contribute to how long alcohol remains in your system depending on your metabolic rate such as your weight, height, gender and body composition."
For example, research suggests that women may be worse affected by hangovers.
"There have been some studies to suggest that females make less of an alcohol processing enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase in the liver compared with males," the GP said.
"This allows a greater proportion of the alcohol to potentially reach other organs, exposing them to the toxic effects of alcohol.
"Water constitutes approximately 55 per cent of the average weight of a female. When alcohol is consumed, it is initially absorbed by the water present in the body.
"It has been suggested that as females typically have a lower percentage of water in their bodies compared to men, the alcohol absorbed becomes more concentrated."
Can I get rid of the booze in my system?
Dr Shah said: 'Your body will metabolise alcohol at its own rate and there is not much evidence that you can speed up this natural process.
"However, there are steps you can take to reduce the symptoms of your hangover.
'Going to sleep is a good way to let your body naturally remove alcohol from your system by itself.
"Drinking water is also essential as it will prevent the dehydrating effects of the alcohol and reduce the impact of headaches.
"You should also try to eat bland foods as these will increase your blood sugar without upsetting your stomach.'
Surprising hangover cures
If you've woken up with a groggy head and an aching body from a day or night on the booze, you need to nourish your body to help it regain strength.
Unhealthy, high calorie foods could derail you weight loss efforts as well as make the hangover worse.
Shona Wilkinson, Nutritionist at Dr.Vegan says: 'Excessive alcohol consumption damages your liver. To detox your liver and alleviate nasty hangover symptoms such as nausea, headaches, and dehydration, try some of the below ingredients.'
Onions and garlic
Both of these foods contain a nutrient called sulphur, according to Shona, which is essential in liver detoxification.
'Toxins in the body essentially join to the sulphur and are then excreted from the body.'
Lemon peel
Adding some lemon peel to a glass of water or shaving some onto your food could help alleviate some of your hangover symptoms.
Shona says: 'Lemon peel contains a substance called limonene, which helps your body to detoxify itself by removing carcinogens from the body.
'There is research that suggests lemon peel may even offer an effective solution to migraines and headaches, given that it's a great source of Vitamin C.'
Grapefruit
It's the substance naringin in grapefruits, which helps to protect the liver from all kinds of damage.
Shona says: 'There are a lot of medicines out there that don't mix too well with grapefruit however, so consult your GP before adding too much grapefruit into your diet if you're on any prescribed medications.'
Pickle juice
An odd one, but pickle juice is packed with electrolytes like sodium and potassium, which Shona says are essential in a whole host of the body's vital processes.
She says: 'Electrolytes help to keep us hydrated by regulating the amount of water in our cells to ensure they're able to function properly.
'If you're hungover, it's the perfect remedy.'
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