Fresh front in hangover war

Perhaps, like diarrhoea, you don’t really need a list of symptoms to describe a hangover. You just know it. It’s a condition you somehow know inevitably, and before you could think of all the logical, proven methods to escape this misery, it’s always too late. And worst yet, it could take several hours or even up to a day to fully recover. 

Recently some rocket scientists had a breakthrough and launched what claims to be a sure-fire kill for hangovers. It involves a trio of pills filled with unique composite biological catalyst called Triclyst, which professes to have many positive health benefits, including better nutrient absorption, more energy, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, the elimination of toxins and a reduction in body odour and bad breath. 

In essence, it helps ease the hangover – and even cure it if you swallow one pill before hitting the booze and another two with a glass of water before hitting the sack.

Triclyst is a proprietary blend of “pro-biotics”, enzymes and co-factors designed to enhance the body’s natural ability to break down toxins. The result is an enzyme-based technology that enables people to enjoy an active nightlife and still be fit and productive the following day. 

Every seven years, every cell in our body gets renewed. As we age, this process of cellular renewal becomes less efficient, and cell molecules don’t repair themselves as quickly as they used to. Our knight in shining armour, Triclyst, claims to help restore balance and thus reduce the harmful after-effects of drinking alcohol. It also aids in maintaining a healthy liver.

“Our livers metabolise alcohol in two steps,” explains Dr Pansak Sugkraroek of Bumrungrad Hospital, casting our memories back to Biology 101. 

“First, the alcohol is turned into acetaldehyde. Then the acetaldehyde is turned into acetate. When we drink a little, our livers can keep up and we feel fine. But when we have more to drink – that is, more than one standard drink on a daily basis, or much more at one time – our livers have a harder time keeping up, and acetaldehyde can build up in our bodies. 

“Acetaldehyde is the chemically reactive substance that in high concentrations causes symptoms associated with intoxication and hangover, including sweating, flushed skin, nausea and vomiting.”

The doctor doesn’t comment on the magic pills, preferring instead the assurance that nature also has its ways to restore balance.

“Besides drinking a lot of water to flush out the excess toxins and stay hydrated, which can gradually ease the discomfort, you should nurture your deteriorating liver, too,” he suggests. 

“Stay away from greasy food – it doesn’t help and it will make you fat and unhealthy. Stuff yourself with anti-oxidants and Vitamin B, which can be found easily in all veggies and fruit. I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but fill your stomach before drinking with extra protein to get your liver ready for the dirty work.” 

The sooner your body can get rid of the toxins, the faster you recover. 

Take a cold shower, get some fresh air, eat the right food, stay hydrated and learn to say no to more alcohol, hair of the dog or otherwise. 

And in future, try to limit your alcohol intake to a maximum of 14 drinks a week for men and half that for women. That’s roughly two drinks a day for the gents and one for the ladies. It’s time you made wiser choices and made them count!

The doctor also warned that alcohol doesn’t just harm the livers but also the kidneys and the nervous system. “Keep in mind that there is a point of no return. Once your body is damaged to a certain point, there’s no recovery, especially when alcohol completely destroys your brain. So drink responsibly, both for other’s sake and for your own health.”