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Hangover Causes

Hangover causes include dehydration, low blood sugar, the chemical by-products that alcohol leaves in your system, and depletion of vitamins and minerals.

Alcohol is a diuretic. This means that it causes the body to lose water. This problem is made worse by the fact that when people are drinking alcohol, they seldom stop to have a glass of water. This loss of fluids causes dehydration. When your body doesn't have enough water to function properly, you'll experience symptoms of dehydration such as headache, dry mouth, and terrible thirst.

Alcohol also causes a drop in the body's blood sugar. Low blood sugar causes hangover symptoms such as trembling, nausea, and irritability.

Some of the chemical by-products of alcohol play a large part in giving you a hangover. Two of these hangover causes are acetaldehyde and cogeners.

Acetaldehyde is produced when your liver breaks down alcohol. A high level of acetaldehyde has a toxic effect on the body, which gives you a headache and causes body aches and nausea.

Cogeners are chemicals contained in alcoholic beverages that are formed during the alcohol fermentation process. Cogeners cause a toxic reaction in the body and add to the headache and lightheadedness of a hangover. Dark liquors, such as red wine, brandy, whiskey, and tequila contain more cogeners and will generally cause a more severe hangover. Clear drinks, such as gin, vodka, or white rum generally contain fewer cogeners and are less likely hangover causes.