HANG-OVER and alcohol metabolism

HANG-OVER supports the alcohol metabolism process with three ingredients: NAC, Vitamin E and grape seed extract. In this article, we'll take a closer look at how each ingredient works.

NAC (N-Acetyl-L-cysteine)

Acetaldehyde, a toxic metabolite of ethanol that is harmful to our body and especially to the liver, is formed during the process of eliminating alcohol.

To eliminate acetaldehyde, the body uses two things: aldehyde dehydrogenase and glutathione. This metabolic cascade is effective but quickly becomes saturated for lack of glutathione, which leads to numerous unwanted effects.

Fortunately, there is a way to counter this problem by properly supplementing the body with NAC.[1]

The most powerful antioxidant agent in the body is Glutathione. [2]

Most foods contain it, but it remains difficult for our digestive system to absorb and breaks down before it enters the body. It is a key player in the process of liver detoxification and in the functioning of the immune system.

It also helps the body get rid of the toxins found in food and the environment. Glutathione is made from glutamic acid, cysteine and glycine.

Of these three, the one the body tends to run short of is L-cysteine. N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) is a precursor of L-cysteine. Supplementing your body with NAC therefore provides it with L-cysteine, which supports glutathione biosynthesis, in other words replenishes its reserves.[3]

Raising glutathione levels supports the detoxification process, since it acts directly as an antioxidant by capturing free radicals. NAC has therefore been identified as a therapeutic option in the management of certain conditions characterised by the development of free radicals.[4]

The right amount of glutathione helps support the immune system and neutralise toxins.

NAC also helps prevent liver damage

Numerous studies have shown that NAC helps prevent liver damage during alcohol consumption.[5] The effectiveness of its hepatoprotective action has been demonstrated in clinical use for paracetamol poisoning: if administered correctly and at the right time, the liver damage is neutralised. It is considered an antidote to paracetamol poisoning.[6]

The dosage used in this research suggests that NAC should be taken before drinking alcohol for the best results. That way, glutathione production will be active and able to meet the needs of the metabolism, and effectively eliminate the toxic metabolites of ethanol.

Vitamin E

During the process of eliminating alcohol, acetaldehyde, present in excessive amounts, releases free radicals (nitrogen and oxygen species) that are toxic to the body.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant that has to come from our diet because the body is unable to synthesise it. It protects polyunsaturated fatty acids (the good fats) and other components of cell membranes (e.g. low-density lipoproteins) against oxidation by free radicals.[7,8,9]

100 years of research have shown that Vitamin E has many antioxidant properties, such as scavenging reactive oxygen and nitrogen species.[10] Vitamin E is the most abundant and powerful free-radical-scavenging antioxidant in vivo. [11]

Vitamin E is therefore essential for eliminating the free radicals produced by alcohol consumption.

Grape seed extract

Oxidative stress is the loss of balance between the oxidative and antioxidant systems of cells and tissues, tipping towards an overabundance of reactive oxygen species (ROS: free radicals, oxygen ions, peroxides)

Grape seed extract is rich in oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPC).

Grape seed proanthocyanidins have proven to be free radical scavengers more powerful than vitamins C and E and β-carotene, both in vitro and in vivo.[12,13]

The most widely recognised mechanism of action is the inhibition of lipid peroxidation, which prevents the production of ROS and thereby saves cell membranes from apoptosis (programmed cell death).

Researchers have reported that grape seed proanthocyanidin extracts rebalance the cellular redox status via the glutathione synthesis pathways.[14] Another study reported that grape seed procyanidins had a protective effect against ethanol-induced toxicity in mouse brain cells.[15]

This combination of antioxidants (Vitamin E, OPC and NAC) is a wise choice for managing veisalgia, or hangover. With a logic of prevention and detoxification, it helps capture free radicals and fight the damage caused by oxidative stress. It also stimulates glutathione biosynthesis, which helps the body eliminate the toxins generated by excess alcohol.

[1] Morozova TV, Goldman D, Mackay TF, Anholt RR. The genetic basis of alcoholism: multiple phenotypes, many genes, complex networks. Genome Biol. 2012;13(2):239. Published 2012 Feb 20. doi:10.1186/gb-2012-13-2-239.

[2] Elgindy EA, El-Huseiny AM, Mostafa MI, Gaballah AM, Ahmed TA. N-acetyl cysteine: could it be an effective adjuvant therapy in ICSI cycles?. A preliminary study. Reprod Biomed Online. 2010;20(6):789–796.

[3] Pieralisi A., Martini C., Soto D., Vila M.C., Calvo J.C., Guerra L.N. N-acetylcysteine inhibits lipid accumulation in mouse embryonic adipocytes. Redox Biol. 2016;9:39–44. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2016.05.006.

[4] Shahin AY, Hassanin IM, Ismail AM, Kruessel JS, Hirchenhain J. Effect of oral N-acetyl cysteine on recurrent preterm labor following treatment for bacterial vaginosis. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2009;104(1):44–48.[23] Tunek A. Possible mechanisms behind the anti-inflammatoire effects of N-acetyl cysteine; is metabolism essential? Eur Respir Rev. 1992; 2(7): 35-38.

[5] N-acetyl cysteine in the treatment of alcohol use disorder in patients with liver disease: Rationale for further research. Kirsten C. Morley, Andrew Baillie, Wim Van Den Brink, Kate E. Chitty, Kathleen Brady, Sudie E. Back, Devanshi Seth, Greg Sutherland, Lorenzo Leggio & Paul S. Haber. Pages 667-675 | Received 28 Mar 2018, Accepted 13 Jul 2018, Accepted author version posted online: 18 Jul 2018, Published online: 01 Aug 2018

[6] Acetaminophen Toxicity Treatment & Management, Updated: Jan 17, 2020 author heading Author: Susan E Farrell, MD; Chief Editor: Michael A Miller

[7] World Health Organization (WHO) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Vitamin and Mineral Requirements in Human Nutrition: Report of a Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation, Bangkok, Thailand, 21–30 September 1998. WHO, FAO; Geneva, Switzerland: 2004.

[8] Sato K, Niki E, Shimasaki H. Free radical-mediated chain oxidation of low density lipoprotein and its synergistic inhibition by vitamin E and vitamin C. Arch Biochem Biophys. 1990.

[9] Bowry VW, Ingold KU, Stocker R. Vitamin E in human low-density lipoprotein: when and how this antioxidant becomes a pro-oxidant. Biochem J. 1992.

[10] Zingg J.-M. Vitamin E: An overview of major research directions. Mol. Asp. Med. 2007.

[11] Jasmeet Kaur 1, Sonia Shalini, M P Bansal. Influence of vitamin E on alcohol-induced changes in antioxidant defenses in mice liver. Toxicol Mech Methods.2010 Feb

[12] Rani V., Deep G., Singh R.K., Palle K., Yadav U.C. Oxidative stress and metabolic disorders: Pathogenesis and therapeutic strategies. Life Sci. 2016.

[13] Bagchi D., Swaroop A., Preuss H.G., Bagchi M. Free Radical Scavenging, Antioxidant and Cancer Chemoprevention by Grape Seed Proanthocyanidin: An Overview. Mutat. Res. Fundam. Mol. Mech. Mutagen. 2014.

[14] Grape seed procyanidins prevent oxidative injury by modulating the expression of antioxidant enzyme systems. Puiggros F, Llópiz N, Ardévol A, Bladé C, Arola L, Salvadó MJJ Agric Food Chem. 2005 Jul 27.

[15] Direct in vivo evidence of protective effects of grape seed procyanidin fractions and other antioxidants against ethanol-induced oxidative DNA damage in mouse brain cells. Guo L, Wang LH, Sun B, Yang JY, Zhao YQ, Dong YX, Spranger MI, Wu CF J Agric Food Chem. 2007 Jul 11.