Search

Aims Alcohol-related hangover symptoms: nausea, headache, stress and anxiety cause globally considerable amount of health problems and economic losses. Many of these harmful effects are produced by alcohol and its metabolite, acetaldehyde, which also is a common ingredient in alcohol beverages. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of the amino acid L-cysteine on the alcohol/acetaldehyde related aftereffects. Methods Voluntary healthy participants were recruited through advertisements. Volunteers had to have experience of hangover and/or headache. The hangover study was randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled. Nineteen males randomly swallowed placebo and L-cysteine tablets. The alcohol dose was 1.5 g/kg, which was consumed during 3 h. Results The primary results based on correlational analysis showed that L-cysteine prevents or alleviates hangover, nausea, headache, stress and anxiety. For hangover, nausea and headache the results were apparent with the L-cysteine dose of 1200 mg and for stress and anxiety already with the dose of 600 mg. Conclusions L-cysteine would reduce the need of drinking the next day with no or less hangover symptoms: nausea, headache, stress and anxiety. Altogether, these effects of L-cysteine are unique and seem to have a future in preventing or alleviating these harmful symptoms as well as reducing the risk of alcohol addiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of alcohol on androgen levels among premenopausal women. Eighty-seven women in the mid-cycle phase of the menstrual cycle, 47 of whom used oral contraceptives (OC+), were included in the study. The range for reported alcohol consumption was 0–4 drinks/day. The total testosterone levels were significantly higher after alcohol intake (0.5 g/kg) than after placebo at 45 min and 90 min from the start of drinking among both OC– and OC+ subjects. This effect was also seen in the free testosterone fraction. The effect on testosterone was more prominent among OC+ subjects. Androstenedione levels were significantly lowered and the testosterone:androstenedione ratio significantly elevated by alcohol among both OC– and OC+ subjects. No effect of alcohol on dehydroepiandrosterone or dihydrotestosterone levels was observed. A positive correlation was observed between the change in testosterone levels and the change in androstenedione levels during placebo conditions. The correlation was significantly reduced during alcohol conditions among OC+ subjects, indicating an increased androstenedione to testosterone conversion. No significant dose (0.34, 0.68 and 1.02 g/kg) or time (45, 90 and 150 min) effects on total testosterone were observed in a substudy involving 10 OC+ subjects. The present results suggest that the testosterone effect is related to the zero-order mechanism of ethanol oxidation. The observed testosterone and androstenedione effects are suggested to be the result of an increased androstenedione to testosterone conversion in the liver caused by the alcohol-mediated elevation in the [NADH]:[NAD+] ratio. The present findings may be relevant in the development of hyperandrogenism and loss of female sexual characteristics associated with heavy alcohol consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A correction is presented to the article L-Cysteine containing vitamin supplement preventing or alleviates alcohol-related hangover symptoms including nausea, headache, stress and anxiety.