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Sensitivity to Experiencing Alcohol Hangovers: Reconsideration of the 0.11% Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Threshold for Having a Hangover

Authors :
Verster, Joris C
Kruisselbrink, L Darren
Slot, Karin A
Anogeianaki, Aikaterini
Adams, Sally
Alford, Chris
Arnoldy, Lizanne
Ayre, Elisabeth
Balikji, Stephanie
Benson, Sarah
Bruce, Gillian
Devenney, Lydia E
Frone, Michael R
Gunn, Craig
Heffernan, Thomas
Hensel, Kai O
Hogewoning, Anna
Johnson, Sean J
van Lawick van Pabst, Albertine E
van de Loo, Aurora J A E
Mackus, Marlou
Merlo, Agnese
Murphy, René J L
Owen, Lauren
Palmer, Emily O C
van Rossum, Charmaine J I
Scholey, Andrew
Terpstra, Chantal
Vatsalya, Vatsalya
Vermeulen, Sterre A
van Wijk, Michelle
Stock, Ann-Kathrin
Pharmacology
Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology
Afd Pharmacology
Afd Pharmacoepi & Clinical Pharmacology
dIRAS RA-1
IRAS OH Toxicology
Source :
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 9(1). MDPI AG
Publication Year :
2020

Abstract

The 2010 Alcohol Hangover Research Group consensus paper defined a cutoff blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.11% as a toxicological threshold indicating that sufficient alcohol had been consumed to develop a hangover. The cutoff was based on previous research and applied mostly in studies comprising student samples. Previously, we showed that sensitivity to hangovers depends on (estimated) BAC during acute intoxication, with a greater percentage of drinkers reporting hangovers at higher BAC levels. However, a substantial number of participants also reported hangovers at comparatively lower BAC levels. This calls the suitability of the 0.11% threshold into question. Recent research has shown that subjective intoxication, i.e., the level of severity of reported drunkenness, and not BAC, is the most important determinant of hangover severity. Non-student samples often have a much lower alcohol intake compared to student samples, and overall BACs often remain below 0.11%. Despite these lower BACs, many non-student participants report having a hangover, especially when their subjective intoxication levels are high. This may be the case when alcohol consumption on the drinking occasion that results in a hangover significantly exceeds their "normal" drinking level, irrespective of whether they meet the 0.11% threshold in any of these conditions. Whereas consumers may have relative tolerance to the adverse effects at their "regular" drinking level, considerably higher alcohol intake-irrespective of the absolute amount-may consequentially result in a next-day hangover. Taken together, these findings suggest that the 0.11% threshold value as a criterion for having a hangover should be abandoned.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20770383
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 9(1). MDPI AG
Accession number :
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