BOOZE WITHOUT THE BINGE
Here’s how to give your liver some love this festive season. By Iza Trengove
After a stressful year, people are winding down and year-end parties are in full swing. Restaurants are packed and pubs are filled to capacity. It’s a time for letting go and reconnecting with friends, family and loved ones. Traditionally, this means indulging in special fare. It’s virtually impossible to resist the temptations, but when does too much partying become a health risk? Can you actively lessen its impact?
Research on how bad alcohol is for you can be confusing, but we know there’s no magic bullet to mitigate the health risks of too much drinking and eating. Even small amounts of alcohol can be harmful. However, there is some expert advice that can help you manage festive-season celebrations.
EXPERT OPINIONS
Ria Catsicas, a registered dietitian from Joburg, says it’s easy to underestimate how much we drink and eat over the holiday season. She believes the best strategy is to be mindful about how much you drink and be aware of portion sizes. Her advice is to intentionally pace yourself and drink nonalcoholic beverages or water in between. The amount we drink is usually determined by the time we spend at a party.
Wits specialist physician and endocrinologist Dr Constance Adams says there’s a misconception that some types of alcohol are better than others. Different types of alcohol are equally bad; how bad depends on the quantity. She says if you do drink, do so in moderation. Women can drink one to two units a day, while men can have two to three. More than four units during one sitting is regarded as binge drinking — which can cause acute intoxication and lead to organ dysfunction and serious health issues in the short and long term.
Men have more capacity to tolerate alcohol than women and people who drink regularly have higher tolerance than those who drink occasionally. This is because their bodies have learnt how to metabolise the alcohol more efficiently. The bottom line is that binge drinking is particularly bad for people who don’t usually drink.
HOW IS ALCOHOL METABOLISED?
Alcohol is a toxin that is primarily metabolised and eliminated through the liver. This is according to Amanda Weber, a registered dietitian in private practice.
Alcohol is absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the stomach lining and small intestines. It’s then carried to all the organs of the body except bones and fat tissue. The breakdown of alcohol happens in two phases: During phase one, enzymes break down the toxins into metabolite molecules. In phase two, metabolites are made more water-soluble and eventually excreted. On average, the body metabolises about one unit of alcohol per hour depending on gender, genes and whether you have eaten.
Dr Burt Jooste, a medical doctor at the Longevity Centre in Fourways, Joburg, says you should drink water before, during and after consuming alcohol. This will help rehydrate the body and minimise the consequences of dehydration caused by alcohol. You should get into the habit of drinking water every hour rather than large amounts once or twice a day, says Jooste. This will ensure you stay hydrated.
Weber agrees, and adds that people should eat a protein and carb snack before they drink alcohol. This will help slow down absorption into the bloodstream by forming a lining in the stomach which prevents the alcohol from entering the bloodstream as rapidly as it would on an empty stomach.
MYTHS ABOUT ALCOHOL
There are many myths about how to recover from a hangover, including drinking black coffee, rehydrating with electrolyte drinks, walking in fresh air, taking a cold shower, sweating it out or eating a fatty breakfast. Unfortunately, these remedies might make you feel better, but they don’t remove the alcohol from your system.
DO SUPPLEMENTS HELP DETOX?
“Drink water before, during and after consuming alcohol. This will help rehydrate the body and minimise the consequences of dehydration”
There are many over-the-counter liver tonics that claim to speed up detoxification and promote cell recovery, says Adams. However, these haven’t been rigorously tested in clinical trials and aren’t approved by regulatory authorities. Their use is based on anecdotal evidence. Taking supplements will not help a healthy person metabolise toxins faster.
People who have underlying health conditions, liver problems or nutrient deficiencies — especially thiamine and folate — could benefit from supplements. This could mitigate the detrimental health effects of excessive alcohol consumption.
Jooste says it’s important to be proactive in looking after your health. It’s possible to party in moderation rather than abstaining and being miserable.
His advice is to get the basics right. Exercise, follow a healthy diet, watch portion size and take time out to relax. He often recommends patients have genetic testing or blood analysis done to establish deficiencies. “If necessary, you could take one of the many high-quality, personspecific supplements,” he says. “These can help detoxify the liver and support healthy colon function, but there’s no ‘one-size-fitsall’ approach.”
So, if you want to adapt your drinking and eating habits, take a leaf out of Generation Z’s party strategy. According to a Forbes article, they drink 20% less than millennials, and millennials drink less than the previous generation. Gen Z chooses moderation rather than abstinence. This is because of a growing awareness of a healthconscious lifestyle.