Waking up with a pounding head, nauseous stomach, and a serious case of dry mouth are just some of the products of a previous night of pounding down liquors and beer until you can’t see straight. But, why are all of these horrid effects hitting you the next day? Taking a look at what is going on in your body after drinking might make you think twice about making it a frequent habit.

C2H5OH, or ethanol, is a primary ingredient in the alcoholic beverages you consume. But wait, ethanol… Isn’t that the stuff that most of us put in our cars as fuel? Yeah, it is. So just keep that in mind as you continue to read this. Alcohol is a diuretic, which is a huge cause for dehydration, being a contributor to that headache and stomach ache the next morning. Alcohol dehydrates the body by suppressing the release of vasopressin, an  important hormone that redistributes the water from the kidneys throughout the body. Since the water is not being distributed back into the body, the water goes to the bladder and is evacuated, a reason that throughout the night you find yourself running to the restroom frequently. Another side effect from this suppressed hormone is a headache. Because the body is evacuating water that would otherwise be used for the rest of the body, the water in the brain is being distributed throughout the body where it is needed, causing a throbbing head and nausea.

Alcohol seems pretty great so far, but before you pick up that next pint, keep reading. Why do some people throw up the next morning from a night of hard drinking? It’s a problem the body has with metabolizing, or breaking down alcohol. Alcohol is metabolized in the liver by an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase, or ADH. Enzymes are biological proteins that are specific to starting certain chemical processes, this one in particular, breaking down alcohols. The first enzyme, ADH breaks the alcohol down to a toxic substance called acetaldehyde, which is quickly broken down by another enzyme, acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), along with a substance attracted to acetaldehyde called glutathione to form acetate, basically vinegar. Eventually the acetate is metabolized into carbon dioxide and water. However, some bodies struggle breaking down the acetaldehyde that is created by the first group of enzymes, which leads to vomiting. So the morning after when your head is in a toilet, make sure to blame those enzymes that weren’t able to break down that toxic substance destroying your body

Hence, the dreaded hangover. I could tell you some ways to avoid the hangover, but we all know the answer to that age old dilemma. Just carry some Advil in your pocket and next time you go out, and be aware of what you are putting into your body. An educated mind can lead to less hangovers. If you know what is going into your body, you can happily stumble home to find a toilet, knowing what exactly what happened that night.