Predicting the Likelihood of a Hangover Based on the Amount and Type of Alcohol Intake

 

Factors affecting the likelihood of a hangover:

(1) Intake of >= 1.75 grams of alcohol per kg body weight is associated with a high chance of hangover (Wiese et al. page 1335)

(2) A standard alcoholic drink (1 ounce liquor, 1 glass wine, 12 ounces beer) contains 10-15 grams of alcohol (average 12.5 grams; see 32.14.01)

(3) Hard liquour with high congener content (bourbon, scotch, tequila) is more likely to cause a hangover than liquor with a low congener content (gin, rum, vodka). Congeners in liquor include acetaldehyde, ethyl formate, ethyl acetate, methanol, propanol, propanol and goodness knows what).

(4) A person who takes steps to prevent a hangover the night before by drinking extra water or taking an analgesic is less likely to have a hangover than a person who does not.

(5) Some racial groups have a low threshold for hangover due to genetic variation in aldehyde dehydrogenase.

 

These factors can be approximated by the following untested and unpublished expression:

Parameter	Finding	Factor
congener content	low	1
	high	1.25
preventive steps taken	no	1
	yes	0.75
genetic intolerance	no	1
	yes	2

 

effective alcohol intake in grams per kg body weight =

= (number of standard drinks taken) * (12.5 grams alcohol per drink) * (factor for congener content) * (factor for prevention) * (factor for genetic intolerance) / (body weight in kilograms)

 

where:

• I am not sure if actual or lean body weight should be used.

• A factor for gender could be added.

• The threshold for hangover could be modified with addition of a high threshold.

 

Effective Alcohol Intake in grams per kg body weight	Chances of a Significant Hangover
>= 1.75	very likely
1.5 - 1.74	probable
1.0 to 1.49	possible
< 1.0	unlikely