New 'gold' pill that could spell the end of hangovers: It sounds too good to be true, but scientists may have finally uncovered a way to enjoy alcohol without ANY harmful side-effects By PAT HAGAN Published: 20:31 EST, 11 November 2024 | Updated: 20:31 EST, 11 November 2024 e-mail View comments You might well think that it sounds too good to be true – a pill that means you can enjoy alcohol without suffering any harmful side-effects. But scientists are one step closer to developing this very thing, with a gel that, swallowed 30 minutes before your first drink, stops you getting drunk or suffering alcohol-related damage to the liver and other organs. The gel, which has so far only been tested in animals, works by breaking down alcohol into a harmless liquid as it passes through the gastrointestinal tract.
When we drink alcohol, it is absorbed by the mucous membrane that lines the stomach and intestine. It then passes into the bloodstream, which carries it around the body, including to the brain, liver and kidneys. Acetaldehyde contributes to many of the symptoms of a hangover, such as headaches, dehydration and fatigue Within five to ten minutes, it starts to affect the brain – stimulating the release of ‘feel-good’ hormones dopamine and serotonin.
But as we drink more, the alcohol starts to suppress the central nervous system, affecting speech, vision and coordination. As the body – mainly the liver – metabolises the alcohol, it converts the ethanol in it into ano.