The most common features of a hangover include; head ache, nausea, fatigue, dehydration, difficulty sleeping and weakness. These are obviously negative consequences of drinking, but what actually causes hangovers from wine?
The action that contributes most to the hangover is the inhibition of vasopressin, a chemical in the body that keeps your kidneys from secreting water. This is a major problem. With a low concentration of vasopressin, your body will evacuate its water supply, causing dehydration.
This is the primary cause of the characteristic headaches of a hangover from wine. Because your body is dehydrated, it will pull water out of your brain, causing it to shrink. As your brain shrinks, it pulls on the membranes, resulting in the perception of pain.
Another major cause of hangovers from wine is a class of molecules called congeners. Congeners are a by product of alcoholic fermentation and are present in high quantities in red wine. Congeners are usually present in higher concentration in darker liquors.
As alcohol is metabolized, it leaves behind a molecule called acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is normally present in the body, but is quickly metabolized into a harmless molecule called acetate. When there is a high volume of alcohol in the bloodstream, acetaldehyde builds up and cannot be metabolized; this then contributes to the symptoms of a hangover.
Unfortunately, once you have reached a certain point, the hangover in inevitable. But taking the right steps will help insure that the effects are minimized. One of these steps is drinking drinks that help prevent hangovers.