Earlier this year, Addiction Recovery Services of Greenland, New Hampshire released an educational blog highlighting a common symptom of alcohol use – body pain after drinking. While most individuals will be familiar with the soreness of a hangover, this article takes an informative approach. It dives into the specific mechanisms that underpin alcohol use.
“When you drink alcohol, the body breaks it down with the help of enzymes known as alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). This process makes it easier for the body to eliminate alcohol from the body,” the authors begin, explaining the chemical reactions that occur. “However, alcohol breaks down into a highly toxic substance known as acetaldehyde.”
Eventually, acetaldehyde breaks down into water and carbon dioxide, two substances the body is familiar with and are generally non-toxic. But in the meantime, toxic acetaldehyde can build up in the body for short periods before it breaks down further, leading to muscle soreness, damage, and fatigue.
Alcohol consumption can also result in an electrolyte imbalance. Electrolytes are key minerals – such as sodium, potassium, or magnesium – that the body needs to function properly. The article explains, “Your body needs several types of electrolytes to function and heal specific areas of your body. However, your body often uses most of your electrolytes when it converts alcohol into easily digestible substances. The lower number of electrolytes may leave your body feeling sore from the activities of the day before.”
Dehydration is another key concern. “There are several ways alcohol can cause dehydration, with the first being that alcohol is a diuretic. A diuretic increases urination, which results in a loss of fluids and electrolytes in the body,” the article continues, “If alcohol is absorbed too quickly in the bloodstream, it can lead to dehydration as well, which can happen if you drink alcohol on an empty stomach.” As dehydration sets in, it can result in muscles functioning poorly, or being unable to clear out toxins that have built up.
Alcohol can also reduce muscle protein synthesis, the process responsible for repairing muscle damage. This reduction can cause muscles to still be sore from daily strain, and persist into the next day. In particular, the blog warns, this can lead to long-term issues with muscle health and development. “Long-term alcohol use may result in your muscles beginning to decline because they are unable to be built back up with the reduction of MPS.”
The article ends by addressing ways to treat body pain if it happens after alcohol consumption. A large part stems from dehydration, and the accompanying reduction in electrolytes. “There are a few things you can do to ease the body pain after a night of drinking alcohol. One of those ways is drinking more fluids. These fluids can be water or electrolyte drinks, which will help increase the hydration in your body,” it advises, “You can also take a pain reliever such as aspirin or ibuprofen to relieve some of the body pain. However, do not take acetaminophen as it may not react well with lingering alcohol in your system.”
Addiction Recovery Services was founded in the New Hampshire region more than a decade ago. Since then, they have maintained their position as leaders in harm-reduction models of treatment, working to provide a local and intimate recovery option for their community. To learn more about how their empowerment-focused approach works, contact them through their website today.
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For more information about Addiction Recovery Services, contact the company here:
Addiction Recovery Services
John Iudice
978-228-2766
info@arsnh.com
1 Bayside Rd. Ste 205
Greenland, NH 03840
