If you’ve had a hangover before, you know exactly how it affects your mental and physical performances the next day! But our functional medicine clinic can help you recover healthily and help boost energy levels with IV therapy in the Toronto area. 

We administer intravenous therapy drips for supportive health/dietary measures in our IV Lounge. In some cases, getting help for a hangover is needed to stabilize cognitive function, especially when symptoms include: 

• • Upset stomach
  • Nausea
  • Poor concentration and mental clarity
  • Drowsiness, lack of energy
  • Anxiety
  • Body temperature issues
  • Light-headedness, vertigo
  • Headaches 

So, what is the definition of a hangover? We explain here, along with some functional tips to try if you experience alcohol overindulgence again.  

What exactly is a hangover?

This is the unpleasant effects of drinking excessive alcohol, and these effects can last 24 hours. When alcohol plasma levels begin to decline, hangover symptoms may start turning up. “In fact, according to some experts, the worst symptoms occur when [alcohol] levels reach zero,” explains Harvard Health Publishing. If you consume several types of these drinks, this increases your chances of getting hungover the day after. But there’s no set way of knowing how much you can consume without suffering from an aftereffect. Some people may get one hangover symptom or many from having one alcoholic drink. 

How a hangover happens

According to McGill University’s Office for Science and Society, this varies between people due to how their bodies process alcohol. Acetaldehyde, a substance formed from alcohol, has been thought to be the trigger of symptoms after alcohol consumption. However, some individuals may become affected uniquely due to biological factors. One example is individuals of Asian descent; flushing (redness) tends to occur because their genetics have a “slow acting version of aldehyde dehydrogenase, the enzyme that normally degrades acetaldehyde,” confirms McGill University. 

Another thing that can cause hangovers (especially those annoying headaches and feelings of thirst!) is dehydration. Alcohol is a diuretic and causes frequent urination, which means you can undergo excessive fluid loss. 

So, if you’re planning a night on the town soon, it wouldn’t hurt to be prepared to treat a hangover! Consider our advice in the next section. 

Hangover prevention and recovery tips 

• • Plan ahead: Alcohol can promote quick effects when consumed on an empty stomach. Prior to your festive event, eat a nourishing meal before you begin drinking alcoholic beverages. 

• • Notice patterns: If you’ve noticed that you tend to only handle one drink, stick with one drink this time around. Don’t succumb to peer pressure. 

• • Stay hydrated: Drink H2O after consuming each alcoholic drink. This will continue to keep you hydrated and may prevent you from drinking additional glasses. 

• • Pay attention to blood sugar levels: Sometimes hangovers are linked to low blood sugar levels, which can cause fainting spells and headaches. After a night of partying, eat a nutritious breakfast. 
  • Get a tailored IV drip that targets hangover symptoms: Drinking alcohol prevents your body from absorbing nutrients and can cause dehydration. An IV vitamin infusion can help you replenish with optimal nutrients, as intravenous drips offer both instant hydration and nourishing levels of vitamins. IV nutrient therapy is designed to enter your vein and blood stream only; because the digestive tract is not needed for processing vitamin IV therapy, you’re assured a complete absorption of nutrients without sacrificing amounts of nutrients through digestion. In our IV Lounge, we customize hangover-related drip treatments with electrolytes, vitamin B6, Vitamin B1 , major antioxidants, magnesium, ascorbic acid, and more. We also keep your genetics, lifestyle, and health goals in mind for determining doses of nutrients. 

A custom-made IV drip for hangovers can promote various positive effects, potentially helping detoxification processes and headaches, while helping to reduce the severity of symptoms. If you suspect an upcoming event may lead to alcohol overindulgence, make arrangements for IV drip therapy in advance! Book your initial consultation now so that you can schedule your drip session on time. Details are explained below. 

Visit our IV Lounge for a custom-made IV drip

Our private downtown clinic, the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre (TFMC), is located in the Yorkville neighborhood. We tailor integrative functional medicine treatments for a wide range of health concerns, including poor skin elasticity, liver detoxification, food sensitivities, autoimmune diseases, hormonal imbalances, brain fog, inflammatory bowel disease, blood pressure regulation, chronic diseases (i.e. chronic inflammation and chronic fatigue), and more. 

Suggested Reading: How Our IV Therapy Toronto Clinic Targets Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms

We opened our first IV Lounge in Toronto in 2012. Our current IV Lounge is inside the TFMC and is for patients with intravenous therapy prescribed for their treatment plan. When you book an IV vitamin therapy session, this slot is a personalized service designed for your needs only – all IV therapy treatments have therapeutic doses customized for your health concerns. We can adapt drips for specific health goals, too, such as a post-surgical drip, anti-aging IV drip, or a post-exercise amino acid drip. Combining your intravenous treatment with regular oral supplementation, healthy living practices and other health interventions (i.e. medical or naturopathic) can help promote optimal function. 

Our functional healthcare provider will go over tailored ingredients for your nutritional drip at your initial consultation. We can discuss key nutrients for helping relieve a hangover, as well as adding other essential nutrients to a drip therapy appointment, such as vitamin C, alpha lipoic acid, vitamin E, vitamin A, folic acid, major minerals, amino acids with glutamic acid, and other natural ingredients. Safety is a key component in our practice – each IV drip session is supervised by our wellness team of naturopathic doctors, nurse practitioners and registered nurses. 

If you need help recuperating from a hangover, let us know! IV therapy from the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre could open your eyes to new health strategies. Just click here to phone us to request your consultation. 

Disclaimer: The information in this article is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. This information should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting a doctor. You should always consult with a health care practitioner before relying on any information in this article or on this website. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider because of information you have read from the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre website or other affiliate media. 

 

References

“7 ways to cure your hangover” from Harvard Health Publishing, published May 22, 2023, viewed on March 29, 2024. 

“Hangovers” from the Mayo Clinic, updated January 30, 2024, viewed on March 29, 2024. 

Swift, R., & Davidson, D. (1998). Alcohol Hangover: Mechanisms and Mediators. Alcohol Health and Research World, 22(1), 54-60. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6761819/

“The Chemistry of a Hangover” from McGill University, Office for Science and Society, published December 12, 2019, viewed on March 29, 2024.  

Verster, J. C. (2008). The alcohol hangover–a puzzling phenomenon. Alcohol and Alcoholism, 43(2), 124-126. https://doi.org/10.1093/alcalc/agm163