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Sensitivity to experiencing alcohol hangovers: Reconsideration of the 0.11% blood alcohol concentration (BAC) threshold for having a hangover

Verster, Joris C.; Kruisselbrink, L. Darren; Slot, Karin A.; Anogeianaki, Aikaterini; Adams, Sally; Alford, Chris; Arnoldy, Lizanne; Ayre, Elisabeth; Balikji, Stephanie; Benson, Sarah; Bruce, Gillian; Devenney, Lydia E.; Frone, Michael R.; Gunn, Craig; Heffernan, Thomas; Hensel, Kai O.; Hogewoning, Anna; Johnson, Sean J.; van Lawick van Pabst, Albertine E.; van de Loo, Aurora J.A.E.; Mackus, Marlou; Merlo, Agnese; Murphy, René J.L.; Owen, Lauren; Palmer, Emily O.C.; van Rossum, Charmaine J.I.; Scholey, Andrew; Terpstra, Chantal; Vatsalya, Vatsalya; Vermeulen, Sterre A.; van Wijk, Michelle; Stock, Ann Kathrin

Sensitivity to experiencing alcohol hangovers: Reconsideration of the 0.11% blood alcohol concentration (BAC) threshold for having a hangover Thumbnail


Authors

Joris C. Verster

L. Darren Kruisselbrink

Karin A. Slot

Aikaterini Anogeianaki

Sally Adams

Lizanne Arnoldy

Elisabeth Ayre

Stephanie Balikji

Sarah Benson

Gillian Bruce

Lydia E. Devenney

Michael R. Frone

Craig Gunn

Thomas Heffernan

Kai O. Hensel

Anna Hogewoning

Sean J. Johnson

Albertine E. van Lawick van Pabst

Aurora J.A.E. van de Loo

Marlou Mackus

Agnese Merlo

René J.L. Murphy

Lauren Owen

Emily O.C. Palmer

Charmaine J.I. van Rossum

Andrew Scholey

Chantal Terpstra

Vatsalya Vatsalya

Sterre A. Vermeulen

Michelle van Wijk

Ann Kathrin Stock



Abstract

The 2010 Alcohol Hangover Research Group consensus paper defined a cutoff blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.11% as a toxicological threshold indicating that sufficient alcohol had been consumed to develop a hangover. The cutoff was based on previous research and applied mostly in studies comprising student samples. Previously, we showed that sensitivity to hangovers depends on (estimated) BAC during acute intoxication, with a greater percentage of drinkers reporting hangovers at higher BAC levels. However, a substantial number of participants also reported hangovers at comparatively lower BAC levels. This calls the suitability of the 0.11% threshold into question. Recent research has shown that subjective intoxication, i.e., the level of severity of reported drunkenness, and not BAC, is the most important determinant of hangover severity. Non-student samples often have a much lower alcohol intake compared to student samples, and overall BACs often remain below 0.11%. Despite these lower BACs, many non-student participants report having a hangover, especially when their subjective intoxication levels are high. This may be the case when alcohol consumption on the drinking occasion that results in a hangover significantly exceeds their “normal” drinking level, irrespective of whether they meet the 0.11% threshold in any of these conditions. Whereas consumers may have relative tolerance to the adverse effects at their “regular” drinking level, considerably higher alcohol intake—irrespective of the absolute amount—may consequentially result in a next-day hangover. Taken together, these findings suggest that the 0.11% threshold value as a criterion for having a hangover should be abandoned.

Citation

Verster, J. C., Kruisselbrink, L. D., Slot, K. A., Anogeianaki, A., Adams, S., Alford, C., …Stock, A. K. (2020). Sensitivity to experiencing alcohol hangovers: Reconsideration of the 0.11% blood alcohol concentration (BAC) threshold for having a hangover. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 9(1), Article 179. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9010179

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jan 7, 2020
Online Publication Date Jan 9, 2020
Publication Date Jan 9, 2020
Deposit Date Mar 19, 2020
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Journal of Clinical Medicine
Electronic ISSN 2077-0383
Publisher MDPI
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 9
Issue 1
Article Number 179
Series Title Alcohol Hangover Special Issue
DOI https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9010179
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/5694688

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