WE tend to think of a hangover as the price we pay for a fun night of intoxication.
A throbbing headache, perpetual sickness and crippling anxiety are just some of the costs we could be burdened with come morning.
GettyScientists believe they could have created a pill that can cure hangovers[/caption]
But, what if you could drink too much and avoid the consequences?
Chinese scientists believe they could have created a pill that not only cures hangovers, but wards off potential silent killers linked to excessive drinking.
Studies on mice suggested the probiotic could help break down alcohol faster in the body.
Probiotics are live microorganisms which some studies suggest restore the gut microbiota, which helps digest food.
The genetically engineered pill is full of Lactococcus lactis – a good bacteria found in many dairy products.
The team at Chinese Academy of Science’s Institute of Zoology in Beijing tested the drug on three groups of five mice, each were exposed to different levels of alcohol.
The mice without the probiotic – the control group – showed signs of intoxication faster than the other groups.
They also took longer to recover from alcohol exposure.
Meanwhile, the mice treated with the probiotic showed lower levels of lipids and triglycerides – types of fat – in their livers, suggesting that the probiotic could prevent alcohol-related damage to the organ.
Writing in the journal Microbiology Spectrum, Doctor Meng Dong, a researcher at the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, who worked on the study, said: “We believe that genetically engineered probiotics will provide new ideas for the treatment of liver diseases.”
While the medicine hasn’t yet been tested on humans, the scientists predict that if as effective in humans as in mice, the probiotic could reduce alcohol-induce health issues.
Scientists have argued over the potential harms and benefits of boozing for decades.
Last year, one study suggested just one alcoholic drink a day could increase your risk of having a stroke.
Medics have said drinking too much can already increase your chance of developing a deadly heart condition, known as Atrial fibrillation.
AF is a condition where the heart beats abnormally.
Boozers who get a red face after they drink are at an increased risk of heart disease due to the inflammation of the blood vessels, researchers have said.
On the flip side, scientists at University College London found consumption of 13 units a week — one fewer than the recommended weekly limit of 14 units, equivalent to six pints or ten small glasses of wine — can have a mild protective effect.
Moderate drinking can help love the risk of heart attack, angina, stroke and death in those diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, it suggested.
The NHS suggests 14 units a week — six pints of beer or six medium wines.
The World Health Organisation previously found those working 49 or more hours a week guzzle an extra pint or glass of wine, compared to those doing nine-to-five.
This is not the first time probiotics have been touted as a hangover cure.
Myrkl, new probiotic supplement that you can take before you drink, claims to prevent hangovers.
The company claims the drug contains good bacteria which of breaks down the majority of booze in the body before it reaches the liver.
Research shows that when the liver breaks down alcohol, it releases harmful toxins which make you feel ill – hence the hangover.
How to get help with your booze
There are plenty of helpful resources and tools to help you with your drinking issues.
Drinkline – Call 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm).
Alcoholics anonymous – free self-help group that offers a 12 week plan
Al-Anon – A group for family members or friends struggling to help a loved one
Adfam – a national charity working with families affected by drugs and alcohol
National Association for Children of Alcoholics (Nacoa – helpline for children who have parents who are alcohol dependent – call 0800 358 3456