Scientists claim to have created an elixir which could mean no more hangovers
Hangovers after a heavy session the night before could soon be a thing of the past after scientists claim to have found a new elixir to battle its effects.
For the tests, laboratory mice in China were given red wine and then watched to discover how long it took for them to recover.
The team then worked on a genetically-engineered probiotic which created an enzyme capable of breaking down alcohol which dramatically reduced the effects.
As well as helping humans have less of a sore head the morning after a trip to the pub, it is also hoped it could eventually be used to reduce the risk of liver and intestinal damage.
Meng Dong, Ph.D, at the Chinese Academy of Science’s Institute of Zoology, who worked on the study, said: “We believe genetically engineered probiotics will provide new ideas for the treatment of liver diseases.
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Alcohol consumption can cause serous damage to people's bodies (Getty Images)“We are excited about the improvement of recombinant probiotics in acute alcohol-induced liver and intestinal damage.”
For the study three groups of five mice were exposed to differing amounts of alcohol.
Twenty minutes after they were given the booze the mice were placed on their backs and observed for how long it took to turn themselves over.
Some were unable to get back on their feet, but in the group given the probiotic a quarter never lost the ability to turn over at all.
The next step is to investigate whether the potential effects could be modified to help humans.
The report reads: “Alcohol is an essential drug in human life with multiple medical functions, but excessive alcohol intake, even a single episode of binge drinking, can cause serious damage.
The test results have given hope liver disease could be stopped (Getty Images/iStockphoto)“Reducing alcohol consumption or absorption is a direct way to alleviate the related harm.
The immediate phenomenon after drinking is a hangover, the most common symptoms of which include tiredness, increased thirst, sleepiness, headache, dry mouth, and nausea.
“These symptoms can adversely affect an individual’s work effectiveness and daily activities, as well as having negative economic consequences.
“Alcohol intake has been shown to be associated with a variety of diseases, such as fatty liver, cirrhosis, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and cancer.
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“Therefore, the development of effective products to reduce alcohol intake is receiving increasing attention.
“Here, we produced a human probiotic which aimed to enhance alcohol degradation in the intestinal tract after oral administration.
“Our results showed [it] reduced alcohol absorption, prolonged the alcohol tolerance time, and shortened the recovery time after acute alcohol challenge.
“More importantly, the liver and intestine were protected from acute injury caused by alcohol challenge.
“Therefore, the engineered probiotic has the potential to protect organ damage from alcohol consumption.
“Furthermore, this engineered probiotic may have beneficial effects on alcohol-related diseases such as alcoholic fatty liver disease.”
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