eli5: Why do hangovers get worse with age?
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MD here. Your body becomes less able to deal with the stress alcohol puts on the body over time. Alcohol causes something called oxidative stress, and also dehydration by acting directly on a part of the brain called the hypothalamus. In addition, as you age, the protective layer of mucus in the stomach is less effective, and alcohol can cause injury to the lining of the stomach. In fact, any part of the body that alcohol touches can become irritated or inflamed. The mouth all the way to the intestines, the throat, etc. It is also my understanding that alcohol consumption can cause low blood sugar because it depletes a compound called NAD+ which is necessary in the body to produce sugar from other compounds, which the brain may be more sensitive to at old age.
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