Why you throw up after drinking excess alcohol

Have you ever had those nights where you drink too much alcohol and find yourself throwing up afterwards? Or you were out with friends and one of them had too many drinks and the end result was throwing up in the bathroom?

A lot of us understand that this occurs when you drink too much, but do you know why this doesn’t happen with other drinks? Well, here is why this happens

1. Your body sees alcohol as a toxin

Alcohol might make you feel relaxed and social, but to your body, it’s poison. Your liver works hard to break it down and get it out of your system. When you drink too much too quickly, your liver gets overwhelmed.

Once alcohol levels in your blood rise too high, a warning from your brain goes to your stomach asking it to immediately get rid of the excess toxin. That’s when you start throwing up.

2. Alcohol irritates your stomach

Alcohol is rough on your stomach lining. Too many shots or glasses of wine can inflame it, which increases stomach acid and causes nausea. If the irritation gets too strong, your body reacts by forcing everything out.

3. It messes with your brain’s “control center”

Your brain has a special area called the vomiting center. It controls when you feel sick and need to vomit. Alcohol stimulates this part of your brain when there’s too much in your system, triggering that awful queasy feeling and the eventual throw-up.

4. It is a built-in safety mechanism

As gross as it feels, vomiting after drinking is actually a form of self-defense. It’s your body’s way of saying, “You’ve had enough!” and trying to prevent alcohol poisoning by getting rid of the extra booze before it can do more damage.

Can you stop it from happening?

The only sure way is to drink in moderation. Eating before drinking helps slow down how fast alcohol enters your system. Also, pacing yourself and drinking water in between can make a big difference.

So, if you don’t want your night out to end with you hugging the toilet, it is best to avoid drinking too much.

Alcohol