Immune Responses after Heavy Alcohol Consumption: Cytokine Concentrations in Hangover-Sensitive and Hangover-Resistant Drinkers
van de Loo, Aurora Jae; Raasveld, S Jorinde; Hogewoning, Anna; Zeeuw, Raymond de; Bosma, Else R; Bouwmeester, Noor H; Lukkes, Melanie; Knipping, Karen; Mackus, Marlou; Kraneveld, Aletta D; Brookhuis, Karel A; Garssen, Johan; Scholey, Andrew; Verster, Joris C
(2021) Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), volume 9, issue 4
(Article)
Abstract
This study investigated immunological changes during an alcohol hangover, and the possible difference between hangover-resistant and hangover-sensitive drinkers in terms of immune reactivity. Using a semi-naturalistic design, N = 36 healthy social drinkers (18 to 30 years old) provided saliva samples on a control day (after drinking no alcohol) and
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on a post-alcohol day. Hangover severity was rated directly after saliva collection. Cytokine concentrations, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and hangover severity were compared between both test days and between hangover-sensitive and -resistant drinkers. Data from N = 35 drinkers (17 hangover-sensitive and 18 hangover-resistant) were included in the statistical analyses. Relative to the control day, there were significant increases in saliva IL-6 and IL-10 concentrations on the post-alcohol day. No significant differences in cytokine concentrations were found between hangover-sensitive and hangover-resistant drinkers, nor did any change in cytokine concentration correlate significantly with hangover severity. In line with previous controlled studies assessing cytokines in blood, the current naturalistic study using saliva samples also demonstrated that the immune system responds to high-level alcohol intake. However, further research is warranted, as, in contrast to previous findings in blood samples, changes in saliva cytokine concentrations did not differ significantly between hangover-sensitive and hangover-resistant drinkers, nor did they correlate significantly with hangover severity.
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Keywords: Alcohol, Cytokine, Hangover, Hangover severity, Immune system, Health Informatics, Health Policy, Health Information Management, Leadership and Management
ISSN: 2227-9032
Publisher: MDPI AG
Note: Funding Information: Conflicts of Interest: A.D.K. has received grants/research support from Top Institute Pharma, NWO, Janssen, GSK, Nutricia Research, and Friesland Campina. A.S. has held research grants from Abbott Nutrition, Australian Research Council, Arla Foods, Australian Wine Research Institute, Bayer, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Cognis, Cyvex, European Commission Framework 5 Research and Innovation initiative, GlaxoSmithKline, Ginsana, Kemin Foods, Martek, Masterfoods, National Health and Medical Research Council, Naturex, Nestlé, Neurobrands, Nutricia-Danone, Red Bull, Sanofi, Verdure Sciences, Wrigley Science Institute and has acted as a consultant/expert advisor to Abbott Nutrition, Barilla, Bayer Healthcare, Danone, Flordis, Glax-oSmithKline Healthcare, Masterfoods, Martek, Novartis, Unilever, and Wrigley. J.G. is part-time employee of Nutricia Research and received research grants from Nutricia research foundation, Top Institute Pharma, Top Institute Food and Nutrition, GSK, STW, NWO, Friesland Campina, CCC, Raak-Pro, and EU. Over the past three years, J.C.V. has received grants/research support from Janssen and Sequential Medicine and has acted as a consultant/advisor for More Labs, Red Bull, Sen-Jam Pharmaceutical, Toast!, Tomo, and ZBiotics. K.A.B. has received grants/research support from NWO, the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, European Commission, Wyeth, Sanofi, Schering, Nissan, JARI, Mercedes Benz, and Verbond van Verzekeraars. K.K. is employee of Nutricia Research. The other authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
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