The consumption of alcohol is pretty much a double edged sword. There is now research that shows us that the consumption of 'certain types' of alcohol in moderation can be good for your health. But the other side of the coin isn't as optimistic; heavy drinking can lead to many serious pathological states that at the very least can make you age faster, and at their worst...can kill you. The people that will read this article will range in ages from teens to those in their 'golden' years. What is amazing is that people who drink, no matter what their age is really have no idea what they are putting into their bodies, and how it will affect them. This is the purpose of this article, after you read what is printed below you will be light years ahead of where you are right now, and will also be better off for it. Granted, the information that you are about to read is what we currently know as of right now with regards to alcohols affect on the body and how to treat the over consumption of it, all of this will surely change in the future. But one thing is for sure you will not find the depth of information regarding the consumption of alcohol any place else in one neat little package.

So you like to have a cocktail now and again, your older now and you have, as 'they' say "been there, and done that"...the thrill is pretty much history. But in your college days the situation was likely very different. The difference in terms of the 'buzz' between now and then isn't really that great, and people party for pretty much the same reasons. However today there is a great deal more information available to the public regarding what alcohol is; what it contains and what it does to the body than ever before. Do you think that all alcohol is the same? Well, the short story is that is isn't. The quality of alcohol that is being sold to the public is all over the map. Here is how it works...an alcoholic drink can be made of any number of organic materials that are fermented. Most alcohols are typically distilled, aged and filtered several times to eliminate the impurities, these are all very important steps in the process of making a quality beverage in that the more that a product is purified, aged and distilled the less side affects you will experience. In the products that are not as pure as others; they contain what are known as congeners, which are toxic chemicals formed during fermentation. And as described, some liquor's contain more of them than others. These congeners are widely responsible for the headaches and other ill feelings experienced during a hangover. Here is a simple fact, the clearer and more distilled that your drinks are, the fewer problems you will have the next morning.

In general, during fermentation a number of different types of alcohol are produced. The major simple form of alcohol that most folks are familiar with is ethyl alcohol, another major form is called methyl alcohol...which is toxic. And then there are other categories that include, but are not limited to:

The higher (molecular weight) alcohols (fusel oils) are found in most fermented beverages:
3-methylbutanol (isoamyl alcohol): (CH3)2-CH-CH2-CH2-OH
2-methylbutanol (active amyl alcohol): CH3-CH2-CH(CH3)-CH2-OH
2-methylpropanol (isobutyl alcohol): (CH3)2-CH-CH2-OH
1-propanol (n-propyl alcohol): CH3-CH2-CH2-OH
As well as others

The problem for the public arises when during the manufacturing of certain low grade beverages these waste compounds are collected up as part of the distillate, and end up in the final product. In many cases they are functional in that they impart their own unique flavor to a product, but can be toxic if ingested in excess. These chemicals harsh attributes require extended maturation time to allow them to integrate and mellow in the product. The problem is that since most beverages are made, shipped and consumed in many cases in a matter of weeks, and the time needed for maturation and additional filtration doesn't occur. Therefore the consumer ends up ingesting more of the higher alcohols and other waste than they should. These 'higher' alcohols, when taken in more than normal levels can be quite toxic, and if ingested in high enough amounts can induce alcohol poisoning and vomiting; and in high enough doses they can even cause death.

These higher alcohols are also major contributors to what we call the 'hangover'. The higher the molecular weight of the alcohol involved and the more waste the alcohol contains, the worse the hangover is. It is as simple as that!

If you like to drink, what can you do about this problem? Are there ways to protect ourselves so the products that we choose to drink don't cause more damage than they should? Well, there are many products being sold on the market today that claim to help in protecting you or that supposedly prevent a hangover, but in reality very few of them do. And if you read the ingredient deck on some of these products and have any knowledge of what the ingredients are, and what they are claimed to do, it becomes apparent that the product couldn't possibly do what the manufacturer claims it does.

Here's how it works...When you consume alcohol it is essentially metabolized by the liver in two steps by enzymes that break it down, and then prepare it to be excreted from the body. The 'converted' alcohol in the form of toxic chemicals that include acetylaldehyde can do a lot of damage to the body, especially as it (the body) becomes dehydrated; because in this state toxins become more concentrated. This is one of the reasons that we feel so sick the next day after consuming more alcohol than the body can process. When the body's ability to utilize its own protective systems (such as those that produce glutathione) is over whelmed, it causes a painful toxic state. There is only one product being sold today that addresses this issue. A product by the name of AM Angel (www.amangel.com) is designed to reduce and 'clear out' the build-up of toxic chemicals such as acetylaldehyde and other waste products, and will replenish some lost nutrients and help to protect and detoxify the body. This is of key importance in that unlike other products AM Angel helps to address the issue of waste clearing, and the prevention of damage that this toxic waste causes. The other way that the product is unique is that you take both before you start to drink and again after, this again is very important in that it helps to prevent the side affects of the over consumption of alcohol. It is also proactive in helping to protect the body against the damage that drinking low grade alcoholic beverages can cause. The only other thing that you need to remember when you imbibe is that you need to drink plenty of water, this one part of the equation is as important as any other part. The idea is to detox and protect your body, staying hydrated, well...that's just the grease that makes the wheels turn!