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From: mwg@petrus.UUCP (Mark Garrett)
Newsgroups: net.med,net.college
Subject: Re: prevention of hangovers
Message-ID: <795@petrus.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 8-Jan-86 09:57:13 EST
Article-I.D.: petrus.795
Posted: Wed Jan  8 09:57:13 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 9-Jan-86 06:04:05 EST
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Xref: linus net.med:2948 net.college:970

++
> i had heard that after consuming lots of alcohol,
> the effects of any hangovers are nullified if lots
> of vitamin C is taken, say 2-5 grams.
> .....
> dragon

Pauling's argument about vitamin C and alcoholism went
something like this (forgive me for not remembering all
the chemicals):  Alcohol directly helps some reaction
involving chemical A, but also produces more chemical B
which in turn does more harm to A than the alcohol did
good.  Since there is a time delay in the reactions,
the body "realizes" that alcohol helps A, but can't see
ahead enough to realize the dire consequences, so it
makes the victim crave alcohol, which in turn, makes
the problem worse; hence addiction.  (This argument is
only heuristic, and is not Pauling's argument, but only
the way I remember it.)

Vitamin C apparently steps in and takes the place of
the alcohol in helping reaction A, without producing
the villainous quantities of B, and therefore breaks
the cycle.  It would seem that a user who is not
addicted would also benefit from this sequence.

I'm almost embarrased to post my source but, it was
an interview with Pauling on the "Merv Griffin Show"
sometime in the mid-70's.

-Mark Garrett