Carbonation and Hangovers
Does Sparkling Wine Get You Drunk Faster and Cause Headaches?
Yes, sparkling wine can act faster than still wine: a small 2003 study by the University of Surrey found higher blood alcohol levels after sparkling Champagne than after flat Champagne. That sparkling wine itself causes more headaches than other alcoholic drinks, however, is not supported by evidence.
Does Sparkling Wine Act Faster Than Still Wine?
Many people know the feeling that a glass of sparkling wine at a reception goes to their head faster than a glass of white wine with dinner. Researchers at the University of Surrey in England measured this. The paper by Ridout and colleagues appeared in 2003 in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism. Twelve volunteers drank the same amount of Champagne on different days, once sparkling and once flat—that is, with the carbonation removed.
Five minutes after drinking, blood alcohol levels averaged 0.54 milligrams per milliliter after the sparkling Champagne, compared with 0.39 after the flat version. So the carbonation got the alcohol into the bloodstream faster. Twelve people is a very small group, so the study is a pointer rather than definitive proof. But it matches well with what many people experience firsthand when raising a toast.
Why Does Carbonation Get Alcohol Into the Blood Faster?
The body absorbs most alcohol in the small intestine, not the stomach. How quickly it gets there depends on when the stomach empties its contents. The explanation usually given is that carbon dioxide can speed up stomach emptying and increase blood flow to the stomach lining. The mechanism isn't fully understood. The Surrey study only measured blood alcohol, not the pathway there.
On top of that come circumstances that have little to do with the drink itself. Sparkling wine is often drunk on an empty stomach, at a reception or as a toast before the meal. Without food in the stomach, blood alcohol rises faster with any drink. Small glasses get refilled quickly, and people who are standing and chatting more easily lose track of how much they've had. The carbonation amplifies this effect, but doesn't explain it on its own.
Does Sparkling Wine Cause Headaches?
There's no evidence for a specific sparkling-wine headache. Anyone who wakes up with a headache after a celebration has mainly drunk alcohol, and often more than intended. Alcohol draws water out of the body, disrupts sleep, and its breakdown produces acetaldehyde, a toxic byproduct linked to hangover symptoms. That applies to sparkling wine just as much as to beer, wine, or spirits.
Suspicion often falls on cheap sparkling wine, sugar, or sulfites. A solid proof that any of these substances in sparkling wine triggers headaches is still lacking. The assumption that sweet sparkling wines are especially bad is widespread too, but not backed by studies. The more reliable finding is the one from Surrey: sparkling wine gets the same amount of alcohol into the blood somewhat faster, and anyone drinking it on an empty stomach notices this sooner. Part of its bad reputation likely comes down to this speed.
What Helps Against Fast Effects and Hangovers?
The only sure way to avoid a hangover is to drink less alcohol, or none at all. People drinking sparkling wine notice a difference if they eat something beforehand and drink water alongside each glass. Drinking slowly helps, because the liver can only break down alcohol at a limited pace. There's no remedy that speeds up this breakdown. Neither coffee nor a cold shower changes blood alcohol levels.
For anyone planning to drive, the fast absorption is an important point: blood alcohol can rise earlier after sparkling wine than after the same amount of still wine, and even small amounts impair driving ability. Anyone sensitive to sulfites or histamine should get this checked medically; what's known about both substances in sparkling wine is covered in the chapter on sulfites and histamine. Anyone who wants to enjoy the fizz without the alcohol will find an overview in the chapter on alcohol-free sparkling wine.