The inconvenient truth.

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Last evidence review: September 2026 · next: October 2026

What excess does, and what to do about it

An informational page, written for adults who drink and want to drink better. Nothing here replaces a doctor, and we repeat that on purpose.

What excess really does

No sugarcoating: there is no level of alcohol consumption considered safe for health. That has been the World Health Organization's position since 2023, and alcohol is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by IARC (the group with the strongest evidence). In Brazil, INCA (the National Cancer Institute) holds the same position.

In the liver, the path of excess is well known and progressive: it starts with hepatic steatosis (“fatty liver”, silent and still reversible if you drink less), can progress to alcoholic hepatitis and, if the excess continues over the years, to cirrhosis — which is irreversible. Brazil's Ministério da Saúde (Ministry of Health) keeps an entire care pathway dedicated to alcohol use disorders, from screening to treatment through SUS, the public health system.

Hangovers, no fuss

A hangover is, in short, your body settling the bill: the liver turns alcohol into acetaldehyde (the substance behind much of the misery), while dehydration, poor sleep and an irritated stomach finish the job.

What actually helps:

• Water, before, during and after. The classic “a glass of water for every glass of wine” is the cheapest tip in the wine world.
• Eat before and while drinking (not after, as a fix): food in the stomach slows the absorption of alcohol. “Soaking it up with greasy food the next day” is folklore — the liver doesn't take bribes.
• Sleep, and accept the inconvenient truth: the only real cure for a hangover is time.
• Painkillers? With caution and guidance: after a lot of alcohol, paracetamol (acetaminophen) calls for special care precisely because of the liver. When in doubt, ask a pharmacist or a doctor, not us.

What's myth: coffee fixes it (it doesn't, it just leaves you awake and hungover), hair of the dog, more alcohol (it postpones the bill and makes it bigger), sweating it out in the sauna or at the gym (it dehydrates someone who is already dehydrated).

Hydration, no fuss

Water is the cheapest ingredient in a wine lover's longevity, and it works in two modes:

If last night involved wine: alcohol inhibits the antidiuretic hormone: you pee more than you drink, and that's where much of the hangover comes from. Replenishing is simple: water in steady sips (not liters at once), and if the day was really long, fluids with electrolytes help: homemade oral rehydration solution, a sports drink or the classic coconut water. The grown-up trick is still the same as always: a glass of water for every glass of wine, while drinking. Tomorrow's hydration happens today.

Day to day: the European reference (EFSA) talks about 2 liters of fluids a day for women and 2.5 for men, including what comes from food, coffee and tea. But the fine-tuning is individual: thirst is a signal, and pale urine is the honest marker that all is well. Heat, exercise and altitude call for more.

Quick myths: coffee dehydrates you (in normal amounts it counts as fluid; the diuretic effect is mild) · 2 liters is a universal law (a reference average, not a sentence: your body, the climate and your routine call the shots).

Am I drinking too much?

Instead of guesswork, the AUDIT, the World Health Organization's screening test, in its short version, AUDIT-C: the first three questions of the official test, validated in 1998 by Bush and Bradley's team (USA). Answer honestly. It really is anonymous: nothing leaves your browser.

One “drink” ≈ a glass of wine (150 ml), a can of beer or a shot of spirits.

The AUDIT-C is a validated screening tool, not a diagnosis. Usual cut-offs in the literature: 4+ for men and 3+ for women suggest risky drinking.

Real help, without judgment

If drinking is weighing heavy — on you or on someone you love — that isn't a weakness of character: it's a health issue, and in Brazil there are real, free ways forward:

• CVV — Centro de Valorização da Vida (call 188) — 24-hour emotional support, free and confidential, by phone, chat and email. If the weight comes with deep sadness, start here.
• Alcoólicos Anônimos do Brasil (Alcoholics Anonymous in Brazil) — about 4,000 groups across the country, in-person and online meetings, and 65 help lines by phone and WhatsApp. The only requirement: wanting to stop. No fees, no religious affiliation.
• SUS — CAPS AD — the Centros de Atenção Psicossocial Álcool e Drogas (psychosocial care centers for alcohol and drugs) offer free care through Brazil's public health system; the official care pathway explains the way in. General information also through Disque Saúde, 136.
• CISA — Encontre Ajuda — the Centro de Informações sobre Saúde e Álcool (a public-interest nonprofit founded in 2004, funded with support from Ambev and Heineken, which the house would rather say out loud) keeps a guide to where to look for support.