You wake up with a raging headache, your mouth tastes of something indescribable and there’s a chance last night’s midnight snack could stay or go. Sound familiar? Perhaps you’re thinking of anytime you’ve had a bad hangover.
A college professor and former government drug adviser in the United Kingdom, David Nutt, is working on a plan for you to never experience that feeling again with a new type of synthetic alcohol, according to the Independent.
Nutt has designed the drink, called alcosynth or Alcarelle, to mimic the same effects of alcohol, and the effects would last the same amount of time. It would come, however, without the toxins or causing a dry mouth, nausea and headache. He has created about 90 different compounds, two of which are being meticulously tested for widespread use.
“We know where the good effects of alcohol are mediated in the brain and can mimic them,” Nutt told the Independent. “By not touching the bad areas, we don’t have the bad effects.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, health risks of drinking alcohol include things like high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, cancer, dementia, depression and anxiety, to name just a few.
“We haven’t tested (Alcarelle) to destruction yet, but it’s safer than drinking too much alcohol,” Nutt said. “With clever pharmacology, you can limit and put a ceiling on the effects, so you can’t ever get as ill or kill yourself, unlike with drinking a lot of vodka … People want healthier drinks.”
Nutt, along with partners, began looking for seed investors in November, with hopes of raising around $26 million for the endeavor.
It’s unclear when (or if) we may realistically have access to the hangover-free booze, but Nutt said he hopes nontoxic Alcarelle could completely replace normal alcohol by 2050.
“It will be there alongside the scotch and the gin," he said. "They'll dispense the alcosynth into your cocktail and then you'll have the pleasure without damaging your liver and your heart,” he said.
What do you think about a hangover-free alcohol? Would you like to see it come to fruition? Let us know in the comment section below.