New Research Examines Morning-After Effects of Alcohol on the Body’s Cardiovascular Response

Contact: Lori Fogleman, 254-709-5959
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While a general link between alcohol consumption and cardiovascular disease is well known, Baylor University researchers are digging into the “why” behind this detrimental association – especially after a night of binge drinking – in a study published in the American Heart Association’s Hypertension journal.

The research – led by Jason R. Carter, Ph.D., dean of Baylor’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences; Jeremy Bigalke, Ph.D., assistant research scientist in the Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation; and their collaborators – used an innovative combination of advanced physiological measurement techniques to demonstrate the negative impacts of alcohol on sympathetic nervous system control of blood pressure the morning after simulated binge drinking.

Fight or flight

The sympathetic nervous system – best known for driving the “fight-or-flight” response – helps regulate heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, urination, sweating and other functions outside of conscious control. Carter, Bigalke and their team evaluated the sympathetic nervous system using a technique known as microneurography.

In this procedure as part of a randomized, fluid-controlled study of 26 healthy adults, an acupuncture-sized electrode was inserted into the fibular nerve in the lower leg to measure sympathetic nerve activity to blood vessels. It is the only technique able to directly measure the sympathetic nervous system in humans – and Baylor’s Autonomic Function Laboratory, where Carter and Bigalke conduct their research, has the equipment and expertise to use it.

“The technique of microneurography is truly a gold-standard approach to assessing the sympathetic nervous system in humans,” Carter said. “There are very few studies that have used this approach as it relates to alcohol research, and no studies that have employed it in conjunction with overnight laboratory sleep assessments.”

In their study, Carter, Bigalke and team found that otherwise healthy adults – who underwent simulated binge drinking – experienced the same level of sympathetic nervous activity the following morning compared with a control group. However, the blood pressure response resulting from that nervous system activity was elevated. In other words, for those who experienced the simulated binge drinking, the cardiovascular response (in this case, a change in blood pressure) was more sensitive to surges of sympathetic nerve activity than the individual’s standard response.

Multiplying the risk

The researchers said this implies that alcohol is not affecting the sympathetic nerve activity directly, but instead, the impact occurs at the intersection of sympathetic nervous activity and the cardiovascular system – like when the nervous system signals a blood pressure increase. Carter and Bigalke’s research shows that this increase for someone who engaged in binge drinking the previous evening could be exaggerated, therefore multiplying the risk for cardiovascular disease.

“The sympathetic nervous system represents a key physiological mechanism that can contribute to increased cardiovascular risk associated with binge drinking,” Bigalke said. “Understanding how these mechanisms work within the body is important in developing therapeutic strategies and targets to reduce alcohol-related cardiovascular disease.”

The knowledge gained through Carter and Bigalke’s research reinforces and strengthens targeted public health messaging around the negative impact of excessive alcohol consumption, particularly as it relates to cardiovascular disease. Understanding that the adverse effects of alcohol are still present the following morning – and are tied to the bodies’ “fight-or-flight” responses – can help encourage healthy lifestyle choices and informed decisions around alcohol use.

“It is important to understand that these ‘fight-or-flight’ responses in the body can linger well beyond the actual drinking episode,” Carter said. “And given the higher likelihood of negative cardiovascular events in the morning hours, we need to stay attentive to the adverse impact of binge drinking hours beyond the actual consumption.”

The study was funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

ABOUT THE RESEARCHERS

Jason R. Carter, Ph.D., is dean of Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, which offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs with a common purpose of improving health, well-being and quality of life for individuals, families, communities and environments. Carter is an active researcher focusing on neural control of the cardiovascular system in humans and the role of sleep in cardiovascular disease. He has been the principal investigator or co-PI on more than $74 million in external research awards, including two active NIH R01 grants. He has more than 100 peer-reviewed journal publications and currently serves as associate editor for the American Journal of Physiology – Heart and Circulatory Physiology. Carter was elected Fellow of the National Academy of Kinesiology in 2017 and received the Jerry R. Thomas Distinguished Leadership Award from the American Kinesiology Association, the society’s top peer-reviewed award, in 2021.

Jeremy Bigalke, Ph.D., is an assistant research scientist in the Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation at Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences. He received his Bachelor of Science in Physiology from Michigan State University, a Master of Science in Kinesiology from Michigan Technological University and his Ph.D. in Psychological Science from Montana State University. Bigalke’s research investigates the intersection between sleep, stress and cardiovascular health, specifically through function of the autonomic nervous system.

ABOUT ROBBINS COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SCIENCES AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

The Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences at Baylor University seeks to prepare leaders in health and quality of life through science, scholarship and innovation. Together, the departments housed within the Robbins College – Communication Sciences and Disorders; Health, Human Performance and Recreation; Human Sciences and Design; Occupational Therapy; Physical Therapy; Public Health; and a number of Army-Baylor graduate programs – promote a team-based approach to transformational education and research, establishing interdisciplinary research collaborations to advance solutions for improving quality of life for individuals, families and communities. For more information, visit the Robbins College website.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.