Predictors of Immune Fitness and the Alcohol Hangover: Survey Data from UK and Irish Adults

Joris Verster; Agnese Merlo; Maureen Zijlstra; Benthe R. C. van der Weij; Anne Boogaard; Sanne Schulz; Jessica Balikji; Andy J. Kim; Sherry Stewart; Simon B. Sherry; Johan Garssen; Gillian Bruce; Lydia E Devenney

doi:10.3390/data10040049

Predictors of Immune Fitness and the Alcohol Hangover: Survey Data from UK and Irish Adults

Joris Verster, Agnese Merlo, Maureen Zijlstra, Benthe R. C. van der Weij, Anne Boogaard, Sanne Schulz, Jessica Balikji, Andy J. Kim, Sherry Stewart, Simon B. Sherry, Johan Garssen, Gillian Bruce^*, Lydia E Devenney

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Immune fitness is defined as the capacity of the body to respond to health challenges (such as infections) by activating an appropriate immune response to promote health and prevent and resolve disease, which is essential for improving quality of life. Thus, immune fitness plays an essential role in health, and reduced immune fitness may be an important signal of increased susceptibility for disease. Lifestyle factors such as increased levels of alcohol consumption have been shown to negatively impact immune fitness. The alcohol hangover is the most frequently reported negative consequence of alcohol consumption and is defined as the combination of negative mental and physical symptoms, which can be experienced after a single episode of alcohol consumption, starting when blood alcohol concentration (BAC) approaches zero. Significant correlations have been reported between hangover severity and both immune fitness and biomarkers of systemic inflammation. The concepts of immune fitness and alcohol hangover are further linked by the fact that the inflammatory response to alcohol consumption plays an important role in the pathology of the alcohol hangover. Moreover, immune fitness has been related to the susceptibility of experiencing hangovers per se. It is therefore important to investigate the interrelationship between immune fitness and the alcohol hangover, and to identify possible predictor variables of both constructs. This data descriptor article describes a study that was conducted with adults living in the UK or Ireland, evaluating possible correlates and predictors of immune fitness and the alcohol hangover. Data on mood, personality, mental resilience, pain catastrophizing, and sleep were collected from n = 1178 participants through an online survey. Herein, the survey and corresponding dataset are described. Dataset: The dataset is submitted as a Supplementary File. Dataset License: CC0.

Original language	English
Article number	49
Number of pages	12
Journal	Data
Volume	10
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/data10040049
Publication status	Published - Apr 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 by the authors.

Funding

There are no conflicts of interest in relation to this study. Over the past 3 years, J.V. has received research grants from Danone and Inbiose, and has acted as a consultant/advisor for Eisai, KNMP, Med Solutions, Mozand, Red Bull, Sen-Jam Pharmaceutical, and Toast! J.V., M.Z., B.W., A.K., and A.B. received travel support from Sen-Jam Pharmaceutical. J.G. is a part-time employee of Nutricia Research and received research grants from Nutricia research foundation, Top Institute Pharma, Top Institute Food and Nutrition, GSK, STW, NWO, Friesland Campina, CCC, Raak-Pro, and EU. S.H.S. has been a consultant to Beer Canada, received funding from the Alcoholic Beverage Medical Research Foundation, and is supported through a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Addictions and Mental Health at Dalhousie University. The other authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose.

Funders	Funder number
Alcoholic Beverage Medical Research Foundation
Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
Top Institute Pharma
Dalhousie University
Nutricia Research
European Commission
Stichting voor de Technische Wetenschappen
Nutricia Research Foundation
GlaxoSmithKline
Top Institute Food and Nutrition
Crohn's and Colitis Canada
Friesland Campina

Keywords

alcohol
anxiety
daytime alertness
hangover
immune fitness
impaired wound healing
mental resilience
mood
pain
personality
quality of life
sleep
smoking

Access to Document

10.3390/data10040049Licence: CC BY

data-10-00049-v2Final published version, 219 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Predictors of Immune Fitness and the Alcohol Hangover: Survey Data from UK and Irish Adults",

abstract = "Immune fitness is defined as the capacity of the body to respond to health challenges (such as infections) by activating an appropriate immune response to promote health and prevent and resolve disease, which is essential for improving quality of life. Thus, immune fitness plays an essential role in health, and reduced immune fitness may be an important signal of increased susceptibility for disease. Lifestyle factors such as increased levels of alcohol consumption have been shown to negatively impact immune fitness. The alcohol hangover is the most frequently reported negative consequence of alcohol consumption and is defined as the combination of negative mental and physical symptoms, which can be experienced after a single episode of alcohol consumption, starting when blood alcohol concentration (BAC) approaches zero. Significant correlations have been reported between hangover severity and both immune fitness and biomarkers of systemic inflammation. The concepts of immune fitness and alcohol hangover are further linked by the fact that the inflammatory response to alcohol consumption plays an important role in the pathology of the alcohol hangover. Moreover, immune fitness has been related to the susceptibility of experiencing hangovers per se. It is therefore important to investigate the interrelationship between immune fitness and the alcohol hangover, and to identify possible predictor variables of both constructs. This data descriptor article describes a study that was conducted with adults living in the UK or Ireland, evaluating possible correlates and predictors of immune fitness and the alcohol hangover. Data on mood, personality, mental resilience, pain catastrophizing, and sleep were collected from n = 1178 participants through an online survey. Herein, the survey and corresponding dataset are described. Dataset: The dataset is submitted as a Supplementary File. Dataset License: CC0.",

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author = "Joris Verster and Agnese Merlo and Maureen Zijlstra and {van der Weij}, {Benthe R. C.} and Anne Boogaard and Sanne Schulz and Jessica Balikji and Kim, {Andy J.} and Sherry Stewart and Sherry, {Simon B.} and Johan Garssen and Gillian Bruce and Devenney, {Lydia E}",

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year = "2025",

month = apr,

doi = "10.3390/data10040049",

language = "English",

volume = "10",

journal = "Data",

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AU - Verster, Joris

AU - Merlo, Agnese

AU - Zijlstra, Maureen

AU - van der Weij, Benthe R. C.

AU - Boogaard, Anne

AU - Schulz, Sanne

AU - Balikji, Jessica

AU - Kim, Andy J.

AU - Stewart, Sherry

AU - Sherry, Simon B.

AU - Garssen, Johan

AU - Bruce, Gillian

AU - Devenney, Lydia E

PY - 2025/4

Y1 - 2025/4

N2 - Immune fitness is defined as the capacity of the body to respond to health challenges (such as infections) by activating an appropriate immune response to promote health and prevent and resolve disease, which is essential for improving quality of life. Thus, immune fitness plays an essential role in health, and reduced immune fitness may be an important signal of increased susceptibility for disease. Lifestyle factors such as increased levels of alcohol consumption have been shown to negatively impact immune fitness. The alcohol hangover is the most frequently reported negative consequence of alcohol consumption and is defined as the combination of negative mental and physical symptoms, which can be experienced after a single episode of alcohol consumption, starting when blood alcohol concentration (BAC) approaches zero. Significant correlations have been reported between hangover severity and both immune fitness and biomarkers of systemic inflammation. The concepts of immune fitness and alcohol hangover are further linked by the fact that the inflammatory response to alcohol consumption plays an important role in the pathology of the alcohol hangover. Moreover, immune fitness has been related to the susceptibility of experiencing hangovers per se. It is therefore important to investigate the interrelationship between immune fitness and the alcohol hangover, and to identify possible predictor variables of both constructs. This data descriptor article describes a study that was conducted with adults living in the UK or Ireland, evaluating possible correlates and predictors of immune fitness and the alcohol hangover. Data on mood, personality, mental resilience, pain catastrophizing, and sleep were collected from n = 1178 participants through an online survey. Herein, the survey and corresponding dataset are described. Dataset: The dataset is submitted as a Supplementary File. Dataset License: CC0.

AB - Immune fitness is defined as the capacity of the body to respond to health challenges (such as infections) by activating an appropriate immune response to promote health and prevent and resolve disease, which is essential for improving quality of life. Thus, immune fitness plays an essential role in health, and reduced immune fitness may be an important signal of increased susceptibility for disease. Lifestyle factors such as increased levels of alcohol consumption have been shown to negatively impact immune fitness. The alcohol hangover is the most frequently reported negative consequence of alcohol consumption and is defined as the combination of negative mental and physical symptoms, which can be experienced after a single episode of alcohol consumption, starting when blood alcohol concentration (BAC) approaches zero. Significant correlations have been reported between hangover severity and both immune fitness and biomarkers of systemic inflammation. The concepts of immune fitness and alcohol hangover are further linked by the fact that the inflammatory response to alcohol consumption plays an important role in the pathology of the alcohol hangover. Moreover, immune fitness has been related to the susceptibility of experiencing hangovers per se. It is therefore important to investigate the interrelationship between immune fitness and the alcohol hangover, and to identify possible predictor variables of both constructs. This data descriptor article describes a study that was conducted with adults living in the UK or Ireland, evaluating possible correlates and predictors of immune fitness and the alcohol hangover. Data on mood, personality, mental resilience, pain catastrophizing, and sleep were collected from n = 1178 participants through an online survey. Herein, the survey and corresponding dataset are described. Dataset: The dataset is submitted as a Supplementary File. Dataset License: CC0.

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KW - daytime alertness

KW - hangover

KW - immune fitness

KW - impaired wound healing

KW - mental resilience

KW - mood

KW - pain

KW - personality

KW - quality of life

KW - sleep

KW - smoking

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SN - 2306-5729

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JO - Data

JF - Data

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M1 - 49

ER -

Predictors of Immune Fitness and the Alcohol Hangover: Survey Data from UK and Irish Adults

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

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