How Synthehol Works

Can we enjoy alcohol without the negative side effects?
Can we enjoy alcohol without the negative side effects?

Alcohol is a big part of our culture. But for all of its enjoyable aspects, drinking can take a toll on the body. What if we could enjoy all of the pleasurable effects of alcohol without having to worry about the harmful side effects? On the TV show "Star Trek: The Next Generation," the characters enjoy all the buzz of drinking alcohol without the nasty hangovers and other negative effects, thanks to a fictional creation called "synthehol." A similar alcohol alternative could soon become a reality.

To understand how synthehol could work, let's look briefly at how intoxication works. The ethanol (ethyl alcohol) in alcoholic drinks causes the "buzz" as well as the hangovers and other health problems. Ethanol is a form of alcohol produced by the fermentation process, in which yeast breaks down sugars in the absence of oxygen. Ethanol interferes with the transmission of nerve cells in the brain. In part, it enhances the effect of a neurotransmitter called GABA (gamma amino butyric acid). GABA acts as an inhibitory neurotransmitter on the central nervous system. It has a sedative effect and causes sleepiness.

Ethanol is a GABA-A agonist. This means that when ethanol attaches to signaling molecules known as GABA-A receptors, it causes the release of GABA-A. There are several different subtypes of GABA-A receptors, each of which triggers a different reaction to alcohol, from the sedative effect to memory loss to nausea.

Ethanol also acts as an antagonist at the NMDA receptor. NMDA is a receptor for glutamaine, a neurotransmitter responsible for passing messages from one nerve cell to another. Ethanol blocks its action. When the NMDA receptor is activated, it enhances stimulation of the nervous system. But when the receptor is blocked by an antagonist, it suppresses the nervous system response and enhances the sedative effect of alcohol.

Many of the positive effects that people feel when drinking alcohol are related to how it affects the cerebral cortex -- the highest portion of your brain. There alcohol depresses the behavioral inhibitory centers. In other words, when we drink, we often become more social and confident. Alcohol also raises the level of the chemical dopamine in the brain's reward center, which creates that "buzzed" feeling. These effects get more pronounced as the blood alcohol level (BAC) increases. To learn more about how alcohol affects the brain, check out How Alcohol Works.On the next page, learn about several methods that may remove alcohol's harmful effects.­

Alcohol Alternatives

Image courtesy Daniel Scherber/Stock.xchng







Understanding GABA Receptors

Ethanol in alcoholic drinks binds to GABA receptors
Ethanol in alcoholic drinks binds to GABA receptors
2006 HowStuffWorks

­ Recent re­search has inc­reased scientists' understanding of the GABA receptors. But although there have been some studies done on partial GABA-A receptor agonists, there hasn't been enough evidence to show that they are free of the side effects of full agonists such as the benzodiazepine Diazepam, or Valium.

David Nutt and some other researchers believe an alcohol alternative is possible. Nutt says those tested so far have been relatively safe. They have shown little sedation, and few signs of dependence or withdrawal symptoms. Also, they don't tend to interact with the real thing, so even if someone drinks a few beers after having one of these alternatives, there is little risk of a dangerous interaction.

Finding an alcohol alternative and putting it on the market won't be easy, though. Researchers will probably need to use different compounds that work on all of GABA-A receptors to remove all of the negative effects of alcohol. Some researchers wonder if drug companies will invest money to research and develop a product not designed to treat a disease. They may not be interested in helping an alcohol alternative pass the Food & Drug Administration's safety testing requirements.

Researchers will also have to find the best way to deliver the alcohol alternative. Part of the enjoyment of drinking alcoholic drinks is in the taste and feel of sipping on them. An alternative might have to be a liquid to satisfy drinkers - a pill version probably won't gain acceptance. Also, it may need to come in different strengths, just like alcoholic drinks, to compare with, say drinking a glass of wine versus drinking a vodka martini. And, it would probably need to be absorbed and enter the brain in a similar way to alcohol, to help steady drinkers easily make the switch.

To find out more about synthehol and other alcohol alternatives, check out our links page.

Related HowStuffWorks Articles

More Great Links


  • Brumback, Kate. "Now a drug that gives you that alcohol buzz, but without a hangover."Columbia News Service, May 2, 2006.
  • Christensen, Bill. "Hangover-free Buzz: Star Trek's Synthehol Now Possible."LiveScience, April 12, 2006.
  • Cox, W. Miles. "Alcohol alternatives - a goal for psychopharmacology?" Journal of Psychopharmacology, 20(3)2006:327-328.
  • Hall, Wayne. "The regulatory challenges in engineering a safer tipple." Journal of Psychopharmacology, 20(3)2006:321-322.
  • Longo, Lance and Brian Johnson. " Benzodiazepines--Side Effects, Abuse Risk and Alternatives." American Family Physician, April 1, 2000.
  • Nutt, David J. "Alcohol alternatives - a goal for psychopharmacology?" Journal of Psychopharmacology 20(3) 2006:318-320.
  • Nutt, David J. "What Is Pharmacology's Place In Finding Alternatives To Alcohol?" Medical News Today.
  • Ragan, Ian. "Alcohol alternatives - a goal for psychopharmacology?" Journal of Psychopharmacology, 20(3)2006:325-326.
  • Room, Robin. "For alcohol alternatives, the science is not the hardest part." Journal of Psychopharmacology, 20(3)2006:323-324.