Your body digests alcohol through a two-step process. First it breaks ethanol (alcohol) down into a chemical called Acetaldehyde, which is very toxic. Then it breaks Acetaldehyde into Acetate, which is non-toxic and you excrete it out. Your body uses a special antioxidant called Glutathione to break Acetaldehyde into Acetate. The problem is that you have a relatively low amount of the precursors and co-factors (building blocks) of Glutathione available for your body to use from your average diet. This means your body runs out of them quickly and Acetaldehyde builds up in your system causing all sorts of toxic stress and mayhem (you basically poisoned yourself). This is why you feel like you've been hit by a bus after enjoying a night out.*