Ep 9: All the Fun of Alcohol But None of the Downsides, With David Nutt

What does science tell us about hangovers? Frustratingly, very little is known about them, apart from the economic havoc they wreak.

But everyone who has experienced them knows exactly how evil they are. Wouldn’t it be great if it was possible to drink without any side effects?

Professor David Nutt, a neuropsychopharmacologist, has been hard at work on that very thing. In this episode, he discusses the work he’s doing on a molecule called Alcarelle, which is currently going through regulatory testing. In the meantime, he’s introduced a vermouth-like drink called Sentia to market.

In this episode, Felicity Carter and Dave, as he likes to be known, talk about how alcohol affects the brain, the misery of hangovers, and how Dave devised and created Sentia, and brought it to market.

The conversation covers:

1. Hangovers and what we don’t know about them
2. How alcohol affects the brain
3. How ancient herbal remedies may hold the secret to creating alcohol substitutes
4. The rise of functional drinks
5. How to bring a new drink to market
6. The market potential for non-alcoholic drinks
7. The future of alcohol itself