A large number of people want to know the physical effects of Absinthe? Due to restrictions on Absinthe in 1900s most of the have never tasted it.
Absinthe is an anise flavored distilled alcoholic drink produced from a wine base and flavored with herbs. Common wormwood, aniseed and fennel are the three main herbs used for the distillation of Absinthe.
Absinthe was created by a doctor, Dr Pierre Ordinaire, in Couvet, Switzerland in the 18th century. He made it as a medicine for his patients. After getting hold of the recipe, Henri-Louis Pernod started manufacturing Absinthe in Couvet and then in Pontarlier, France.
Absinthe became a very famous drink and was used to treat malaria by French soldiers. It soon became popular in France and even took over from wine as the favorite drink of the French in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Absinthe became a “pick me up” used all over France and in many countries – bars even had Absinthe hours or “L’heure verte”.
Absinthe was served with apparel such as a special Absinthe glass, a slotted Absinthe spoon and an Absinthe fountain or carafe of iced water. Before serving it was diluted with a sugar and water solution.
One can study an article from “Sweat” magazine “Battle Cry” from the 1960s which describes of how the medical profession in France were concerned about Absinthism. Doctors claimed that it was far worse than normal alcoholism and had the following symptoms:-
Initial Symptoms after consuming Absinthe:-
– A feeling of exhilaration
– Hallucinations
– Having restless nights with terrible bad dreams
– It can cause nausea and vomiting
– Trembling
– Dizziness
Symptoms of long term Absinthe abuse:-
– Frothing and convulsions
– Delirium
– Problems of hypersensitivity to pain
– One can suffer with loss of libido
– Sensitivity to hot and cold
– Insanity
– Paralysis
– Death
The French Academy of Medicine asked that Absinthe be forbidden in 1900 but their pleas were ignored. The governments took action against it because in 1905 a family was killed by an Absinthe drinker in Switzerland. Switzerland unauthorized Absinthe in 1908, Italy in 1913 and France in 1915.
Thujone was found to be responsible for Absinthe’s physical effects. Thujone was psychoactive, a neurotoxin and acted on the GABA receptors in the brain as per peole’s thought. People thought it to be same as THC in the drug cannabis.
However, recent research with traditional pre ban Absinthe recipesand gas chromatography tests on vintage bottles of original Absinthe have all shown that, contrary to belief, Absinthe only contained a maximum of 6mg of thujone rather than 350mg which is what people believed it contained. Nowhere this quantity of thujone had been near a harmful level.
Many now believe that Absinthe was unfairly blamed and that Absintheis no more dangerous than any other strong liquor. It should be consumed with care and in moderation though because it has a high ABV (alcohol by volume), twice as strong as other spirits like whisky and vodka.
What are the Physical Effects of Absinthe Today?
Most believe that Absinthe has no physical effects like causing hallucinations but those who consume bottled Absinthes, or stronger Absinthes made using kits like those available from AbsintheKit.com, and get drunk, talk about a very different drunkenness – a “clear headed” or “lucid” drunkenness. This can be the resultant of Absinthe’s blend of herbs. The herbs used are either stimulants or sedatives.
So, what are the physical effects of Absinthe? There is a feeling of pleasure and enjoyment and also a clear headed alcoholism.