Feeling a little worse for wear after the weekend? Well then, you might want to give this article a miss!

New research has suggested that even one big boozy night out could cause permanent damage to their health.

Researchers in the US say that even one heavy drinking session can cause bacteria to leak from the gut, causing increased levels of toxins in the blood.

Eek!

The researchers, at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, say these toxins cause the body to produce immune cells involved in fever, inflammation and tissue destruction.

“We found that a single alcohol binge can elicit an immune response, potentially impacting the health of an otherwise healthy individual,” said lead author Gyongyi Szabo. “Our observations suggest that an alcohol binge is more dangerous than previously thought.”

Binge drinking is defined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) as five or more drinks for men, or four or more drinks for women, in about two hours, depending on body weight.

Some scary post-weekend reading!