The Truth About Hangover Cures: What Works And What Doesn’t

The worst thing about an awesome Friday night is a hangover that refuses to go away! The severity may vary between individuals, but almost everyone agrees that they’re highly unpleasant. From the hair of the dog to eating pizza, there are plenty of hangover remedies that may or may not work. Here’s a list of what works and what doesn’t:

Greasy Food:
A longstanding hangover remedy is to load up on carb-rich food like eggs, hash browns, pizzas, etc. The idea is that they could help you absorb the alcohol. This probably makes sense before a party because food rich in protein and fat may delay alcohol absorption. But after a night of mindless drinking, too much of greasy food will only make nausea worse. A simple egg sandwich with some fresh juice or something light should help to tackle the gagging since an empty stomach largely causes nausea.

Hair of the Dog:

Drinking more alcohol has been recommended as a quick hangover cure. This is a myth that refuses to die. The only thing that a morning-after-drink does is that it numbs the symptoms providing temporary relief. Hangovers develop when the level of alcohol in your blood drops sharply leaving you nauseous, thirsty and grumpy. But, by putting alcohol back into the system, you are only prolonging the inevitable. Experts also warn that this treatment could lead to alcohol dependency. 

Hangover IV Drip:

A typical IV drip includes a combination of vitamins (B12, B1, B13, B5, etc.), electrolytes, pain relief medication, and glutathione. To understand how these help cure hangover, you have to know what causes a hangover. They are usually caused by the free radicals that are produced when the alcohol metabolizes into acetate. Inflammation is also a factor that causes hangovers. Inflammation is the body’s response to harmful stimuli like toxins. As you know, alcohol is a toxin. A hangover IV drip with antioxidants helps you manage the free radicals, while the anti-inflammatory medications help manage a headache. It also helps to replace lost electrolytes.

The way to avoid a hangover altogether is to drink responsibly and to avoid drinking on an empty stomach.