Here, we look at nine ways to prevent or reduce the severity of a hangover. For people living with heart disease, hangover symptoms such as rapid heart rate and high blood pressure can be dangerous. Toast or a bagel also can pump up blood sugar levels while being gentle on the stomach. Scientists have to rely on people’s self-reported hangover symptoms, which may vary between people and depend on day-to-day factors, and these are very difficult to control scientifically.
- However, you should not use these medications if you’re experiencing symptoms such as nausea or stomach pain, because they could irritate your digestive system and worsen your symptoms (24).
- The combination of these physiologic effects of alcohol can cause several of the symptoms of a hangover.
- Those drinking high congener bourbon experienced worse hangovers than those drinking low congener vodka (2).
- First, alcohol has a diuretic effect, meaning that it increases the production of urine.
- Strategies include staying hydrated, getting plenty of sleep, eating a good breakfast, drinking in moderation, limiting high congener drinks, and taking certain supplements or medications.
- As a result, determining how much alcohol causes a hangover will involve some trial and error.
Dehydration
Although there is no real “cure” for a how long do hangovers last, doing the following after drinking may help alleviate the symptoms. Some vitamins and medicinal herbs may also alleviate hangovers. However, a 2021 study found evidence of this to be of very low quality and called for further research into the effectiveness of these remedies (3). Although a hangover isn’t curable, there are steps you can take before, during, and after drinking to help alleviate symptoms like headache and fatigue.
- While most of the data is based on small sample sizes or animal subjects, taking red ginseng as you consume alcohol has shown promise for hangover relief.
- Because of this, drinking more alcohol merely provides temporary relief to the problem — and can often lead to an even worse hangover the next day, warns Dr. Koob.
- Despite the prevalence of hangovers, there has been little research into developing effective treatments.
- There are some reports online of them lasting for up to 3 days, but we can’t find much evidence to back this up.
7 hangover remedies
Plus, eggs are loaded with nutrients that can help your body rebound. At the same time, the consumption of beer and booze slows the release of an antidiuretic hormone (ADH) called vasopressin. This ADH works with your kidneys to keep your body’s hydration levels balanced. Some people may even have a genetic disposition for worse hangovers than others. While there is little direct research into how effective over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are for people with a hangover, certain medicines may help tackle the symptoms, as discussed below.
Get plenty of sleep
People should use anti-inflammatories with caution when hungover, as the medication can further irritate the stomach lining. Some doctors caution against taking ibuprofen on an empty stomach for this reason. Aspirin and other anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen and naproxen, are effective at relieving aches and pains. Thanks to generous benefactors, your gift today can have 5X the impact to advance AI innovation at Mayo Clinic.
Many people also use sports drinks that contain electrolytes or rehydration powders to restore the balance of electrolytes in their bodies. There is no current research about whether or not this is an effective cure for a hangover. Furthermore, if you’re not careful, continuously indulging in the “hair of the dog” method can lead to the development of unhealthy drinking habits and even alcohol dependence. “Having a drink to alleviate a hangover the next day may help some people but it may also signal a drinking problem and is not recommended,” advises Dr. Brick. “I do not recommend drinking to lessen the effects of a hangover. If that seems to help, you should consult a health care specialist.” But they’re often not based in science, and some can be dangerous.
- Through the process of ethanol fermentation, sugars are converted into carbon dioxide and ethanol, also known as alcohol.
- This causes a drop in blood sugar levels, which can contribute towards a hangover.
What to do before you drink
However, you can have a hangover any time of the day—they usually begin between three and ten hours after drinking. Additionally, keep in mind that pain relievers containing acetaminophen, such as Tylenol, could increase the risk of liver damage when combined with alcohol. Some supplements, including red ginseng, prickly pear, ginger, borage oil, and eleuthero, have been studied for their ability to decrease hangover symptoms. Keep in mind, though, that research in humans is lacking and that most available studies are outdated.
Therefore, further studies are needed to evaluate how effectively supplements may reduce hangover symptoms. A lack of sleep could then contribute to hangover symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, and headaches. Although dehydration is not the only cause of a hangover, it contributes to many common hangover symptoms, including increased thirst, fatigue, headache, and dizziness (7). For almost as long as humans have had hangovers, we’ve tried to cure them with remedies that run the gamut, from vitamin B to pickle juice.
The toxic effects of alcohol on your body never seem more apparent than in those hours after downing one too many adult beverages. Headache, nausea, dry mouth and fatigue all serve as unwelcome symptoms. People may benefit from eating foods high in antioxidants to reduce the negative effects of drinking alcohol. Low blood sugar levels contribute to some hangover symptoms.
This can make it more difficult for an individual to keep track of their alcohol consumption. Some experts think that some of the symptoms a person experiences when they have a hangover result from low-grade inflammation. Therefore, some people might benefit from taking supplements of herbs that have anti-inflammatory properties, such as red ginseng and prickly pear cactus. The best way to avoid a hangover is to drink alcohol in moderation or not at all. The more alcohol someone drinks, the more likely they are to have a severe hangover the next day.
Health Categories to Explore
The liver is the organ that breaks down acetaminophen, as it does alcohol. The body is more susceptible to the toxic effects of acetaminophen when a person drinks alcohol, and this can contribute to liver damage in severe cases. More-serious symptoms from heavy drinking may be a sign of alcohol poisoning — a life-threatening emergency. Alcohol poisoning is a serious and sometimes deadly result of drinking large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time. Drinking too much too quickly can affect breathing, heart rate, body temperature and gag reflex. It will also lower your risk of liver and heart disease, and help maintain healthy blood pressure.