7 steps to cure your hangover

Drinking fluids may help with the morning-after misery from getting drunk.

Hangovers seem to be the body’s way of reminding us about the hazards of overindulgence. Physiologically, it’s a group effort: Diarrhea, fatigue, headache, nausea, and shaking are the classic symptoms. Sometimes, systolic (the upper number) blood pressure goes up, the heart beats faster than normal, and sweat glands overproduce — evidence that the “fight or flight” response is revved up. Some people become sensitive to light or sound. Others suffer a spinning sensation (vertigo).

The causes are as varied as the symptoms. Alcohol is metabolized into acetaldehyde, a substance that’s toxic at high levels. However, concentrations rarely get that high, so that’s not the complete explanation.

Drinking interferes with brain activity during sleep, so a hangover may be a form of sleep deprivation. Alcohol scrambles the hormones that regulate our biological clocks, which may be why a hangover can feel like jet lag, and vice versa. Alcohol can also trigger migraines, so some people may think they’re hung over when it’s really an alcohol-induced migraine they’re suffering.

Hangovers begin after blood alcohol levels start to fall. In fact, according to some experts, the worst symptoms occur when levels reach zero.

The key ingredient seems to be “drinking to intoxication”; how much you drank to get there is less important. In fact, several studies suggest that light and moderate drinkers are more vulnerable to getting a hangover than heavy drinkers. Yet there’s also seemingly contradictory research showing that people with a family history of alcoholism have worse hangovers. Researchers say some people may end up with drinking problems because they drink in an effort to relieve hangover symptoms.

Dr. Robert Swift, a researcher at the Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Rhode Island, coauthored one of the few review papers on hangovers in 1998. It’s still one of the most frequently cited sources on the topic. The rundown on hangover remedies that follows is based on that review, an interview with Dr. Swift, and several other sources.

1. Hair of the dog. Drinking to ease the symptoms of a hangover is sometimes called taking the hair of the dog, or hair of the dog that bit you. The notion is that hangovers are a form of alcohol withdrawal, so a drink or two will ease the withdrawal.

There may be something to it, says Dr. Swift. Both alcohol and certain sedatives, such as benzodiazepines like diazepam (Valium), interact with GABA receptors on brain cells, he explains. And it’s well documented that some people have withdrawal symptoms from short-acting sedatives as they wear off. Perhaps the brain reacts similarly as blood alcohol levels begin to drop.

Even so, Dr. Swift advises against using alcohol as a hangover remedy. “The hair of the dog just perpetuates a cycle,” he says. “It doesn’t allow you to recover.”

2. Drink fluids. Alcohol promotes urination because it inhibits the release of vasopressin, a hormone that decreases the volume of urine made by the kidneys. If your hangover includes diarrhea, sweating, or vomiting, you may be even more dehydrated. Although nausea can make it difficult to get anything down, even just a few sips of water might help your hangover.

3. Get some carbohydrates into your system. Drinking may lower blood sugar levels, so theoretically some of the fatigue and headaches of a hangover may be from a brain working without enough of its main fuel. Moreover, many people forget to eat when they drink, further lowering their blood sugar. Toast and juice is a way to gently nudge levels back to normal.

4. Avoid darker-colored alcoholic beverages. Experiments have shown that clear liquors, such as vodka and gin, tend to cause hangovers less frequently than dark ones, such as whiskey, red wine, and tequila. The main form of alcohol in alcoholic beverages is ethanol, but the darker liquors contain chemically related compounds (congeners), including methanol. According to Dr. Swift’s review paper, the same enzymes process ethanol and methanol, but methanol metabolites are especially toxic, so they may cause a worse hangover.

5. Take a pain reliever, but not Tylenol. Aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin, other brands), and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may help with the headache and the overall achy feelings. NSAIDs, though, may irritate a stomach already irritated by alcohol. Don’t take acetaminophen (Tylenol). If alcohol is lingering in your system, it may accentuate acetaminophen’s toxic effects on the liver.

6. Drink coffee or tea. Caffeine may not have any special anti-hangover powers, but as a stimulant, it could help with the grogginess. Coffee is a diuretic, though, so it may exacerbate dehydration.

7. B vitamins and zinc. A study recently published in The Journal of Clinical Medicine evaluated the diets for 24 hours before and after excessive drinking occurred. It was a small study and results were based on the participants saying what they ate. However, they did find that people whose food and beverage consumption contained greater amounts of zinc and B vitamins had less severe hangovers.

Explore the many factors to consider when deciding how much (if any) alcohol is safe for you. Buy the Special Health Report, Alcohol Use and Abuse to get details of the dangers of alcohol misuse, from drunk driving to chronic, life-threatening health conditions.

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8 Natural Hangover Remedies | Everyday Health

According to Dr. Coupet, alcohol enters the bloodstream within minutes of your first sip and is then absorbed by the digestive tract — starting in the stomach before it is processed by the liver — as your body works to break it down, also known as alcohol metabolism.

During alcohol metabolism, a toxic byproduct called acetaldehyde is created, which your body works to eliminate, explains Peter Malamet, DO, an emergency medicine physician at Mike O’Callaghan Military Medical Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“How you feel can often depend on how fast you metabolize acetaldehyde and how fast you can get rid of it,” says Dr. Malamet. “Some people don’t break down acetaldehyde as well as others.”

RELATED: 5 Things Drinking Too Much Alcohol May Be Doing to Your Body

Although the bulk of alcohol metabolism occurs in the liver, it is believed that some alcohol metabolism can occur in the pancreas and brain, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.­

So what exactly causes that extreme thirst, horrible headache and feelings of nausea?

“The impurities in alcohol (which vary from one type of alcohol to another) can also contribute to the severity of the hangover. In other words, the more pure the alcohol, the less severe the hangover,” says Kelly Kennedy, RD, Everyday Health staff nutritionist.

Kennedy advises drinking in moderation and emphasizes that there’s no real cure for a hangover except not to get one in the first place.

But what if you want to enjoy a few cocktails and not feel terrible the following day? There are a few things you can do to ease the pain.

1. Drink Water to Avoid Dehydration

“The alcohol in your drink acts as a diuretic, which can make you urinate more,” explains Kennedy. “This can lead to dehydration, which is one of the major causes of hangover symptoms.”

In other words, that desert-level thirst that wakes you up in the wee hours of the morning is a signal that you’re well on the way to hungover. The amount of water that you take in should equal that amount you lose, and alcohol can upset this balance.

“If you know you’ll be drinking that night, stay well-hydrated throughout the day and have plenty to drink before heading to bed,” she says. And if you do wake up with a hangover, do your best to drink as much water as you can. “Even having little sips every so often will help.”

RELATED: Are You Drinking Enough Water? These Are the Health Risks of Dehydration

2. Drink Other Fluids to Restore Electrolytes

“Because alcohol is a diuretic and you’re urinating a lot, you’re also losing electrolytes, and you can experience dizziness, nausea, and cramping as a result” says Malamet, who credits an electrolyte imbalance as one of the leading causes of feeling fatigued from a hangover.

Research published in February 2015 in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research showed that drinking electrolytes after long periods of dehydration can significantly help restore important minerals, like sodium, potassium, and calcium.

What electrolyte-rich drinks should you reach for? Kennedy recommends sports drinks and broth to help restore and replace lost electrolytes and to get you back on the mend faster.

Fermented drinks like kombucha can also be beneficial to drink when feeling nutrient-depleted because they’re rich in minerals, antioxidants, and good-for-you-gut bacteria.

RELATED: Everything You Need to Home-Brew Your Own Kombucha

3. Eat Nutrient-Rich Food Before and After Drinking

To prevent a hangover, past research has shown pairing alcohol with food can help your body more efficiently metabolize the alcohol. The digestion of food before or during alcohol consumption can help increase anti-diuretic hormone levels (ADH), sugar fructose, and blood flow to the liver, all which work to help your body more quickly break down alcohol.

What do you eat if you’re already hungover? Contrary to popular belief, greasy foods will not help you to absorb a hangover. “Craving a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich the morning after a night out drinking is your body’s response to low blood sugar and dehydration,” explains Maggie Michalczyk, RDN, a dietitian and food blogger based in Chicago.

But it’s not going to absorb the alcohol — that’s already made its way through your liver. Instead, complex carbohydrates like fruits and vegetables are your best bet, says Michalczyk.

Experts recommend reaching for fruits like bananas, because they are chock full of minerals like potassium that alcohol can deplete. A roughly 7-inch-long banana has 422 milligrams (mg) of potassium and 32 mg of magnesium, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). If you can handle the sound of a blender, a smoothie of coconut water and banana, two tablespoons of peanut butter, and your favorite protein powder is what Michalczyk orders.

RELATED: 8 Foods High in Magnesium

4. Try Ginger to Ease Nausea

Doctors and nutritionists alike agree that ginger is one of the best natural remedies for soothing an upset stomach, which is often a common symptom of a hangover.

“Ginger can aid digestion and in this way can ease stomach upset,” explains Kennedy, who credits alcohol irritating the lining of the stomach as one of the reasons for hangover-related nausea.

The chemical compounds in ginger are believed to help ease stomach pain and aid digestion. A meta-analysis published in December 2019 in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that ginger reduced vomiting in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy treatment by 60 percent and fatigue by 80 percent.

You can enjoy this superfood in many different ways. For soothing an upset stomach, try brewing some ginger tea or mixing fresh ginger into a smoothie.

RELATED: 9 Foods That Help Relieve Nausea

5. Have Chamomile to Reduce Anxiety (or Hangxiety)

For some, hangover-induced anxiety, or hangxiety, can be as taxing emotionally as some of the physical symptoms of a hangover.

If this doesn’t sound familiar, it might be because hangxiety affects us all differently. In a study published March 2019 in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, researchers discovered that shy people had greater anxiety levels the day after drinking alcohol.

Michalczyk suggests chamomile tea to calm any emotionally overwhelming feelings brought on by drinking, and research supports using this flowering plant to soothe anxiety. Double bonus: Chamomile can help you sleep more soundly and relieve an upset stomach, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).

RELATED: 5 Calming Herbs to Soothe Anxiety

6. Restore Energy With Vitamin B and Protect Immunity With Vitamin C

Many hangover symptoms result from nutrient deficiencies, and vitamin B is particularly affected by alcohol use, according to a study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Vitamin B is responsible for energy, brain function, and keeping the immune system and nervous system acting properly. A depletion of vitamin B can be associated with feelings of fatigue and low energy levels. If you still can’t get your mind off breakfast sandwiches, Michalczyk suggests eating eggs — which are a great source of the energy-producing B vitamins that alcohol flushes out — with lean protein like turkey bacon and a whole-grain English muffin.

According to experts, another vitamin to be mindful of when recovering from a hangover is vitamin C. Research published in 2015 in Alcohol Research Current Reviews showed a connection between alcohol use and a weakened immune system, impairing the body’s ability to defend itself. To avoid opening yourself up to colds, viruses, and potential alcohol-related illness, load up on vitamin C with fruits and vegetables like broccoli, which has 135 percent of the daily value per cup, according to the USDA. Also reach for oranges, red bell peppers, kiwis, and strawberries.

RELATED: 7 Common Nutrient Deficiencies: Know the Signs

7. Avoid Medication That Can Cause Adverse Effects With Alcohol

There are certain drugs that can interact with alcohol and cause severe hangover-like symptoms, explains Malamet. One in particular to be mindful of is Flagyl (metronidazole), which is often used to treat bacterial infections of the skin, stomach, vagina, joints, or respiratory tract.

Other common medication, when consumed with alcohol, can cause dizziness, drowsiness, impaired concentration, and an increased risk of overdose, according to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. These include antidepressants, like Effexor, Lexapro, Wellbutrin, and Zoloft; stimulants, such as Adderall (Adderall XR) or Ritalin (methylphenidaten); and benzodiazepines that treat anxiety, including Xanax (Alprazolam) and Clonazepam (Klonopin). Allergy medication can negatively interact with alcohol, as well.

Malamet recommends always speaking with your doctor about possible medication interactions. “Some medications interact with the body’s ability to break down the alcohol, which can increase the severity of the hangover,” he says.

8. Go Back to Bed to Restore Circadian Rhythm

One of the most restorative remedies you can try when hungover is simply to get more sleep. In fact, delayed cognitive function during a hangover is likely linked to the poor sleep associated with alcohol use, according to Harvard Health. In fact, a study published in December 2018 in the journal Addiction found that a hangover may impair sustained attention and negatively impact everyday tasks like driving.

The National Sleep Foundation notes that alcohol disrupts your circadian rhythm and prevents REM sleep; it’s unlikely you’ll fall into a deep, restful sleep after drinking more than a glass of wine or two. Poor sleep, according to Harvard, is linked to anxiety, irritability, and depressed mood, and alcohol, as a depressant, exacerbates these effects.

“It’s been shown that you’re unable to achieve the usual REM sleep cycle when drinking alcohol, so even if you’re getting a couple hours of sleep, you’re probably not getting good sleep,” says Malamet.

The best way to feel better sooner? Hydrate and hit the snooze button.

Additional reporting by Brianna Majsiak.

Hangover cures: Most effective home remedies

A hangover can leave someone with fatigue, nausea, and muscle aches. People swear by certain hangover cures, but do home remedies really help?

Drinking alcohol can cause fatigue, nausea, brain fog, and low mood the next day. People who are experiencing a hangover feel these symptoms partly because of the after-effects of drinking alcohol, including:

• dehydration
• electrolyte imbalances
• alcohol withdrawal
• low blood sugar
• stomach and intestine inflammation
• sleep disturbances

Home hangover cures aim to treat these symptoms. There is no specific food, drink, or magic pill to cure a hangover, though certain remedies can ease the symptoms in some people.

In this article, we look at the effectiveness of some common methods people use to try to cure hangovers.

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.

Do anti-inflammatories help?

Aspirin and other anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen and naproxen, are effective at relieving aches and pains.

These drugs can reduce the inflammation in the body that alcohol causes to relieve headaches and muscle aches.

People should use anti-inflammatories with caution when hungover, as the medication can further irritate the stomach lining. Chronic use of these drugs can lead to stomach ulcers. Some doctors caution against taking ibuprofen on an empty stomach for this reason.

Do antacids help?

Antacids work by neutralizing the stomach acid to relieve an upset stomach. Taking antacids can reduce nausea, heartburn, and indigestion that drinking causes. This is a good option for people who tend to feel sick when hungover.

Does acetaminophen help?

Avoid medication that contains acetaminophen during a hangover.

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.

People may prefer to use anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen or naproxen, for pain relief instead.

Rehydrating the body by drinking water may help to improve the symptoms of a hangover.

Alcohol is a diuretic, which means that it increases the amount of urine a person passes. The resulting loss in fluid can cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. These factors contribute to a hangover.

Staying hydrated while drinking alcohol could help to prevent or reduce a hangover. People can try drinking a glass of water between alcoholic drinks and just before bed.

Do rehydration powders help?

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.

Low blood sugar levels contribute to some hangover symptoms. Eating in the morning helps regulate blood sugar levels to relieve this discomfort partially.

When the body breaks down alcohol, lactic acid levels increase. This causes a drop in blood sugar levels, which can contribute towards a hangover.

Eating breakfast can help to restore blood sugar to a correct level and may improve some symptoms of a hangover.

A person’s body also needs nutritious foods that include protein, carbohydrates, healthful fats, and vitamins to repair and recover.

There is no current research to say that particular foods, such as greasy or fried breakfasts, are more effective than others. Many people believe that carbohydrates are particularly effective for “soaking up” alcohol, though research has not looked into this.

The alcohol a person drinks causes oxidative stress, leading the body to produce free radicals. Antioxidants may help with this.

Research has linked oxidative stress to many health conditions, including heart disease and cancers. Antioxidants are compounds that help mop up these free radicals.

People may benefit from eating foods high in antioxidants to reduce the negative effects of drinking alcohol.

Good dietary sources of antioxidants include:

• berries
• cherries
• grapes
• pomegranates
• carrots
• spinach
• ginger
• dark chocolate
• nuts and seeds
• green and black teas

Coffee and other caffeinated drinks act as stimulants, which may improve the feelings of fatigue that come with a hangover.

Coffee, black tea, and green tea contain some antioxidants that may reduce the adverse effects of alcohol consumption.

However, drinks that contain caffeine are diuretics, which may worsen the effects of dehydration in the body. Caffeine does not alter a person’s blood alcohol content, so it does not reduce the health risks relating to drinking alcohol.

Despite the prevalence of hangovers, there has been little research into developing effective treatments. Of the studies that are available, most are of low quality and remain inconclusive.

Many factors can affect the severity and length of a person’s hangover, which makes it difficult for scientists to study potential hangover cures. Elements include:

• the type and amount of alcohol a person drinks
• how often they drink alcohol
• sex and age
• body type
• biological factors
• personality differences

Some people may even have a genetic disposition for worse hangovers than others.

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.

The lack of research has left room for a wide range of myths to develop about the best ways to cure a hangover, most of which rely on anecdotal evidence.

Businesses may also make claims about specific cures to sell their products, despite little or no scientific basis.

Share on PinterestEating a meal before drinking alcohol can reduce the effects of a hangover.

While there are no scientifically proven hangover cures, people can effectively prevent a hangover from happening in the first place.

Several factors may help to reduce the severity of a hangover, such as:

• Drinking in moderation. The one sure way to avoid a hangover is by not drinking alcohol. People can usually guarantee a milder hangover if they drink less alcohol the night before.
• Avoiding congeners. Some alcoholic drinks produce worse hangovers than others. Drinks with high congener content are more likely to cause a hangover, including whiskey, cognac, and tequila. Vodka, rum, and gin are low-congener drinks.
• Getting enough sleep. Alcohol can affect the quality of a person’s sleep, so sleeping more may help reduce a hangover.
• Staying hydrated. Drinking water while drinking alcohol can help counteract the diuretic effects of alcohol to reduce dehydration, which can contribute to headaches and other hangover symptoms.
• Eating food before drinking. Food can reduce the amount of time it takes for alcohol to enter into the bloodstream, keeping the blood alcohol levels lower. This could reduce the effects of a hangover.

The amount of alcohol that causes a hangover will vary from person to person. As a result, determining how much alcohol causes a hangover will involve some trial and error. It can help to be aware of alcohol guidelines set by the government.

There is currently no such thing as a cure for hangovers. Certain home remedies can help people manage some hangover symptoms, including taking anti-inflammatories or antacids, eating a nutritious breakfast, rehydrating, and eating foods that are rich in antioxidants.

However, there is little reliable research in this area. Until more systematic research is available, it is not possible to provide firm guidelines on dealing with hangovers.

Abstaining or drinking alcohol in moderation is the best way to avoid a hangover. People can reduce the severity of or prevent a hangover by getting enough sleep, staying hydrated through the night, and avoiding drinks with congeners.

Read the article in Spanish

Cures for Hangover Nausea – Thrillist

We can cope with the headaches and the drowsiness that come with a hangover. We can handle covering the telltale signs of a late night by piling on concealer and squishing ungainly hair beneath a hat. But we cannot deal when it comes to hangover nausea. When the aftereffects of alcohol have us dry heaving and praying to the porcelain gods, we’d do pretty much anything to relieve an irritable belly—which can lead to a lot of mistakes.

Don’t go chugging gallons of water (that will only worsen your electrolyte imbalance), go light on the caffeine (it tends to loosen your digestive system just when you need to clamp things down in there), and please don’t make yourself vomit (that’s a pretty good way to rupture something in your throat). Instead, look to these cures for nausea, which will actually help you feel better without wrecking your system further.

Ginger

The tummy trouble caused by a hangover is no match for this spicy root, which has long been a traditional cure for an upset stomach. Whether you muddle some fresh ginger at the bottom of a cup of tea, take a ginger supplement or just gnaw on a raw knob (don’t do that last one), getting ginger into your system will soothe the inner quakes.

Peppermint

Another folk remedy for nausea, peppermint will quickly put the damper on your upset innards, calming your overly active gut muscles and relieving any pain. The best way to fix up your system is to brew up some peppermint tea, which is typically caffeine free, avoiding the nasty effects the upper can wreck on your digestive system.

Coconut Water

Any beverage with electrolytes will help restore your sodium levels (whereas drinking straight water may actually exacerbate a sodium imbalance). While Gatorade or Pedialyte remain faves of college seniors, we usually opt for coconut water, which provides the same helpful nutrients without all the extra sugar.

BRAT Diet

You may be tempted by a big greasy cheeseburger or a Denny’s Grand Slam, but we promise these breakfasts will do more harm than good. Meanwhile, it’s pretty much impossible to object to BRAT—which stands for bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. The diet is designed to be unobjectionable, made up of foods that won’t irritate the uneasiest of stomachs.

Soup

People throw the term electrolyte around a lot, but usually they just mean salt. Cook up (or more likely open a can of) some soup just like your mom used to when you were feeling queasy. Chicken noodle, miso and the absolute mellowest of ramen (no hot sauce or heavy pieces of meat) will provide you equal parts salt and comfort at once.

Lemon Juice

Citric acid contains a compound that soothes stomach muscles. Even better, lemon can be combined with some of the cures above. Squeeze a few drops into your ginger or peppermint tea or into your chosen electrolyte-delivering beverage to doubly pacify that rumble in your innards.

14 hangover cures that work

Between holiday parties and New Year’s Eve get-togethers, the time for festive communal drinking is upon us. The unwanted side effect of enjoying the parties a bit too much? Hangovers the next morning. 

You know the classic hangover symptoms:

• Fatigue 
• Thirst (from dehydration)
• Weakness, muscle aches, or sweating
• Headache or sensitivity to light and sound
• Nausea, stomach pain, or vertigo
• Anxiety or irritability
• Increased blood pressure

And, depending on how much you drank, it can take a while to bounce back—up to 72 hours, according to Johns Hopkins. 

14 hangover cures that work

No one wants to spend their days sick in bed (regretting last night’s choices). So to get through the season, you’ll need these hangover remedies that actually work. 

1. Check for drug-alcohol interactions.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as the saying goes. Some of the best hangover cures involve preventing their worst side effects in the first place. The effects of alcohol can sometimes be complicated by medications, such as those used to treat allergies, high cholesterol, and ADHD. Before having anything to drink, you should check with your provider or pharmacist to ensure it’s safe to mix alcohol with your regular prescriptions.  

2. Take your vitamins.

If you’re cleared to imbibe, bulking up on certain nutrients before indulging might help reduce the painful side effects the next day. “Alcohol depletes a broad range of vitamins, amino acids, fatty acids, enzymes, proteins and minerals from your body,” explains Carolyn Dean, MD, a diet and nutrition expert and author. Deficiency in these vitamins and minerals can contribute to your hangover symptoms, often causing a worse hangover or prolonging the period of time it takes to get over them. 

Dr. Dean says magnesium is “the kingpin” of vitamins depleted after drinking. Age and excessive alcohol consumption over time can further deplete this mineral, increasing your hangovers and impacting your overall health. So if you’re a regular drinker, she advises supplementing daily with magnesium (preferably a liquid picometer form) as well as vitamin C and milk thistle—all of which support proper liver function.

3. Hydrate with water (and a little caffeine).

“Hangovers occur primarily due to dehydration, low blood sugar, electrolyte imbalances, and dilated blood vessels, which can lead to headaches,” says Stephen Loyd, MD, medical director of the rehab facility JourneyPure. “To treat a hangover, each of those symptoms has to be treated.”

Starting with the first of those symptoms, dehydration, Dr. Loyd says drinking water is your best bet. But he added, “Many people can benefit from caffeine, too, to help boost their energy and concentration.” Just make sure to use it in moderation as too much can worsen dehydration.

4. Try tomato juice…or Sprite.

The misery of a hangover may have you reaching for a little hair of the dog with a well-made Bloody Mary. But drinking more alcohol in an attempt to recover from a wild night out isn’t recommended. Instead, try some alanine-fortified tomato juice, researchers found that it can reduce blood alcohol levels. And after experimenting with 57 different beverage options in a lab, researchers in China concluded that Sprite may be the best drink for curing your hangover symptoms. 

5. Eat some carbs.

Heavy drinking can have an impact on blood sugar levels. (This is just one reason people with diabetes need to exercise extra caution when drinking.) It’s why Dr. Loyd says that in addition to hydrating with water, hangover sufferers should be eating. “A breakfast that is high in carbohydrates can help hydrate you and stabilize your blood sugar,” Dr. Loyd explains.

In fact, you should eat a balanced meal before drinking, along with the morning after. ResponsibleDrinking.org explains that having nutrients and calories in your body can slow alcohol absorption. 

6. Try bacon and eggs.

It’s not just your imagination that a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich magically makes you feel better. Both bacon and eggs contain an amino acid called cysteine, which scientists have found may decrease the amount of acetaldehyde in the body—one of the byproducts of alcohol metabolization that may contribute to some of your hangover symptoms. 

If you’re vegan, broccoli also contains high amounts of cysteine, so that little superfood might help to kick you out of hangover mode. 

7. Balance your electrolytes.

To stabilize your electrolytes and treat the issues that might arise from such an imbalance, Dr. Loyd says to “incorporate avocado or banana into your breakfast. Both these foods have salts and minerals the body needs to recover.” 

It’s worth noting that Cedars Sinai has reported on research that found electrolyte levels don’t actually go down when you drink alcohol, citing this as a long-standing myth. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still benefit from the extra hydration and electrolyte boost you’ll find with sports drinks like Gatorade, coconut water, Pediapops, and Pedialyte (the last two can typically be found in the baby aisle at your local grocery store).  

8. Medicate aches and pains.

Because headaches (up to and including migraines) and body aches can be among the most common symptoms of a hangover, you may find that over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen, Advil, Aleve, Motrin, or acetaminophen can help prevent some of the worst symptoms. In fact, a 1983 study found that NSAIDs were more effective at reducing hangover symptoms than placebos.  

Margaret Aranda, MD, of Your Doctors Online suggests medicating before you ever go to bed. She recommends the following regimen:

• Ibuprofen, 200-800 mg (unless you have stomach ulcers, in which case she says “take nothing, and don’t drink, either”) 
• Turmeric 2000 mg, “which pretty much anyone can take”
• Cimetidine 200 mg twice a day, “to prevent stomach ulcers”

It’s important to know that continually combining over-the-counter pain reducers and alcohol can have a negative impact on your body. So while a dose of pain relievers the night of your drinking session, before you go to bed (with a big glass of water), and then again the next day, shortly after waking up, may help reduce your symptoms—it’s not a solution you want to rely on every time. 

You may want to consider giving Alka-Seltzer a try as well. Although there is no research to back up the fizzy medicine’s treatment of hangover, the sodium bicarbonate in the ingredients may help to settle an upset stomach. 

RELATED: Ibuprofen coupons | Advil coupons | Aleve coupons | Motrin coupons

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9. Hit up an oxygen bar.

Over the past decade, oxygen bars have gained popularity everywhere from Vegas to Aspen. While there is no scientific evidence to suggest it can cure a hangover, doctors say the treatment is harmless and can help ease symptoms of difficulty sleeping and dizziness. Plenty of people swear by it. 

Just avoid the flavored O2 options, which contain oils and may be dangerous to inhale. 

10. Try hangover IV drips.

Another concept that has grown in popularity in recent years is the idea of the Hangover IV Drip. Establishments are popping up across the country to administer an assortment of fluids and vitamins purported to reduce the impact of a hangover and return you to full energy in just 45 minutes. 

Again, there is (as of yet) no scientific evidence to back up the validity of claims being made regarding these IV drips. And this option isn’t cheap, running up to $250 an IV bag. But people who have opted to give the heavy in B vitamins and electrolytes bags a try claim it helps in most cases for at least a few hours.

Dr. Aranda supports this treatment plan. If you’ve woken with a hangover, she suggests getting an IV with the following (“depending again on your risk of stomach ulcers and NSAIDS”):

• Ketorolac 30mg IV
• Vitamin B12 or cyanocobalamin 1000 IU intravenous or subcutaneously

Once you’ve finished your IV drip, she says you should take, “cimetidine 200 mg tablets twice that day to prevent stomach ulcers. ”

11. Consume some ginger.

“Ginger is an excellent, natural hangover cure,” says Jamie Bacharach, a licensed medical acupuncturist and herbalist who has extensive experience helping patients fight the effects of hangovers and reset their systems following a hangover. 

While there are no studies to back up the benefits of ginger for a hangover, it’s one of the natural cures mentioned time and time again across the internet. And Bacharach says that, “either by eating ginger or drinking ginger tea you can help to reduce feelings of nausea and indigestion, as ginger’s natural properties serve as an effective counter to all hangover-associated symptoms.”

12. Try prickly pear extract.

Bacharach further suggested the use of prickly pear extract. She says this “is a popular hangover cure as some studies have suggested it can reduce the risk and severity of a hangover by as much as 50%.”

She’s referring to the 2004 research conducted by Jeff Wiese, which did find a significant reduction in nausea, dry mouth, and food aversions for those who took prickly pear extract prior to a night of drinking.  

“Prickly pear extract naturally reduces inflammation of the liver, which otherwise directly leads to hangover symptoms such as headache and nausea,” Bacharach explains. 

13. Get some sleep.

“Ultimately, one of the most effective ways to cure a hangover is to sleep it off,” Bacharach says. “When suffering through a hangover, our bodies are in a diminished state, and not up to combating a hangover or its symptoms.”

So if you wake up feeling hungover after a night of drinking, you might want to consider canceling your plans for the day and curling back up into bed—after drinking a big glass of water and enjoying a nice breakfast, of course.

“By giving our bodies the time they need to recover and regroup, we can sleep through the period of discomfort and wake up refreshed and rejuvenated. ”

14. Abstain.

We know this isn’t what you want to hear if you’re already suffering from a hangover, but addiction medicine board-certified psychiatrist Jared Heathman, MD, says “the best way to manage hangovers is to avoid alcohol.” In fact, the National Health Service (NHS) recommends taking two full days off drinking a week, especially after a heavy drinking session.

“When you consume alcohol, multiple things happen to the body that can affect the way in which you function and feel, especially the next day,” says John Mansour, Pharm.D., founder of B4, a vitamin supplement drink that claims to help reduce the impact of a hangover. “You are introducing toxins into the body that can cause short- and long-term damage.”

These toxins include acetaldehyde and malondialdehyde. “The damage of these toxins on the body can create a similar effect as radiation poisoning, which is why you feel so sick the next day after drinking too much alcohol,” Dr. Mansour explains. 

This lines up with a report out of the UNC School of Medicine, which revealed that there truly is no perfect and scientifically vetted hangover cure. There are some things that may help, but nothing as effectively as avoiding alcohol altogether. 

A night out on the town can be fun, but giving up alcohol completely has a number of positive benefits. And regular drinking has been linked to a variety of health risks. “The most current studies show that drinking one bottle of wine a week gets you the same detrimental health risks of smoking 10 cigarettes a week,” says Dr. Aranda. 

So, if you don’t want to deal with the effects of a hangover, just say “no thank you.” “If this is not possible or realistic, alcohol should be consumed in moderation and not consumed quickly,” Dr. Heathman adds. “Our body has a limited number of enzymes available to metabolize alcohol. Once our body is at full detoxification abilities, additional alcohol will cause a back-up and result in side effects.”

For some, the thought of even moderation may sound impossible. If that’s you, and you fear you may be suffering from alcohol use disorder (AUD) or addiction, there is help available. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has a national helpline you can call for advice and resources, and there are even medications available that can help you quit drinking altogether. 

A Pharmacist’s Guide to OTC Hangover Remedies

The unpleasant feelings from a hangover are generally attributed to a combination of dehydration, toxic impurities found in some alcoholic beverages (congeners), and toxic byproducts of alcohol metabolism.

Ethanol is a diuretic that can suppress the release of antidiuretic hormone from the pituitary gland and result in excess diuresis. This can lead to the characteristic dry mouth, headache, and irritated eyes commonly associated with a hangover.

Congeners are impure fusel alcohols that are often present in “darker” spirits or red wine and can contribute to hangover symptoms following consumption.¹ Ethanol is metabolized into the toxic metabolite acetaldehyde, which can cause nausea and malaise. Decreased blood sugar and secondary general inflammation from ethanol consumption may also play a role in hangover symptoms.²

There are numerous OTC remedies that many patients use to prevent or reduce a hangover. This article will focus on 7 select products that are commonly used to self-treat hangovers and detail any evidence that exists to support (or refute) their use.

1. NSAIDs

Aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen are all nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that are generally effective at relieving headaches and muscle aches. These medications are often taken to combat hangover-related pains. Some claim that NSAIDS can also help counteract some of the pro-inflammatory effects of ethanol and its metabolites.

An NSAID was shown to be more effective than placebo at lowering hangover symptom scores in volunteers who consumed alcohol.³ NSAIDS do have some evidence of efficacy and are commonly used for hangover symptoms, but they could potentially exacerbate gastritis, abdominal pain, and nausea in some individuals.

2. Vitamins

Alcohol-induced diuresis can deplete some water-soluble vitamins from the body. In chronic alcoholics, some vitamins like thiamine and folic acid are often depleted.

It’s unlikely that vitamin supplementation will have any real effect on hangover symptoms following acute alcohol consumption. Currently, there isn’t any strong evidence that vitamin supplements improve acute hangover symptoms.

3. N-acetylcysteine

The amino acid N-acetylcysteine (NAC) can be found in certain protein-rich foods or in capsule form at many health food stores and pharmacies. NAC is thought to boost the production of the antioxidant glutathione and support more efficient alcohol metabolism while reducing oxidative damage to the body. It has been studied as a protective agent, rather than a quick-fix hangover cure.

The results of some animal studies suggest that NAC may decrease ethanol-induced hypertension and acetaldehyde levels in rats.⁴ Nevertheless, there’s little evidence to support NAC’s efficacy as a hangover treatment in human subjects.

4. Milk Thistle

Milk thistle is an herbal supplement that is commonly marketed as a hepatoprotective substance. It has been studied and used off-label as a hepatoprotectant in certain cases of mushroom poisoning and hepatitis with some possible benefit.⁵

While there’s some evidence of milk thistle’s benefit in chronic ethanol abusers, no data supports its use as a treatment for an acute ethanol-induced hangover.⁶

5. Caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant that many use to combat the lethargy and headaches associated with hangovers. Caffeine was shown to reduce headaches associated with alcohol consumption in rats, but human studies weren’t performed.⁷

Although anecdotal evidence for using caffeine to combat hangover symptoms abounds, there’s little scientific evidence that conclusively shows its benefit.²

6. Dihydromyricetin

This “natural” herbal product is being marketed as a hangover cure. The results of some small studies demonstrate some anti-inflammatory effects of dihydromyricetin in rats.⁸ While preliminary studies report some interesting conclusions in animal models, there’s little evidence to support the benefits of its use in humans.

Like most other herbal remedies, there isn’t enough meaningful evidence to recommend dihydromyricetin to treat anything, including a hangover.

7. Activated Charcoal

Activated charcoal marketed to treat or prevent hangovers is generally contained in capsules and taken by mouth before consuming alcoholic beverages. Manufactures claim that the activated charcoal in the capsules will absorb the hangover-causing congeners found in many alcoholic beverages, but there’s no definitive evidence showing it does anything to prevent the severity and/or duration of hangovers.

While in vitro studies suggest activated charcoal has the ability to absorb congeners, there’s scant evidence demonstrating its effectiveness in vivo.⁹ It’s unlikely that the relatively small amounts of activated charcoal are effective at reducing the impurities found in various beverages. Moreover, there’s currently no conclusive evidence that says otherwise.

There is 1 product marketed specifically as a hangover treatment that contains FDA-regulated ingredients. It’s a combination of a large dose of aspirin and caffeine with the intent to treat hangover symptoms. While anti-inflammatory agents and stimulants such as caffeine may reduce the severity of some hangover symptoms, there’s little prospective clinical evidence to accurately gauge efficacy.

The remedies presented above may provide hangover relief for some, but it’s important to stress to patients that the only way to completely prevent a hangover is to abstain from alcohol consumption. If the patient chooses to consume alcohol, however, drinking in moderation with adequate hydration is likely a better way to avoid hangovers than OTC drugs or herbal supplements.

References

1. Damrau F, Liddy E. Hangovers and whisky congeners: comparison of whisky with vodka. Journal of the National Medical Association. 1960;52(4): 262-265.

2. Swift R, Davidson D. Alcohol hangover: mechanisms and mediators. Alcohol Health Res World. 1998;22(1): 54-60.

3. Kaivola S, Parantainen J, Osterman T, Timonen H. Hangover headache and prostaglandins: prophylactic treatment with tolfenamic acid. Cephalalgia. 1983;3(1): 31-36.

4. Vasdev S, Mian T, Longerich L, Prabhakaran V, Parai S. N-acetyl cysteine attenuates ethanol induced hypertension in rats. Artery. 1995;21(6): 312-316.

5. Gores KM, Hamieh TS, Schmidt GA. Survival following investigational treatment of amanita mushroom poisoning: thistle or shamrock? Chest. 2014;146(4): e126-9.

6. Vargas-Mendoza N, Madrigal-Santillan E, Morales-Gonzalez A, et al. Hepatoprotective effect of silymarin. World J Hepatol. 2014;6(3): 144-9.

7. Maxwell CR, Spangenberg RJ, Hoek JB, Silberstein SD, Oshinsky ML. Acetate causes of alcohol hangover headache in rats. PLOS One. 2011;5(12): e15963.

8. Chen S, Zhao X, Wan J, et al. Dihydromyricetin improves glucose and lipid metabolism and exerts anti-inflammatory effects in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomized controlled trial. Pharmacol Res. 2015;99: 74-81.

9. Damrau F, Goldberg AH. Adsorption of whisky congeners by activated charcoal. Chemical and clinical studies related to hangover. Southwest Med. 1971;52(9): 179-182.

Hangover cures – NHS

Splitting headaches, sickness, dizziness, dehydration: anyone who’s ever drunk too much knows the consequences.

Alcohol makes you pee more, which can lead to dehydration. Dehydration is what causes many of the symptoms of a hangover.

Hangover cures are generally a myth. There are no cures for a hangover, but there are things you can do to avoid one and, if you do have one, ease the discomfort.

Tips to avoid a hangover

To avoid a hangover:

• Do not drink more than you know your body can cope with. If you’re not sure how much that is, be careful.
• Do not drink on an empty stomach. Before you start drinking, have a meal that includes carbohydrates (such as pasta or rice) or fats. The food will help to slow down your body’s absorption of alcohol.
• Do not drink dark coloured drinks if you’ve found you’re sensitive to them. They contain natural chemicals called congeners, which irritate blood vessels and tissue in the brain and can make a hangover worse.
• Drink water or non-fizzy soft drinks in between each alcoholic drink. Fizzy drinks speed up the absorption of alcohol into your body.
• Drink a pint or so of water before you go to sleep. Keep a glass of water by your bed to sip if you wake up during the night.

Hangover treatment

Dealing with a hangover involves rehydrating your body to help you deal with the painful symptoms. The best time to rehydrate is before going to sleep after a drinking session.

Painkillers can help with headaches and muscle cramps.

Sugary foods may help you feel less trembly. In some cases, an antacid may be needed to settle your stomach first.

Bouillon soup (a thin, vegetable-based broth) is a good source of vitamins and minerals, which can top-up depleted resources. It’s also easy for a fragile stomach to digest.

You can replace lost fluids by drinking bland liquids that are gentle on your digestive system, such as water, soda water and isotonic drinks.

Things to avoid

Drinking more alcohol, or “hair of the dog”, does not help. Drinking in the morning is a risky habit, and you may simply be delaying the appearance of symptoms until the extra alcohol wears off.

If you’ve been drinking heavily, doctors advise that you wait at least 48 hours before drinking any more alcohol (even if you don’t have a hangover), to give your body time to recover.

Sometimes, of course, a hangover makes this advice easier to follow.

Advice for regular drinkers

To keep the health risks from alcohol to a low level, if you drink most weeks:

• do not drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis
• spread your drinking over 3 or more days if you regularly drink as much as 14 units a week
• if you want to cut down, try to have several alcohol-free days each week

14 units is equivalent to 6 pints of average-strength beer or 10 small glasses of low-strength wine.

Know your units

A 750ml bottle of red, white or rosé wine (ABV 13.5%) contains 10 units.

Use our guide to find out how many units are in your favourite tipple.

*Gin, rum, sambuca, tequila, vodka, whisky. A single large (35ml) measures of spirits is 1.4 units.

You can keep track of your drinking using the One You Drink Free Days app.

Page last reviewed: 6 January 2020
Next review due: 6 January 2023

90,000 9 best ways to get rid of a hangover: proven by science

1. What is a hangover
2. How to get rid: instruction
3. What not to do
4. Doctor’s comment
5. How to prevent

The text was checked and commented by Nikolay Nazariev, narcologist, psychiatrist, sexologist, physiotherapist, leading specialist of the Semeynaya network of clinics

It takes 8-12 hours to process alcohol and cleanse tissues from it.When the level of ethanol in the blood tends to zero, withdrawal symptoms occur, in everyday life referred to as a hangover. After alcohol intoxication, the body needs support. Ethanol works similarly to diuretics. Alcohol promotes the elimination of fluid from the body through the genitourinary system and respiratory system.

In a state of intoxication, breathing quickens, the liquid is intensively converted into fumes. A protective reaction of the body is triggered, which is trying to remove ethanol. As a result, in an hour or two, a person loses 0.6-1 liters of fluid.Weakness, thirst, dizziness are symptoms that signal tissue dehydration.

Alcohol irritates the stomach lining, causing nausea, abdominal pain and vomiting. The reaction of the breakdown of ethyl alcohol is accompanied by a decrease in glucose levels, the loss of vitamins and microelements. The result is a feeling of weakness, fatigue, a sharp change in mood.

© Ilyuza Mingazova / Unsplash

An intermediate product of the breakdown of ethanol – acetaldehyde – accelerates the pulse, causes tachycardia and increased sweating.The functions of the nervous system are impaired, the phase of REM sleep is reduced. If alcohol was consumed the night before, after waking up in the morning, a person feels exhausted and exhausted.

The destruction of brain cells leads to an increase in the volume of cerebrospinal fluid in the skull. An unbearable headache occurs due to an excess of fluid.

What is a hangover

Hangover is a post-intoxication condition accompanying alcohol abuse.It occurs several hours after the party (usually the next day) and is accompanied by unpleasant physical sensations: headache, nausea, sweating and dry mouth. In addition, a person becomes psychologically ill, since with frequent and excessive use of alcohol, it becomes a depressant [1].

Doctors do not name the exact causes of a hangover, but several factors can influence its occurrence. Ethyl alcohol is oxidized in the liver, and the breakdown produces acetic acid and acetaldehyde.The latter is several times more toxic than alcohol itself. In addition, the enzyme CYP2E1 is formed, which produces free radicals and toxins. Hangover symptoms can be exacerbated by other ingredients in the drink, such as sugar, tannin, and fusel oils. In addition to the poisoning reaction, a person may suffer from edema caused by dehydration of the body, and hypovolemia – a lack of fluid in the vessels.

The acid-base balance changes, so many people feel nauseous with a hangover. Excessive alcohol consumption disrupts the balance of chemicals in the blood and causes metabolic acidosis, which is characterized by increased acidity [2].

A hangover can last up to 72 hours after drinking, but in most cases this period is shorter. Much depends on how much was drunk, how much the body is dehydrated. Individual factors are also important: lifestyle, nutrition, gender and weight, liver condition, stomach health and medications taken that can aggravate the condition [3].

6 reasons to give up alcohol

How to get rid of a hangover: instruction

Getting rid of a hangover means not only relieving symptoms, but also eliminating the root causes: dehydration and intoxication.It is important to restore the water-salt balance, blood sugar and oxygen levels [4]. In especially severe cases, you will need the help of a doctor, but with a mild hangover, you can cope on your own using the available means.

1. Deep sleep

At times, getting enough rest and sleep is enough to give the body time and strength to return to normal functioning. Although alcohol consumption often impairs the quality of sleep, it becomes intermittent and shallow [5].Prolonged lack of proper rest aggravates hangover symptoms. Therefore, do not plan to get up early if you have drunk too much. Try to set aside time for rest and sleep as soon as the opportunity presents itself. This will avoid the headaches, fatigue, and irritability that accompany a hangover.

2. Healthy breakfast

Morning meal is the most important of the day. A balanced breakfast will energize and relieve hangovers by maintaining blood sugar levels, fatigue and nausea.Some studies also show that maintaining adequate blood sugar levels can alleviate alcohol-related symptoms by lowering acidity in the body. A healthy breakfast can help reduce the effects of a party, especially if it contains important vitamins and minerals. Choose light foods, lean protein, and complex carbohydrates. Porridge, chicken and steamed fish, baked vegetables are suitable.

© Jonas Jacobsson / Unsplash

3.Pure water

Dehydration, which a person does not notice when drinking alcohol, occurs for several reasons. Alcoholic beverages have a diuretic effect, which leads to the loss of fluid and electrolytes, which are necessary for the normal functioning of all body systems [6]. Too much alcohol can often cause nausea and vomiting, which can lead to more fluid loss. Dehydration leads to dizziness, headache, and dry mouth that accompany a person the day after a meal.In order to quickly bounce back, you need to drink clean water. Maintain your drinking regime throughout the day. Sugar or honey can be added to the water to help restore electrolyte levels and reduce hangover symptoms.

4. Plant extracts

Research confirms the benefits of pharmacy nutritional supplements for post-alcoholic alcohol relief. In the first place is red ginseng, which lowers blood alcohol levels [7]. The second is ginger, especially when combined with brown sugar and mandarin extract.Scientists have shown that the remedy reduces the symptoms of alcohol intoxication, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea [8]. Borage oil and Eleutherococcus extract were distinguished by similar effects [9], [10].

5. Sorbents

Doctors disagree with the conventional wisdom that sorbents accelerate the elimination of alcohol breakdown products from the body. Narcologist Nikolai Nazariev says: “It is too late to use activated charcoal for a hangover. A hangover is a poisoning with metabolic products when the substances have already been absorbed.Drinking coal in advance also makes no sense: the ethanol molecule is very small, it will make its way everywhere. ” However, sorbents are useful if you suspect that you have food poisoning in addition to a hangover.

6. Painkillers and other medicines

If your head hurts badly, there is no point in enduring – take a pill. Although common drugstore ibuprofen-based remedies have a negative effect on the liver and gastrointestinal tract, at least you can collect your thoughts and not spend all day in bed.Choose the drugs you know and are prescribed by your therapist, because new drugs can give the body an unpredictable response and worsen the condition.

7. Fresh air

Oxygen is the driver of all metabolic processes in the body. Fresh air helps to quickly remove waste products from the blood through breathing, and the condition gradually returns to normal. If it is not possible to pack up and go for a short walk, open the windows and ventilate the area well.

8.Antioxidants

Alcohol causes oxidative stress by causing the body to produce free radicals. Several foods that contain antioxidants help fight them, including berries, spinach, carrots, nuts and seeds, and black and green teas. Keep in mind that this is only a help to maintain the body’s performance, and not a medicine that will instantly relieve symptoms.

9. Doctor’s assistance

If simple remedies do not help and you feel very bad, seek help from specialists.It is especially important to do this if there are pains in the stomach, chest or sides, increased heart rate, temperature and pressure drop, frequent vomiting and confusion are present. In serious cases, proper treatment with the introduction of drugs through an IV line will be required.

What alcohol does to the body after 40 years

What not to do with a hangover

It is important not only to get rid of a hangover, but also not to aggravate it with the wrong treatment. For some people, it causes an uncontrollable feeling of hunger against the background of poor physical and emotional well-being, which makes them want to eat more junk food.The first thing to give up is heavy fatty foods. The fact is that alcohol is broken down by the same metabolic pathway as fat. The strain on the liver is colossal, and a slice of pizza or fries will slow down the elimination of toxins [11]. Try to maintain a healthy balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates to restore blood sugar levels.

There are tips on the internet for dealing with hangovers through work therapy.But there is no scientific evidence to show that exercise relieves unpleasant symptoms. Moreover, high activity can be harmful, since the body is already exhausted and has to spend a lot of energy fighting the consequences of alcohol consumption. The only plus of physical activity is better blood supply and the ability to escape from unpleasant sensations. Therefore, you can arrange a leisurely cleaning of the apartment or an audit in the closet, but do not overdo it.

A narcologist assessed the effect of alcohol on COVID-19 patients

Doctor’s comment

Nikolay Nazariev, narcologist, psychiatrist, sexologist, physiotherapist, leading specialist of the family clinic network

One of the reasons for the deterioration of health after an abundant dose of alcohol is dehydration and a violation of the water-salt balance in the body.Alcohol is an inhibitor of the hormone vasopressin, the concentration of which drops sharply after drinking alcoholic beverages. Vasopressin functions to retain water in the body and to constrict blood vessels.

Body tissue swells while water is deficient in the bloodstream. The blood becomes viscous. Its volumes are decreasing. Why is it better to drink cucumber hangover pickle instead of regular water? Water reduces the osmotic pressure of blood plasma. The osmotic pressure is influenced by the concentration of salts and solutes.Osmoreceptors respond to water intake. They signal to the brain that excess fluid has appeared in the tissues, which needs to be disposed of.

Brine is a liquid that is formed in the process of fermentation, salting, and soaking of vegetables. The main components of the solution are salt, water, herbs and spices. In the process of preparing the brine, as a result of the fermentation of the liquid, lactic and natural acetic acids are formed. The solution is saturated with potassium, sodium and magnesium ions, vitamin C, essential oils, copper compounds, extractive substances that are released from spices.A glass of sour-salty drink is the first step towards improving the functioning of organs and systems. Then you can replenish your moisture reserves with the help of mineral water, natural fruit drinks and juices without added sugar, green tea, ginger-mint tea and other unsweetened drinks.

As an alternative, you can use fermented milk products, which are also rich in trace elements and vitamins, minimize the toxic effect of toxic substances. Also, hot rich meat and fish soups such as kharcho, khash, hodgepodge or the notorious chicken broth are traditionally considered an excellent way to relieve a hangover.It is assumed that if you eat any of the above, the hangover will go away.

Khash and fish broth, jellied meat or fish aspic will really help, because they contain a huge amount of glycine, which helps to neutralize the extremely poisonous acetaldehyde formed during the breakdown of alcohol, and helps the nervous system to cope with the unpleasant consequences of alcohol abuse. Just a fatty soup will not give such an effect.

Be careful with spicy hot dishes – they, of course, can “shake” a hangover, but be careful: the stomach tired of alcohol may not be thrilled.Important: do not eat even the super-healthy, time-tested hash, until your body wants to eat on its own – take pity on the liver.

One of the first symptoms of a hangover is dehydration. You need fluids to flush out toxins from your body. If you don’t feel like eating yet, but only want to drink, drink as much as possible. Just water, mineral water, fresh juices (citrus fruits are best) and tea.

Citrus juice (orange, grapefruit, lemon) contains a huge amount of vitamin C, which the body actively needs after alcohol abuse.Of course, you should not drink freshly squeezed lemon juice, but you can mix it with warm water or mineral water, add sugar or honey to taste (if there is no allergy).

Researchers have found that honey is extremely useful for alcohol intoxication, because it contains trace elements, redox enzymes, organic acids that improve metabolism, and fructose, which soothes the nervous system.

Tea for a hangover is preferable to green – it contains antioxidants necessary to speed up metabolism and eliminate toxins.Also, green tea is rich in potassium, which, like vitamin C, is washed out of the body under the influence of alcohol, and its lack leads to high blood pressure, arrhythmias and a rapid pulse. Peppermint tea (you can use regular filter bags from the pharmacy) soothes the nervous system and reduces the anxiety that often accompanies a hangover.

Refrain from going to the bathhouse. Heat creates an additional load on the heart, and a dehydrated body will lose many times more moisture. You can’t swim.This is dangerous: antidiuretic hormone due to excess ethanol does not produce potassium and magnesium, which leads to seizures. Better not to drink coffee. It increases the heart’s need for oxygen. Refrain from sex. Excessive stress on the heart is useless. Narcologists do not recommend taking aspirin for a hangover. This drug can cause inflammation of the stomach lining and, in some cases, cause bleeding.

Do not take paracetamol. This is dangerous for the liver. Attention: modern citramones also contain paracetamol, so do not try to treat headaches with citramone.Do not take Corvalol, Valocordin and Valoserdin for a hangover. They contain phenobarbital, which is incompatible with alcohol, and in itself is far from safe: it can cause delirium worse than alcohol, up to coma.

How to prevent a hangover

So that the day after meeting with friends does not fall out of life, take preventive measures the day before. Even if you do not intend to completely stop drinking, stick to the following rules:

• Try to reduce the number of servings of alcohol.This does not guarantee well-being the next day, but the less alcohol there is in the body, the less waste products will harm health.
• Choose proven quality drinks. In addition to alcohol, various preservatives, flavor enhancers and other additives have a negative impact on health.
• Prior to the party, try to have an active day with reasonable physical activity and a large meal.
• In the process of drinking alcohol, it is better to eat light meals so as not to overload the liver and stomach.It is better not to combine energy drinks, chocolate, coffee, fried meats, desserts and hot snacks with a lot of spices with alcohol.

Stories of quitting alcohol, cigarettes, sugar and sleep deprivation.

90,000 How to Get Rid of a Hangover: A Comprehensive Guide

Let’s start with the sad truth: the only working way to avoid a hangover is to not get drunk. But we understand that it is too late.Therefore, first emergency help to deal with a hangover, and then advice for the future.

How to get rid of a hangover

A hangover is, in fact, poisoning. We poison ourselves with the decay products of ethanol, and these products are already in our blood, therefore the whole body is in a fever, and not just the stomach. Unfortunately, it takes time to remove acetaldehyde (the main poison left after a stormy evening). There are no remedies that will ease a hangover, but we can relieve the symptoms.

Restore fluid balance

Ethanol has a diuretic effect, meaning it removes fluid from the body.Without water, the body gets rid of the breakdown products of ethanol more slowly, which means the hangover lasts longer. In case of any poisoning, you need to drink a lot in small sips, in case of a hangover, you need to do the same.

We understand that this is difficult, but we have to try, after the second cup of tea things will go better. It is best to drink rehydration solutions (from a pharmacy, for example) or mineral water. But if they don’t pop, start with sweet tea or tomato juice or even pickle. But coffee won’t help.

Try honey tea

There is no 100% proof that honey will help ^{, but with these hangover remedies it’s always like this: you never know what will get better.If there is no allergy, honey is a good natural remedy with many beneficial properties.}

Drink sorbents

Intestinal sorbents should have been drunk, of course, before the hangover, but toxins must be removed from the body by all available means. It is better to give preference not to the good old charcoal, but to modern means, because swallowing 10–20 tablets of charcoal with a hangover is a dubious happiness.

Drink fruit juices and broths

This is not a universal treatment, but this liquid food helps to relieve unpleasant symptoms, and fructose from juice gives energy.

Drink a special drink

If there is someone nearby who can help, hand him this recipe and ask him to prepare it. When shaking, not to mix juices with spices. But the drink, brought by caring hands, will quickly put you on your feet.

Don’t hang over

A new dose of alcohol is an additional burden. The body is already full of alcohol breakdown products, beer or other drinks will only add complexity.

When alcohol takes effect, you will feel that it has become easier.But alcohol “into old yeast” is quickly processed, because the liver has already released a lot of enzymes to break down the previous portion. So the poisoning will get worse.

Sleep

A normal hangover goes away in 24 hours. You just have to go through them. It is most convenient to do this in a dream.

Take pain reliever

If your head breaks so that you can’t even sleep, take pain reliever ^{. Yes, paracetamol and ibuprofen are bad for the stomach and liver, which are already bad.But what to do, sometimes you have to make difficult choices. But only use drugs that you have tried before: you must be sure that you have a normal relationship with them.}

Take a walk

At least around the house. Movement helps to distract, and in the fresh air it is easier to remove waste products from the blood through breathing.

What to do when a hangover is very bad

Alcohol poisoning can lead not only to a painful morning. Sometimes it provokes more serious conditions, up to a stroke or heart attack.Therefore, seek emergency help if you notice ^:

1. Severe headache.
2. Pain behind the sternum, which can radiate to the left arm.
3. Rapid heartbeat.
4. Pallor up to blue.
5. Decrease in body temperature.
6. Vomiting, which does not stop and does not allow drinking (everything comes back at once).
7. Confusion of consciousness (it is difficult to answer questions, it is not clear where you are).

How to look normal even with a hangover

So, you can already keep your head straight.It’s time to make an effort and get to the mirror, get scared and take care of yourself.

1. Have another glass. Water, just water. First, the hangover is not over yet. Secondly, you look so bad precisely because the skin lacks this very water. Forward.
2. Wash and shave. Especially if after returning home you did not have the strength or problems with coordination did not allow you to carry out hygiene procedures.
3. Take a bath. Lying in a warm sea salt bath for 20 minutes is priceless.
4. Make an oatmeal mask or use a ready-made scrub. It is necessary to remove dead skin cells and slightly increase blood circulation.
5. Make a green tea compress. Brewed tea bags are a good remedy for bags under the eyes.
6. Apply light makeup. The key word is light. Align the face tone with transparent means, no sculpting. Enough mascara for eye makeup, gloss for lips.

Try it 💄

How to get rid of fumes

Fresh alcoholic smell can still be hidden by brushing your teeth and rinsing your mouth thoroughly.Even a simple gum and a cup of strong coffee will cleanse your mouth and remove the smell of alcohol.

The fumes caused by the decay products of ethanol does not give up so easily, because these very products are excreted by the whole body at once. You still have to brush your teeth, but this is not enough, you need to do something else:

1. Drink clean water. A large amount of water causes a diuretic effect, and along with urine, alcohol breakdown products will be excreted from the body. At the same time, the unpleasant odor will also be reduced. Basically, we are washing ourselves.
2. Take a shower. From the skin it is necessary to wash off everything that has already stood out with sweat.
3. Have breakfast with protein foods: meat, eggs, low-fat cottage cheese. This will help the liver to process the remaining ethanol faster.
4. Breakfast should be with hot spices. Even a slight acceleration of metabolic processes, which spices cause, will shorten the time for “weathering” fumes from the body.
5. Use medicines with succinic acid. Many hangover remedies contain this ingredient. And although it will not help much from the actual unpleasant sensations, it will still become easier with the smell.

What to do to prevent the hangover from happening again

Most likely, now you are ready to swear that you will never again and for nothing. But it was the same last time. Therefore, when you come to your senses, just study the topic and be more responsible about what, when and how you drink.

How to choose alcohol

Alcohol is deadly, especially if it is counterfeit alcohol. Methyl alcohol poisoning, which cannot be detected in a bottle with improvised methods, leads to dozens of deaths every year.When buying alcohol, always look at:

1. Place of Purchase. No questionable stalls or taxi deliveries.
2. Price. Good drinks can’t come cheap. It is better to lose money than health.
3. Packaging. A tightly closed cork, a neck with a dispenser, good label paper are signs of good quality alcohol. From many manufacturers, you can study the packaging on the website to compare it with what is sold in the store.
4. Excise stamp.You can check real alcohol using the numbers on the brand using a special service.

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What to do before approaching the table

Any hangover starts long before you have your first drink. In order not to consume too much and not to repent, you need to carry out a festive preparation of the body for alcoholic shocks:

1. Warm up before the party.For example, do exercises or go to the gym. Exercise helps fight the effects of alcohol.
2. Good food. Fatty foods interfere with the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream.
3. To drink drugs that will help to process alcohol. These are intestinal sorbents like activated carbon (modern counterparts work no worse, and you need to drink less) and dry yeast, which help break down alcohol.

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What to Do During the Party

While you are drinking, you already have a chance to reduce your hangover symptoms.The question is how to drink:

1. Remember to eat and choose nutritious food.
2. Drink not only alcohol, but also juices and water. Hangover pain is due to dehydration, so soak the cells with fluid. Just no soda: the bubbles will intensify the intoxication. This also applies to the alcoholic beverages themselves. So don’t go overboard on champagne.
3. Do not mix drinks. It really doesn’t matter how many different types of alcohol we mixed and what we drank first and what later.Our state is affected only by the total amount of alcohol, but due to the difference in strength and tastes, it is easy to get confused in sensations and go overboard.
4. Dance. Can’t you? Go for a walk. The main thing is to move more in order to sober up a little or at least to control yourself: if your legs do not hold and the walls are staggering, then you will definitely have enough.

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The best hangover pills

The best hangover pills

Hangover and the morning “war for yourself”.

Anyone who has ever been the victim of a hangover knows that this “ailment” is not just an annoying nuisance, but creates problems in a complex manner. Literally in the morning after the alcohol party, we are ready to give anything for the best hangover cure.

Throbbing headache, dizziness, dry mouth, pressure surges, chills, severe nausea and even vomiting – this is not a complete list of ailments resulting from heavy alcohol consumption. To remove the hangover syndrome and restore the usual pep is effective and, importantly, quickly only with medications for a hangover, and not with folk remedies such as pickle.
Anti-hangover drugs are a must have if there is a lot of alcohol on the menu.

Drugs for hangovers are available today in a wide range and in different forms. They are sold not only in pharmacies, good hangover pills can be found at checkouts in supermarkets and even in small shops with alcohol. Most of these drugs have an antitoxic and / or tonic effect on the body.

Among other drugs, “Alkoklin” will stand out – the best hangover pills , not only to eliminate the consequences of excessive alcohol consumption, but also to prevent their occurrence.The drug is popular in Russia due to the safety of its composition and rapid effect on the body.

“Alkoklin glutargin” is a proven, very convenient to use and, perhaps, the best remedy for a hangover, because fights hangover in a complex manner. The tool helps to process alcohol breakdown products faster and with less negativity. These good hangover pills contain, in fact, several drugs at once, they work as effectively as possible if taken immediately after drinking alcohol and / and during the process.

90,000 what to do with a hangover, how to relieve a hangover

A hangover is the result of the effect that alcohol has on the body. After New Year’s Eve, the hangover issue is especially relevant.

A hangover after the New Year can be particularly bad

Anyone who drank large amounts of alcohol experienced hangover symptoms the next day: severe throbbing headaches, nausea, dry and unpleasant taste in the mouth and excruciating thirst, fatigue, irritability, etc. Bad mood.Often there is palpitations and “interruptions” (rhythm disturbances) in the work of the heart, autonomic disorders can be manifested by chills, alternating with a feeling of heat.

What is a hangover

A hangover is a feeling of ill health that occurs a few hours after drinking alcohol. A hangover is the result of the effect that alcohol has on the body. Doctors call this condition the hangover syndrome.

The mechanism of action of drunkenness is as follows: alcohol taken orally and absorbed into the blood has a mild euphorizing (improving mood), tranquilizing (relieving stress) and anesthetic agent, and this is exactly what to neutralize hangover complaints.In addition, in the brain and in the liver, which is the main “laboratory” in which all poisons are neutralized, ethyl alcohol taken in the form of a drink enters into a competitive relationship with substances, decomposition products of the same alcohol and causing hangover complaints. As a result of the action of wine alcohol, all these poisons act on cells and tissues not so sharply, as if “on the brakes”.

A hangover is a serious condition resulting in headaches, nausea and vomiting, indigestion, hand tremors, weakness, increased or decreased blood pressure and general malaise.Also, a person with a hangover may feel guilty (yes, this is due to biochemistry: you can feel guilty even if you haven’t done anything special).

Alcohol affects brain cells

Why hangovers occur at all

Poisoning: alcohol turns into toxic substances (in particular acetaldehyde), after which, due to the effects of acetaldehyde, other toxins appear in the body.

Dehydration: In fact, when we are hungover, we do not suffer from absolute dehydration, but from a lack of circulating blood volume.There is usually a lot of water in the body as a whole, sometimes even too much: a person swells with a hangover, that is, suffers from edema. As doctors say, there is a pathological redistribution of blood.

Metabolic disorders: fighting alcohol and the poisoning caused by it, the body consumes many vitamins, macro- and microelements. On the second and third day of drinking, the body suffers from a lack of vitamins.

Violation of acid-base balance (acidosis): because of it in the morning, sickness and increased breathing.This is due to the fact that the decomposition products of alcohol are mainly acidic: acetaldehyde, acetic acid, lactic acid.

Effects on Brain Cells: As a result of the chemical effects of alcohol and acetaldehyde, the nervous system becomes hypersensitive the next morning. Therefore, even normal light and sound causes pain, as if everything were too bright or loud.

Sleep disturbance: alcohol interferes with the so-called “REM sleep” phases in the sleeper.Namely, during these periods, during which the brain does not rest at all, but is actively working (and we see dreams), a person gains new strength. It is impossible to get enough sleep without them. Therefore, even after the usual 8-9 hours of sleep, if you go to bed drunk, a person does not get enough sleep.

If you have a hangover, you need to drink a lot of water

How to get rid of a hangover

Ethanol has a diuretic effect, that is, it removes fluid from the body. Without water, the body gets rid of the breakdown products of ethanol more slowly, which means the hangover lasts longer.In case of any poisoning, you need to drink a lot in small sips, in case of a hangover, you need to do the same.

Try honey tea

There is no 100% proof that honey will help, but with these hangover remedies it is always like this: you never know what will make it easier. If there is no allergy, honey is a good natural remedy with many beneficial properties.

Drink sorbents

Intestinal sorbents should have been drunk, of course, before a hangover, but toxins must be removed from the body by all available means.It is better to give preference not to the good old coal, but to modern means, because swallowing 10–20 tablets of coal with a hangover is a dubious happiness.

Drink fruit juices and broths

This is not a universal treatment, but this liquid food helps relieve unpleasant symptoms, and fructose from juice gives energy.

Aspirin for a hangover will relieve swelling and, as a result, headache

Hangover: pills

For a hangover, medications that most of us have at home can also come in handy.And if there are no houses, then they certainly are in any nearest pharmacy.

Activated carbon is a time-tested tablet. Activated carbon is an enterosorbent. This means that it absorbs toxins and excess food from the gastrointestinal tract, and then naturally removes them from the body.

Now in the pharmacy you can find more modern sorbents: Smecta, Enterosgel, Polysorb, Lignosorb and their numerous analogues – you can choose any. They act more actively and at the same time less irritate the gastric mucosa.Just do not take sorbents at the same time with other hangover pills: sorbents will absorb them too, and there will be no benefit from them. Spread the reception for at least an hour and a half.

Aspirin will relieve swelling and, as a result, headache, and this is one of the most painful hangover symptoms. But aspirin can be taken no earlier than 6 hours after the last glass of alcohol: aspirin is incompatible with alcohol.

The pharmacy has a wide selection of mild sedatives based on valerian or motherwort.They will help in the fight against hangover depression and insomnia, calm the nerves and help not to go into binge drinking. But the stronger sleeping pills and sedatives are usually incompatible with alcohol.

Succinic acid – cheap but effective pills to help with a hangover. Succinic acid speeds up the central link of metabolism (tricarboxylic acid cycle) and helps the body to cope with alcohol faster. Contraindicated in ulcers and gastritis.

Magnesium preparations are also an affordable and effective remedy.Magnesia (magnesium sulfate), magnesol, panangin (asparkam) – all these pills with a hangover soften the negative effects of alcohol on the heart, accelerate metabolism, reduce headaches, relieve swelling and depression.

Fruit juices also do the trick for a hangover

Home remedies for a severe hangover

To relieve its symptoms, you can take a contrast shower (if you have no vascular problems). Or use one of the proven folk remedies:

1.Drink plenty of water, it is better if it is mineral and still. For heartburn, alkaline water is recommended. You can put a couple of bottles at the head of your bed.

2. Non-alcoholic mojito. In a glass you need to throw a circle of lemon or lime, a little fresh mint and a pinch of sugar. Pour all this with mineral water and add ice.

3. Traditional pickle – cabbage, cucumber, pickled apples – whatever is in the refrigerator.

4. Fruit juices. They contain fructose, accelerate the elimination of toxins, and alleviate hangover syndrome.Additional vitamins now will not interfere with your body, because the day before they were consumed at a rapid pace. If possible, cut out orange and grapefruit juices as they can irritate the stomach.

5. Refreshing cocktail. To prepare it, you need to squeeze out the juice of carrots and celery, add lemon juice and mint.

6. Mint tea. Perfectly saves from nausea. Pour tea into a thermos in advance in the evening – in the morning you will thank yourself.

7. Cinnamon also suppresses bouts of nausea.Brew it overnight and cool. Drink in small sips.

8. Beef broth – restores the work of the stomach and intestines.

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The best hangover cure according to the Chinese version – AgroXXI

Scientists substantiated the effectiveness of the Chinese anti-hangover recipe

both folk and clinically proven remedies.

Scientists from Sun Yatsen University in Guangzhou have found another one – soda with lemon juice, writes Gazeta.RU with reference to an article in Food & Function magazine.

“The enzyme, alcohol dehydrogenase, secreted by the liver in response to alcohol consumption, converts ethanol to acetaldehyde, which reduces the amount of alcohol in the blood. As a result of the interaction of acetaldehyde and another enzyme, aldehyde dehydrogenase, acetate is obtained. This substance is harmless, but when acetaldehyde and acetate interact, a severe hangover syndrome occurs, ”the researchers explain the mechanism of the hangover.

Acetaldehyde has other consequences, researchers warn. Alcohol abusers are more likely to be diagnosed with alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocarcinoma, and also suffer from nausea, cardiomyopathy, hypertension, strokes, pancreatitis, and inadequate absorption of nutrients. And this is primarily due to acetaldehyde, scientists say.

The authors of the work decided to find out which of the store drinks best helps to reduce the concentration of acetaldehyde in the blood.They tested 57 soft drinks, including several varieties of iced tea and soda. During the experiment, they mixed alcohol metabolites with different drinks. It turned out that soda water with lemon juice copes with the task best.

Soda acts as a catalyst for an enzyme that helps metabolize, break down, and flush alcohol byproducts from the body, the researchers said. However, studies on humans have not yet been conducted.

In addition, the Chinese experts emphasized that the hangover is caused not only by the abuse of alcoholic beverages, but also by the rather slow processes of their assimilation.

Perhaps the effects of alcohol abuse in the future can be reversed faster – researchers at the University of Southern California and Keck School of Medicine tested a new “sobering” drug based on liver enzymes. However, so far the tests have been carried out only on mice. After the mice consumed so much alcohol that they fell asleep, the researchers injected them with the drug.

It turned out that the mice that received it came to their senses 45% faster than those that did not receive it.At the same time, the concentration of acetaldehyde, which causes nausea and headache with a hangover, was surprisingly low.

Researchers expect that such a drug will not only help fight hangovers, but will be useful in preventing alcohol poisoning. They hope to begin human trials within a year.

(Source: www.gazeta.ru. Photo: pixabay.com). 90,015 90,000 the best ways of prevention and treatment.

The morning after a noisy party with alcohol can be very difficult.A hangover is associated with headache, nausea, fatigue, muscle pain, and intestinal upset. I don’t want to think about a fun evening. What helps with a severe hangover? Can it be prevented?

Hangover Prevention

There are many foods that can help relieve the condition after drinking alcohol. For example, American Indians protect themselves from intoxication with almonds. It is believed that just six unprocessed nuts are enough. Two teaspoons of prickly pear extract or a spoonful of Bifidumbacterin diluted in a glass of water and drunk before bedtime also help prevent a serious condition.During the feast, it is worth eating light snacks. Exposure to fatty foods increases the effects of alcohol on the body. You can eat some peanut butter before heading out to the party. What helps with a hangover after a meal? For example, you can drink a sports drink or electrolyte before going to bed. It will help replenish important elements that the body will lose from alcohol. You can just drink a couple of glasses of plain water, as alcohol is very dehydrating. By preventing this process, you will greatly ease your lot the next day.

Medicines against hangover

If precautions have not been taken and the condition after drinking alcohol leaves much to be desired, special medications will come to the rescue. What pills help with a hangover? You can use the popular Alco-Seltzer or Antipochmelin products. You can limit yourself to a soluble tablet “Aspirin” or the drug “Citramon”. Two tablets after a meal – and you can forget about the headache. You can help the body regain strength with the help of vitamin C, it removes alcohol.If you suffer from nausea, retching, indigestion, you should take six tablets of activated carbon. You can also drink the drug “No-shpa” or “Loperamide hydrochloride” -sebe “> This will help the liver. Vitamin B6 helps from bad breath. Pour a couple of ampoules into water and drink the drink in one gulp. Folk recipes recommend paying attention to for pregnant women or combine a glass of hot strong tea with a lot of sugar and a tablet “Baralgin” with the drug “Furosemide.” Medicines “Askofen” or “Kofitsil plus” will help if you drink them before bedtime.

Effective hangover products

You can also improve your condition with the help of regular food. What helps with a hangover? An apple eaten on an empty stomach will work well. A cocktail of milk and banana with a spoonful of natural honey is extremely effective. The fruit soothes the stomach. It is rich in magnesium and potassium, both of which are deficient due to the effects of alcohol. acidity in the stomach and fights dehydration. Honey combined with banana lowers blood sugar levels. Meals the next day after a feast should be light.For example, chicken broth is suitable, which not only fights colds, but is also quite effective for a hangover. Ginger tea will help to cope with stomach discomfort. It can also be combined with honey. A few teaspoons after waking up will soften the effect of alcohol on the body. The thing is that honey contains substances that neutralize alcohol. If you do not consider yourself a sweet tooth, seek help from lemon. Add lemon juice to tea or coffee and drink without milk or sugar.Lime, the juice of which is added to a glass of water with a spoonful of sugar, will cope with the ailment just as well. Slowly drinking this drink will help stabilize your sugar levels. Persimmons will help to cope with a headache, and mint will remove gases accumulated in the intestines. You can drink herbal tea or chew on fresh leaves. Cabbage is an ideal product after a meal. Fresh, it copes with headaches, and fermented will help restore the lack of nutrients that the body has lost due to alcohol.Cabbage brine can be mixed with tomato juice to taste better. In addition, tomatoes themselves are excellent at coping with hangovers. Finally, while listing what helps with hangovers, thyme is worth mentioning. A fragrant tea made from fresh or dried leaves can help restore well-being on a tough morning after drinking.

Recipes for a hangover

If you have the strength to cook something more or less difficult, try using effective products in effective combinations.For example, whisk in a mixer 250 milliliters of orange juice, half a lemon with the peel, the white of a raw egg, and two tablespoons of honey. Connoisseurs of tomato juice can drink a glass of their favorite drink with a whole yolk added there. It is important not to whip up the liquid, but just drink it in one gulp. Oatmeal or wheat flakes will also make an effective remedy. Fill them with kefir or fermented baked milk, leave to soak and eat. Finally, the most unusual recipe. Combine a raw egg, half a tablespoon of natural vinegar, pepper and salt, and drink the resulting cocktail in one gulp.

Physical activity from a hangover

On the list of everything that helps with a hangover, it is worth considering light exercise. For example, a brisk walk in the fresh air will improve blood circulation and oxygenate the brain, which will immediately improve the condition. But you shouldn’t overexert yourself in strength training, go to the pool or sauna. This is especially dangerous for men after 35 years. In combination with a hangover syndrome, the cardiovascular system weakened by age may simply not be able to withstand the load.So walking down the street, and ideally in a park or forest, will be enough to restore the body after drinking.

Hangover Myths

Some remedies are only effective in words. In fact, you shouldn’t resort to them. For example, doctors categorically do not recommend getting drunk. It is necessary to distinguish a hangover syndrome from withdrawal symptoms. In a person who does not suffer from alcohol addiction, alcohol in the morning after a feast should cause quite understandable disgust.The body itself suggests that it is not worth treating with another portion of booze. So poisoning with alcohol decomposition products will be further intensified. Beer is also a controversial drink for beating a hangover. On the one hand, it contains many vitamins. This drink is diuretic and also contains hop tranquilizers, which will improve the psychological state. But, on the other hand, the benefits will only come from a living drink – pasteurized ones do not carry any benefit. It is highly discouraged to drink fortified varieties, they will make it even worse.Among all that helps with a hangover, kefir is also often mentioned. But you should be careful with him. It really cleanses the body of waste products, provides energy and helps restore the liver. But the acid-base balance is already shifted after alcohol in the direction of acidity, and kefir can only worsen this imbalance. Alkaline mineral water or a small amount of baking soda can help keep your stomach in balance.

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90,000 Review of the best hangover relief methods

“Something unkind lurks in men who avoid wine, games, the company of lovely women, table conversation.Such people are either seriously ill, or secretly hate others. However, exceptions are possible. Among the people who sat down with me at the banquet table, sometimes amazing scoundrels came across! ” (“The Master and Margarita”, M. Bulgakov)

We hope you are not a scoundrel, but our article caught your eye after one of the gatherings with wine. Well, we’ll tell you how to put yourself in order and make your life easier after a night out.

Causes of a hangover

1. Ethanol causes an increased production of urine as well as a decrease in blood volume, which leads to a decrease in the amount of fluid in the brain, which causes headaches, dry mouth and fatigue.This problem is not solved by a large amount of drinking water, because it is either excreted by the kidneys or serves to form edema without increasing the amount of fluid in the brain.

2. Formation of ethanol decomposition products in the liver: ethyl alcohol → acetaldehyde → acetic acid. With an excess of alcohol in the blood, the enzyme systems cannot cope with the complete conversion of acetaldehyde into acetic acid; as a result, an intermediate product, acetaldehyde, accumulates, which is 10-30 times more toxic than alcohol.

3. Falling glucose levels, especially in the brain, because the liver cannot cope with its production. Since glucose is the main source of energy for the brain, the resulting lack of glucose contributes to fatigue, weakness, mood disturbances, low attention and concentration.

4. The presence of other substances (such as fusel oils), which appear together with ethyl alcohol during fermentation, greatly enhances many symptoms of a hangover.Strong drinks are darker in color and cause more severe hangovers than lighter ones. Sugar also exacerbates the effect, which is why sugary cocktails have a reputation for heavy hangover drinks. Whiskey, tequila lead to a heavier hangover than vodka.

Ways to cure a hangover

Next, we will consider alternative methods of preventing and treating a hangover, and write whether the method is effective from the point of view of toxicologists or not.

1.Preventive maintenance before the feast

Drink a little vodka 2-3 hours before the feast (doctors are in favor!)

This method is popularly called “to disperse the liver.”

There is an opinion that if you take a small dose of alcohol some time before a feast, then the body activates a defense mechanism, which means that the main dose of alcohol will be met already properly, which will facilitate the absorption of alcohol, which means that the hangover will not be so strong.

Scientists confirm that the principle is correct from the point of view of ethanol toxicokinetics.

Eat a piece of lard or butter before the feast (doctors are against!)

Quite often on the Internet you can find such a recipe for a hangover and / or rapid intoxication: before drinking, it is suggested to eat a piece of bacon or butter.

Allegedly, the fat contained in these foods will envelop the walls of the stomach and duodenum, and alcohol will be absorbed more slowly.

In fact, in order to significantly slow down the absorption of ethanol, it is necessary to cover tens and even hundreds of square meters of the absorbing surface of the gastrointestinal tract with a sufficiently thick layer of fat. This is unrealistic, and no pancreas in the world can withstand such a fat load.

2. Preventive maintenance during a feast

Snack tightly (doctors are against!)

There is an opinion among the people that it is important to have a good snack when drinking plentifully, but doctors categorically do not advise eating strong drinks with heavy food.

All known cases of fatal alcohol poisoning (if it is not a surrogate) when taken voluntarily are associated with a plentiful snack.

Heavy eating while drinking is a way to slow the onset of drunkenness, not to prevent a hangover. Dense food accumulates incoming alcohol in the stomach and intestines, so getting drunk gradually, you can almost imperceptibly gain a toxic dose. Plentiful food, especially rich in protein, combined with heavy drinking will aggravate the subsequent hangover, since, on the one hand, it will increase the load on the liver, and on the other hand, it will interfere with the emergency filtration of blood through the walls of the stomach and intestines.

Drinking alcohol on an empty stomach in the absence of peptic ulcer disease is a much safer measure, since a person will quickly become intoxicated, and when approaching life-threatening doses, he will simply lose consciousness.

Increase the degree (doctors are against!)

The widespread recommendation to drink less strong drinks first, and then stronger ones, if you really interfere with them, is nothing more than a myth. No research has been found on this topic.There are not even any intelligible assumptions about how, from the point of view of physiology, the alternation of alcoholic drinks in the direction of increasing the strength does not exist.

Snack on jellied meat (doctors are for!)

Jellied meat (like fish soup, jellied fish or marmalade) contains large amounts of glycine. Glycine, also known as aminoacetic acid, neutralizes toxic decomposition products of ethyl alcohol. In particular, acetaldehyde (the alcohol in your liver turns into it) is a highly toxic substance that is partly to blame for feeling unwell.As long as it is present in the body, the hangover will not stop. Glycine, on the other hand, combines with acetaldehyde to form acetylglycine, a very useful compound that is used by the body to synthesize proteins, hormones and enzymes. In addition, glycine normalizes the functioning of the nervous system, improves mood and mental performance, and normalizes sleep.

It follows that the well-known Russian jellied meat (aka jelly) is a very literate appetizer from the point of view of physiology.

Drink diluted lemon juice (doctors for!)

One of the popular recipes, quite effective, is lemon juice.If you have gone too far, squeeze out the juice from two or three lemons, drink, diluting twice with boiled water (so as not to irritate the mucous membrane, which is already irritated with alcohol). This will smooth out the consequences, but will not help much with a very strong hangover or intoxication.

The active ingredient is citric acid, it activates the so-called Krebs cycle, that is, it accelerates the processing of nutrients.

Do not mix drinks from different raw materials (doctors for!)

Different raw materials give different impurities, which increases the versatility of the load on the body’s detoxification systems.

Try to avoid mixing, for example, grape wine and agave tequila. Conversely, experts say that grape wine and cognac can be mixed (and in France, for example, wine is washed down with cognac precisely in order to reduce the morning effects). It is another matter that, alas, low-quality cognac is diluted with grain alcohol-rectified: it is practically impossible to distinguish it by taste, but in terms of health it beats very strongly in the morning.

3.Prophylaxis before bedtime after a feast

Drink plenty of water before bedtime (doctors are against!)

Contrary to popular belief, doctors say the drug can only induce vomiting or bowel movements, which will definitely help prevent hangovers.

From the point of view of preventing circulating blood volume deficiency (and dehydration with a hangover is expressed precisely in the volume of circulating blood, and not in the general lack of fluid in the body: people with a hangover often suffer from edema, that is, they swell) does not stand up to criticism: in advance , before the hangover, the water drunk in the best case (with well-functioning kidneys) will be removed even before the pathological redistribution of vascular tone and the formation of edema, and in the worst case, it will itself serve the formation of additional edema.And swelling in the morning not only spoils the appearance, but also puts stress on the heart, as well as a headache.

Drink 0.5-1 liter of unboiled warm milk before bedtime (doctors for!)

By drinking milk, you will help your body metabolize ethanol.

It is advisable not to drink cold milk, it is poorly absorbed. It would also be nice to take a break after the meal, so that the milk gets into the stomach an hour or two after the previous meal.

Take sorbents – activated carbon, enterosgel (doctors are in favor!)

One of the main and most effective measures in eliminating a hangover is detoxification, that is, the removal of toxic substances from the body: residues of undigested alcohol and its decay products, mainly acetaldehyde, a highly toxic substance into which alcohol is converted in the liver. Most of these poisons are found in the intestines, including in the digested food.You can remove them directly by cleansing the intestines (and / or stomach), but such methods are troublesome and have side effects. Another method can be the intake of sorbents: substances that absorb harmful substances, being taken internally. The most famous “classic” sorbent is activated carbon, but there are also modern drugs, the effectiveness of which is many times higher than coal (for example, Enterosgel).

You need to take 8 tablets of activated carbon or 3 tablespoons of Enterosgel.

Treatment for a hangover in the morning after a feast

Get drunk (doctors don’t mind, but only as an anesthetic)

A new dose of alcohol in the morning is a short-term symptomatic remedy, followed by detoxification – cleaning the body of the remnants of alcohol and its decay products. The fact is that a hangover is, first of all, poisoning with alcohol decomposition products.

If you drink a little the next morning, alcohol may have a slight anesthetic and sedative effect.

In general, this popular remedy is not the best choice, as it is possible to alleviate the suffering of a hangover syndrome by much safer methods, and you will have to pay for the “addition” of alcohol later.

If you drink beer, then due to the fact that beer is a diuretic, you can relieve swelling, which will reduce the load on the heart. Non-alcoholic beer is a good choice for a hangover.

Water procedures – bath or contrast shower (doctors are in favor!)

Water procedures, in particular the bath, promote perspiration, which allows you to remove harmful substances from the body.

An excellent alternative to the sauna is a contrast shower, which helps to bring the body to the desired state. A contrast shower can be taken not only in the morning, but at any other time of the day. It also has a good effect on the condition of the skin and on the general condition in general, restoring vigor and strength to the body.

The rules for a contrast shower are simple. The most important rule is to start with hot water. Before getting into the shower, make sure the water is fairly warm.You need to stand under this temperature for 30 seconds, then turn on cold water and stand under it for 15 – 20 seconds. Then hot again, and so on. Each time it is recommended to stand more and more under cold water. For the expected effect, you need to do three water change cycles. This procedure will improve metabolic processes and sweating.

The sauna activates blood circulation and metabolism. The bath relieves a hangover, causing profuse sweating, while opening the pores and removing harmful metabolic waste from the body.The bath also speeds up the metabolism. A visit to the bath enhances skin respiration, improves blood circulation.

Pain-relieving pills, aspirin, paracetamol (doctors don’t mind, but pills do not cure hangover, but temporarily relieve symptoms)

Among the reasons why we feel bad with a hangover is one, however, quite important, on which acetylsalicylic acid can act. This is the formation of capillary erythrocyte microclots, which disintegrate under the influence of acetylsalicylate: they cause swelling and headache.Aspirin can also act as a pain reliever.

Paracetamol blocks the enzymes that spread pain. Thus, the hangover condition is greatly relieved, the headache disappears. At this time, the body continues to fight the hangover on its own. Paracetamol, unlike other pain relievers, in particular aspirin, does not irritate the stomach wall.

It is worth remembering that this is not a cure for a hangover syndrome, but only a pain reliever: you are buying time, but not helping the body fight the hangover.

Paracetamol is very stressful for the liver, and so weakened by alcohol, be careful!

Ascorbic acid (doctors are for! But the effect is low)

Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) binds toxins from drinking and helps to eliminate them from the body. It is no coincidence that it is added to many anti-hangover remedies. But ascorbic acid is not a hangover first aid.Due to the multistage and duration of the necessary transformations of some substances into others, ascorbic acid is used in the process of multi-day elimination from a binge, but, say, it will not help to get up quickly and go to work.

Succinic acid (doctors for!)

Succinic acid activates energy metabolism in tissues, has an immunomodulatory effect. It has the property of increasing the activity of cellular respiration, strengthens the immune system and protects against various toxic poisoning, including alcohol.

Taking succinic acid helps the body with detoxification, accelerates the conversion of acetaldehyde into less harmful substances, and also improves overall well-being.

Succinic acid can be taken both before the start of the feast, and in the morning, with a hangover.

Pickle (doctors for!)

Dehydration, or rather the pathological redistribution of water in the body, is one of the main causes of a hangover. Alcohol is a diuretic, that is, a diuretic: it suppresses the brain’s production of the hormone vasopressin, which regulates water-salt balance.

That is why in the morning you are so thirsty (mucous membranes dry up, popularly called “dry wood”). On the other hand, with a hangover, a person swells, scientifically speaking, tissue edema appears, sometimes noticeable, and sometimes detected only by feeling. But it is the swelling that causes the headache and puts stress on the heart. That is, there is an excess of water in the tissues, but there is a lack of circulating blood volume.

So, you can just drink water, but then the osmotic pressure in the blood plasma will decrease (determined by the concentration of solutes and salts).Osmoreceptors, locked onto the central nervous system, will react quickly, and you will want to use the toilet, because the kidneys will receive a signal to get rid of the supposedly excess water. This means that it will not be possible to immediately replenish the water shortage, and the process will be very delayed.

Therefore, before drinking water, it is prudent to replenish the loss of electrolyte salts: for example, drink a glass of pickle: cabbage or cucumber.

Be sure to make sure that you are going to drink the brine, and not the marinade

Secondly, the dose should be small – no more than a glass.Otherwise, tissue edema and associated unpleasant consequences will increase: headache and stress on the heart.

Mineral water (doctors for!)

The effect of mineral water for a hangover begins in the mouth, where bubbles of carbon dioxide burst. It irritates sensitive mucous membranes and stimulates the brain. The presence of numerous gas bubbles increases the water absorption surface, and water quickly enters the bloodstream already at the level of the esophagus and stomach.

Mineral water also stimulates bile secretion and intestinal motility.

The rapid flow of mineral water into the bloodstream normalizes the volume of circulating blood, namely a lack of blood volume (and not the total amount of water in the body) is dehydration – the second major cause of ill health.

Mineral water leads to an increase in urination, and ultimately to the removal of tissue edema, since excess fluid, together with toxic substances, passes from the intercellular spaces into the vascular bed.It is important to quickly eliminate edema, because it causes a headache.

Have a big meal in the morning (doctors are against!)

Doctors do not recommend “improving health” with a hangover by eating solid food. Sometimes they write that fatty foods contribute to the release of hormones that supposedly alleviate the condition and even advise recipes in the spirit of bacon and eggs or meat broth, but the harm from dense food will only aggravate the condition.

A dense meal contains high levels of fat and protein.Their intake into the body increases the load on the liver. Fats require additional excretion of bile, since lipase (an enzyme that breaks down fats to glycerol and fatty acids) works only in relation to the fat emulsion, and the fat emulsifier is bile produced by the liver.

Fermented milk products (doctors for!)

Fermented milk products provide the body with protein, vitamins and minerals involved in many metabolic processes, they also have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, are well absorbed by the body and effectively restore strength.The amino acids and beneficial bacteria contained in these products improve appetite and have a laxative effect. Lactic acid bacteria provide the body with energy, remove toxins from the body, and protect the liver.

Lactic acid for a hangover activates the so-called Krebs cycle, this is an important link in metabolism. This speeds up the processing of toxic alcohol breakdown products.

For a hangover, fermented milk products are better and healthier to take on an empty stomach in small sips, depending on your condition.

Tea (doctors for!)

Tea contains vitamin B1: it is heavily consumed in the processing of alcohol and its toxic breakdown products, and if its reserves are used up, the hangover lasts longer.

Tea contains caffeine. Caffeine is quite appropriate at the end of detoxification activities. If there is no great need, then it is better to refrain from invigorating drink and go to bed.

In practice, drinking enough tea to have a therapeutic effect is very difficult – an increase in the load on the heart or vomiting will affect.Tea or coffee is best to complete other detoxification activities.

Citrus fruits and bananas (doctors for!)

Oranges and lemons are rich in citric acid. When citric acid enters the body, the body starts to process it, activating the “Krebs cycle” – an important link in metabolism. Along with other substances, toxic decomposition products of alcohol will be processed in this process.That is, the intake of citric acid will contribute to the process of chemical detoxification – cleaning the body of toxins. A hangover is, first of all, poisoning.

Bananas contain potassium. You lost it due to the fact that you often ran to the toilet in a small way (alcohol has a diuretic effect).