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How to cure a hangover fast: Doctor-approved remedies

For many, celebrating a new year and a new decade involves enjoying a few alcoholic beverages. Well, maybe more than a few. The next day, heads throb, stomachs rumble and everything feels fuzzy. It’s definitely a hangover and the desperate search for a cure begins.

But is hoping for a remedy useless?

Probably.

“Obviously, the best way to avoid hangovers is by not drinking so much,” Dr. Michael Lynch, medical director of the Pittsburgh Poison Center and emergency department physician at UPMC in Pittsburgh, told TODAY.

There’s not a ton of research on hangovers but experts know that dehydration and inflammation work in tandem to create that icky, rundown feeling.

“A big part of it is dehydration as well as a build-up of some of the alcohol metabolites,” he said. “Some of a hangover is an inflammatory response.”

Lynch says that thinking ahead could help prevent hangovers. Eating and drinking water in addition to alcoholic beverages can soften the blow. Even chugging a glass of water before bed could help.

“The most tried-and-true methods are probably still the best,” said Lynch. “Lots of water” is one of the best ways to prevent or ease a hangover. An anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen the next morning will give some relief in about 30 minutes, although be sure to take with some food to avoid stomach upset.

For some, being selective about what type of alcohol they drink might help.

A study in 2016 found that the color of the alcoholic beverage could contribute to the severity of the hangover. Investigators at the National Drug Research Institute at Curtin University in Perth, Australia, examined people’s reactions to congeners, chemicals which give color and flavor to alcoholic beverages. Dark drinks, such as red wine, brandy or whisky, are packed with congeners while there are fewer in light drinks, such as white wine and vodka.

“Some people find that drinks with high levels of congeners make them feel worse. And there is some evidence supporting this,” Allsop previously told TODAY.

There are other theories as why the hangover is worse with certain types of alcohol. Some suspect that the various additives contribute to a miserable morning after.

“There are sugars and other things like tannins that are present that may contribute to not feeling well, just because you’re overwhelming your system,” Lynch said. “Overall the most consistent predictor seems to be the volume.”

Drinking water while consuming alcohol can help people avoid dehydration.

“Your whole body water supply is diminished,” Lynch explained. “It is like taking a diuretic, which also induces you to urinate more than just the volume you’re taking in.”

Is Pedialyte a hangover cure?

That’s why many people turn to sports drinks, Pedialyte, which some consider the “ultimate hangover cure,” or even pickle juice to rehydrate the next day. The salt and sugar bolsters the body’s ability to absorb liquid.

The replacement fluids Pedialyte provides could help relieve hangover symptoms — even if it’s a placebo effect, some doctors say — and may be a good option for people too nauseous to eat. Their flavor, too, may encourage people to drink more fluids than they would if they were drinking regular water.

While many swear these drinks banish hangovers, Lynch remains unconvinced.

“I wouldn’t expect Pedialyte to help significantly,” he said.

On thing, Lynch discourages for a hangover: intravenous fluids. Few people need IV fluids to rehydrate, unless they are so ill they cannot keep anything down.

“If you are able to drink fluids, we almost always prefer that people drink their fluids,” Lynch said.

What about supplements, vitamin B or potassium?

Again, there’s no evidence they work.

“If you are deficient in vitamin B or potassium it might help,” he said. “It is pretty uncommon — short of a medical reason or pregnancy — that you would need to supplement.

While hangovers feel like the worst, they are mercifully short-lived. Lynch worries more about accidents from drunken antics.

“A hangover feels crappy for a day, but injuries and things that happen while really intoxicated can be serious and potentially permanent,” he said. “And that is what we want people to avoid.”

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

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For many people, a night of drinking can lead to a painful morning after and the dreaded effects of a hangover. What does science tell us about this phenomenon? What causes the typical symptoms of a hangover? And the question perhaps as old as hangovers themselves—are there any real remedies?

What Is a Hangover?

A hangover refers to a set of symptoms that occur as a consequence of drinking too much. Typical symptoms include fatigue, weakness, thirst, headache, muscle aches, nausea, stomach pain, vertigo, sensitivity to light and sound, anxiety, irritability, sweating, and increased blood pressure. A hangover can vary from person to person.

Other Substances That Contribute to Hangover Symptoms

Alcohol is the main culprit in a hangover, but other components of alcoholic beverages might contribute to hangover symptoms or make a hangover worse.

  • Congeners are compounds, other than ethyl alcohol, that are produced during fermentation. These substances contribute to the taste and smell of alcoholic beverages. Darker spirits, such as bourbon, which tend to have higher levels of congeners than clear spirits, could worsen hangover symptoms for some people.
  • Sulfites are compounds that are added to wine as preservatives. People who have a sensitivity to sulfites may experience a headache after drinking wine.

What Causes Hangover Symptoms?

A number of factors can contribute to hangovers:

  • Mild dehydration: Alcohol suppresses the release of vasopressin, a hormone produced by the brain that sends signals to the kidneys causing them to retain fluid. As a result, alcohol increases urination and excess loss of fluids. The mild dehydration that results likely contributes to hangover symptoms such as thirst, fatigue, and a headache.
  • Disrupted sleep: People may fall asleep faster after drinking alcohol, but their sleep is fragmented, and they tend to wake up earlier. This contributes to fatigue, as well as lost productivity.
  • Gastrointestinal irritation: Alcohol directly irritates the lining of the stomach and increases acid release. This can lead to nausea and stomach discomfort.
  • Inflammation: Alcohol increases inflammation in the body. Inflammation contributes to the malaise that people feel when they are sick, so it may play a role in hangover symptoms as well.
  • Acetaldehyde exposure: Alcohol metabolism, primarily by the liver, creates the compound acetaldehyde, a toxic, short-lived byproduct, which contributes to inflammation in the liver, pancreas, brain, gastrointestinal tract, and other organs.
  • Mini-withdrawal: While drinking, individuals may feel calmer, more relaxed, and even euphoric, but the brain quickly adjusts to those positive effects as it tries to maintain balance. As a result, when the buzz wears off, people can feel more restless and anxious than before they drank.

Because individuals are so different, it is difficult to predict how many drinks will cause a hangover. Any time people drink to intoxication, there is a chance they could have a hangover the next day.

When Does a Hangover Peak and How Long Does It Last?

Hangover symptoms peak when the blood alcohol concentration in the body returns to about zero. The symptoms can last 24 hours or longer.

Are Hangovers Dangerous or Just Painful?

Hangovers can be both painful and dangerous. During a hangover, a person’s attention, decision-making, and muscle coordination can all be impaired. Also, the ability to perform important tasks, such as driving, operating machinery, or caring for others can be negatively affected.

Common Myths About Hangovers

Myth: Certain actions, such as drinking coffee or taking a shower, can prevent or cure a hangover.

Fact: The only way to completely avoid a hangover is to not drink alcohol at all or to keep alcohol intake to a minimum. There is no cure for a hangover other than time.

Myth: The order of drinks will affect a hangover—as captured in the expression, “beer before liquor, never sicker.”

Fact: In general, the more alcohol a person drinks, the worse the hangover will be. This is true regardless of whether a person drinks beer, wine, distilled spirits, or a combination of these.

Myth: Having an alcoholic drink in the morning after a night of drinking will help avoid a hangover—a practice known colloquially as “a hair of the dog that bit you.”

Fact: While this might temporarily minimize some symptoms, it could contribute to and prolong the malaise and other symptoms of the hangover.

Are There Any Remedies for a Hangover?

Although many remedies for alleviating hangovers are mentioned on the web and in social media, none have been scientifically proven to be effective. There is no magic potion for beating hangovers—and only time can help. A person must wait for the body to finish clearing the toxic byproducts of alcohol metabolism, to rehydrate, to heal irritated tissue, and to restore immune and brain activity to normal. There is no way to speed up the brain’s recovery from alcohol use—drinking coffee, taking a shower, or having an alcoholic beverage the next morning will not cure a hangover.

Some people take over-the-counter pain relievers (often acetaminophen) before going to bed to minimize hangovers. It is important to recognize that the combination of alcohol and acetaminophen can be toxic to the liver. Like alcohol, certain over-the-counter pain relievers, including aspirin and ibuprofen, can increase acid release and irritate the lining of the stomach. Proceed with caution when using these medications before or after consuming alcohol.

To help ease their hangover symptoms, some people turn to electrolyte-rich sports drinks or other products, or even intravenous (IV) treatments, in an effort to treat electrolyte imbalance caused by increased urination and fluid loss as a result of drinking. Research has not found a correlation between the extent of electrolyte disruptions and the severity of hangovers, or the impact of added electrolytes on hangover severity. In most people, the body will quickly restore electrolyte balance once the effects of alcohol subside.

Ultimately, the only surefire remedy for a hangover is to avoid getting one by drinking in moderation or choosing not to drink.

For more information, please visit: https://www.niaaa.nih.gov

How to Get Rid of a Hangover Headache or Prevent One

If you’ve ever woken up with a bad hangover headache, most likely the first thing you wanted to do was figure out how to get rid of it as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the only reliable cure for a hangover is time, but there are things you can do to make the symptoms less unpleasant as you ride it out.

Understanding what causes a hangover headache can help you take steps to mitigate the symptoms, plus give you a heads-up on how to avoid another one in the future.

Martin Dimitrov / Getty Images

What Is a Hangover Headache?

A hangover headache—also called a delayed alcohol-induced headache—usually comes on the morning after drinking the night before, once the alcohol is out of the your system. A hangover usually lasts for around 24 hours.

According to a survey done by the National Headache Foundation, 92% of the population has experienced a hangover headache at some point in their lives.

Consuming alcohol can also trigger an underlying primary headache disorder. So if you already experience migraines, cluster headaches, or tension-type headaches, drinking alcohol may precipitate your usual headache attack.

Scientists are not certain as to what causes hangovers, but there are several theories. Some potential causes include dehydration, the direct effect of alcohol on the brain, the withdrawal of alcohol, alcohol additives, alterations in the body’s hormones, and the effects of acetaldehyde, which is a product of alcohol metabolism.

In addition, some people may be born with a genetic predisposition to developing worse hangovers than others.

Dehydration occurs because alcohol inhibits the effect of a hormone called antidiuretic hormone (ADH). Normally, ADH stimulates the kidneys to reabsorb water from urine to prevent dehydration. But by inhibiting ADH, water is instead urinated out at a faster rate than you’re adding fluids back. But, while hydration can help ease a hangover, it does not completely alleviate the symptoms.

Drinking dark liquors (such as whiskey) tends to lead to more severe hangovers due to by-products called congeners in the drinks.

Symptoms

Hangovers vary in severity and symptoms from person to person and episode to episode.

Hangover headaches tend to:

  • Occur on both sides of the head
  • Be located on the forehead and/or the temples.
  • Pulsate
  • Worsen with physical activity

In addition to a headache, other common symptoms of a hangover include:

  • Diarrhea
  • Loss of appetite
  • Fatigue
  • Nausea
  • Dizziness
  • Fast heart rate
  • Sweating
  • Reduced attention and concentration
  • Low or anxious mood
  • General feeling of unwellness

Treatment

If you have a hangover, it will take time for the headache to completely go away, but there are certain measures you can take to relieve its severity.

Self Care

Having a hangover is exhausting, so getting as much rest as possible is important to restore your energy and well-being. Other things you can do to help yourself feel better include avoiding smoking and putting a cold compress on your head if it relieves your headache.

Medication

Taking an over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) like Advil (ibuprofen) can usually ease a hangover headache, but be sure take an NSAID with food, as it may upset your stomach. Also, some people cannot take NSAIDs due to underlying medical problems, so be sure it is safe for you.

Keep in mind that it is important to minimize the use of Tylenol (acetaminophen) when drinking alcohol (or recovering from a hangover), as the combination can harm the liver.

Nutrition

The most important thing to consume while you are recovering from a hangover is liquids to avoid further dehydration. Any liquid (except alcohol!) that you find palatable is acceptable, such as boullion, chicken soup, sports drinks, or water. Fruit juices can also help boost your blood sugar.

If you’re feeling queasy, avoid rich, greasy foods and stick to dry, bland foods like toast and crackers.

While certain supplements and herbal remedies have been touted as hangover remedies, there is no solid evidence backing up this claim.

Prevention

The only guaranteed way to prevent a hangover headache is to avoid alcohol, or at least drink in moderation. For healthy adults, moderate drinking means up to one drink a day for women of all ages and two drinks a day for men. A “drink” in this case is considered a 5-ounce glass of wine or 12 ounces of beer.

If you are going to drink, here are some tips for lessening the effect of alcohol:

  • Eat before and while drinking. As alcohol is absorbed more quickly if your stomach is empty, eating something may help slow down its effects.
  • Choose carefully. Beverages with fewer congeners are slightly less likely to cause hangovers than beverages with more congeners, but remember that all types of alcohol can result in a hangover.
  • Sip water between drinks. Drinking a full glass of water after each alcoholic drink will help you stay hydrated. It’ll also help you drink less alcohol.
  • Know your limits and only drink in moderation. Decide ahead of time how many drinks you’ll have—and stick to it. Don’t feel pressured to drink.
  • Take it slow. Avoid having more than one alcoholic drink per hour. Stop drinking completely when you’ve reached your limit (or before then).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

How can I get rid of a hangover headache?  

You can’t make it go away instantly, but you can minimize the severity of the symptoms by taking certain measures such as hydrating, resting, and taking a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain reliever such as ibuprofen.

How long does it take for a hangover headache to go away?

It generally takes around 24 hours for a hangover headache to go away completely.

Is there a fast way to get over a hangover headache?

In a word, no. There are things you can do to minimize the symptoms, but the only true cure is time,

A Word From Verywell

If you want to avoid a hangover headache, the best thing you can do is think before you drink. Is consuming alcohol worth the hangover and the headache the next day? It may be that avoiding alcohol is the best decision for you, or moderating your intake.

Additionally, if you and/or others are concerned about your alcohol intake, you may want to consult your healthcare provider, as alcohol intake can have serious health and social consequences.

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.

How to cure a hangover

It’s a familiar feeling – a heavy head, over-sensitivity to light and noise, sickness and a raving thirst – hangovers make you wonder whether it was all worth it! With the majority of us enjoying a glass or two as part of a celebration, here are our top 10 tips to prevent or, if all else fails, ease that hungover feeling…

On the day…

1. Never drink on an empty stomach – dairy including milk and yogurt are excellent stomach liners, so if you’re not going to be eating on your night out enjoy a small carton of plain yogurt with a banana, a bowl of cereal with milk or some cheese and biscuits before you venture out. However, during the evening, avoid salty snacks like peanuts and crisps because they are likely to make you more thirsty and may cause you to drink more.

2. Limit fizzy alcoholic drinks – it’s true these really do go straight to your head. The bubbles they contain speeds up your absorption of alcohol, so limit the number of glasses of sparkling wine, fizzy cocktails and champagne.

3. Avoid a nightcap – darker drinks especially spirits like brandy or whisky have a higher level of compounds called congeners, which are formed during the fermentation and distilling process. These compounds are thought to make your hangover worse – so if you must have a nightcap, choose a light-coloured spirit instead.

4. Before you call it a night stop that hangover in its tracks by drinking plenty of hydrating fluid – plain water is perfect.

The morning after…

5. Avoid the hair of the dog – no matter what they say, more alcohol is really not the answer.

6. Now you need more than just water – a sports drink or a rehydration drink will help restore your hydration levels. You can make your own rehydration drink by dissolving six level teaspoons of sugar and half a level teaspoon of salt in a litre of water and sip throughout the day. An oral rehydration solution like this, sipped slowly, may help you replace not just the water you’ve lost but the sugars and essential salts as well.

7. Limit caffeine – you may be desperate for that caffeine pick-me-up but drinking too many cups of tea or coffee will only make dehydration worse – so stick to one cuppa until you’re feeling yourself again.

8. Tuck in to a nourishing breakfast – it’s the best way to replace the vitamins and minerals that your body will have lost as it worked hard to process the alcohol.  If you can’t face food, even a bowl of breakfast cereal fortified with folate and iron should help to redress some of the damage and lift your energy levels. Alternatively, if your stomach is up for it opt for B-rich wholegrains like a piece of wholemeal toast with a poached or scrambled egg, some grilled tomatoes and mushrooms and finish with a glass of orange juice.

9. Avoid aspirin or ibuprofen – you may think they’ll sort your head out but they’ll only irritate your upset stomach further.

10. Resist your sugar cravings – you may be longing for a sugary fix but don’t indulge yourself. Sugary drinks and foods will only add to your already unbalanced blood sugar levels. Instead satisfy your sugar fix naturally by choosing fresh fruit for its vitamin and water content or blend yourself a fruit and yogurt smoothie.

Government guidelines…

Check out Government guidelines and make sure you know exactly how many units are in alcoholic drinks. It’s recommended you set aside at least two days, preferably consecutive, to be alcohol free. You should also spread your alcohol consumption over three or more days – this is because heavy drinking sessions may put your health at risk. Find more top tips from Drinkaware on how to drink responsibly.

For more information visit drinkaware.co.uk.

Now read…

How to drink responsibly
Hangover cures: Fact or fiction?
How many calories are in alcoholic drinks?
How many units are in alcoholic drinks?


This article was last reviewed on 2nd November 2018 by nutritional therapist Kerry Torrens.

Kerry Torrens is a qualified Nutritionist (MBANT) with a post graduate diploma in Personalised Nutrition & Nutritional Therapy. She is a member of the British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy (BANT) and a member of the Guild of Food Writers. Over the last 15 years she has been a contributing author to a number of nutritional and cookery publications including BBC Good Food.

All health content on bbcgoodfood.com is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact  your local health care provider. See our website terms and conditions for more information.

Have you tried out the tips above? Do they work for you or will you be sticking to a full fry-up after a big night out? Let us know below…

How to cure a hangover post New Year’s Eve

New year is almost here (Read: National Hangover Day) . That’s right. New Year’s Eve is fun and all, but it’s the day after that we’re here to address. While New Year’s Day is only a few hours away, we also unofficially are dedicated to recognising that much of the world will wake up with a blaring headache after ringing in the new year with plenty of alcoholic beverages.

Not a fan of the drilling headaches and nausea? As it turns out, we aren’t either. Here we are, calling the big guns to tell you how to beat the dreaded hangover at its own game. Bookmark this page because you will need it. You can always thank us tonight as you ring the new year with whiskey on the rocks or your all-time favourite Cosmopolitan.

Maintain distance from the coffee and tea machine as it’ll just aggravate your insides further. (Photo: Thinkstock Images)

Hangover remedies for the morning

The key element to keep in mind is that when you wake up after a night of binge-drinking, your body is severely dehydrated and running low on vitamins and nutrients. Here comes the best-known hangover remedy to your rescue—Fix yourself with a glass of lemon juice with a dash of honey, avoid refined sugar .Once you start to feel a little alive, get yourself a bowl of water-based fruit (melons and grapes are your friends during this time).

ALSO READ | Festive or binge drinking is hazardous to health; know how

Hangover remedies for after you’ve actually woken up

A night full of alcohol and we can tell our stomach lining isn’t ready to forgive us anytime soon. Above that the nausea hasn’t disappeared either. Steer clear of coffee and tea machine as it’ll just aggravate your insides further. Ditch your morning cuppa and sip on warm water during the day or fresh coconut water which can be taken directly as a fluid or as a smoothie whipped up using the cream inside the shell. You’ll also find that chia seeds soaked in warm water do wonders for your digestive system.

In fact, jaggery will come to your rescue too. Just munch on some with til (sesame) and dry ginger powder to help keep the headache at bay.

Hangover remedies at lunch

Rather than going for a heavy lunch, instead go for a plate of curd to soothe your stomach. Khichdi will also help you get your nutrient supply up without aggravating your fragile appetite.

Also don’t give in to the myth of consuming more alcohol may make you temporarily forget your existing hangover, because the dehydration and digestive upheaval is just piling up in the meantime and will need to be ultimately faced.

READ| Happy New Year 2020 Advance Wishes Images, Quotes, Status, Whatsapp Messages, Pics, Wallpapers, Photos

Here are these five tips for avoiding hangovers:

  • Eat before and while drinking.  Alcohol gets absorbed way faster when your stomach is empty, don’t want a hangover? Eat something before drinking alcohol and during the time you’re drinking.
  • Choose what you drink carefully. Beverages with fewer alcohol content are less likely to cause hangovers than beverages with more congeners, but remember that all types of alcohol can result in a hangover.
  • Sip water between drinks. Drinking a full glass of water after each alcoholic drink will help you stay hydrated. It’ll also help you drink less alcohol.
  • Take it slow. Avoid having more than one alcoholic drink in an hour. Stop drinking completely when you’ve reached your limit.

Home remedies to overcome a hangover

We bring you some effective home remedies, from experts to overcome hangover…

Christmas and New Year are just around the corner and the party mood has set in! It’s that time of the year when even those who usually don’t indulge in heavy drinking tend to go overboard. And the repercussions of the over indulgence can be anything from a pounding headache, queasiness, dizziness, sensitivity to light and sound, muscle ache or irritability.

Well, do not fret, as we bring you some effective home remedies, from experts to overcome hangover and save you from turning your night’s fun into next morning’s nightmare!

Hangover dealers: Apples and bananas

Eating raw fruits or having a fresh and crunchy fruit salad is an effective way of treating hangovers. Apples and bananas in particular work as effective hangover cures.

Do it at home: Dr. R.K. Sharma, medical officer, JMT Dehradun, suggests “In case of a headache, having an apple on an empty stomach lends fast relief. A banana shake with a tablespoon of honey is a good option. It not only relaxes your stomach and nerves but the honey present in the fruit shake resumes the lost blood-sugar, while the banana helps in regaining essential minerals like potassium, which the body loses due to alcohol.”

Hangover dealer: Honey

Honey is one of the simplest and easily available home remedies. It has potent powers to neutralise the harmful effects of alcohol, thanks to the presence of fructose, which competes with the metabolism of alcohol. Honey also helps in the digestion of alcohol inside a person’s body.

Do it at home: Dr. M.P. Mani, Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery, suggests, “Taking 3-4 teaspoons of honey after an interval of one hour helps in digesting alcohol. However, the quantity of honey maybe increased if the hangover is acute and severe. You can also prepare a classic ‘hot-toddy’ with honey. Just boil one cup of water, add honey and lemon juice to taste and it’s ready! This hot toddy works well to treat a hangover. At the same time it is easy to make and tasty. You can enjoy the toddy several times in a day as it replenishes fluids and sugar lost in a hangover”.

Hangover dealer: Ginger

Ginger is a tried and tested treatment for nausea and seasickness. And that’s why it is considered as one of the best home remedies for a hangover. Ginger gives fast relief by assisting in the digestion of alcohol, thus soothing the stomach.

Do it at home: “Chewing 2-3 small pieces of ginger or taking a cup of ginger tea lends fast relief. In addition, you can prepare a brew by boiling 10 to 12 slices of fresh ginger root in 4 cups of water for ten minutes. Now, add the juice of one orange, 1/2 lemon and 1/2 cup of honey to it. This concoction helps stabilise blood sugar, which is usually low after alcohol consumption”, suggests Dr. Sharma.

Hangover dealer: Peppermint

Peppermint is a very helpful herb. Consume with your tea or chew it as this relaxes the intestines. Peppermint is a carminative, which is a substance that removes accumulated gas from the stomach and intestines.

Do it at home: “Patients suffering from a hangover should be given 3-5 leaves of peppermint. You can also use it as tea by pouring one cup of boiling water over 1-2 teaspoons of the dried herb or 5-10 leaves of peppermint. One or two cups of this preparation will do the trick,” suggests Dr. Mani.

Hangover dealer: Lemon

Lemon juice or lemon tea is a popular home remedy for hangovers. It helps to assimilate alcohol and perovides instant relief. The best trait of lemon is that it makes a gentle medicine that can be taken on a possibly upset stomach.

Do it at home: Dr. Mani adds, “Prepare lemon-tea, but do not add sugar to it. Lemon -rich tea detoxifies the stomach of unwanted materials. On the other hand, fresh lemon juice prepared in cold water with little sugar also gives fast relief. This drink controls the sugar level in the blood after an excess intake of alcohol.”

Hangover dealer: Tomato

Tomato juice contains fructose, a type of sugar that helps your body metabolise alcohol faster. This is why dehydration caused due to a hangover can be compensated by taking freshly prepared tomato juice or soup.

Do it at home: “The sour taste of tomato has a great effect in curing hangover. You can prepare tomato juice and add fresh lemon juice to it for fast relief,” tells Dr. Sharma.

Hangover dealer: Lime

Lime is the answer to queasiness, dizziness, sensitivity to light and sound and all kinds of muscle aches caused due to excessive alcohol intake. It offers vitamin C which stabilises your blood sugar levels.

Do it at home: Dr. Sharma, suggests, “As soon as you wake up, prepare a mixture of two teaspoons of lime water, a teaspoon of sugar and 1/2 cup of water. Drink it slowly and it will stabilise the blood sugar.”

Hangover dealer: Cabbage

The ancient Greeks and Romans placed great importance on the healing powers of cabbage. They would eat large quantities of cabbage at night before drinking, as this would allow them to drink more alcoholic beverages without feeling the side effects. Perhaps this is why many consider cabbage with vinegar a good hangover remedy.

Do it at home: “Chewing raw cabbage helps treat headaches and disturbance in the nerves caused due to a hangover. Cabbage juice taken with tomato juice works wonders as it reduces the craving for alcohol and also helps in metabolism,” suggests Dr. Mani.

Do’s and Don’ts of Drinking

Make sure you never take alcohol on an empty stomach. Always eat something before or while you are enjoying your drinks as this will not only slow down the rate at which alcohol enters your blood, but will also reduce the after-effects.

Try to alternate between an alcoholic drink and a non-alcoholic beverage. This will lead to an overall reduction in the quantity of alcohol you consume.

Prefer clear alcohol, such as white wine, vodka, gin etc. It is believed that the darker the alcoholic drink, the more likely it is to cause hangovers, thanks to the presence of more congeners (a substance in alcohol that is supposed to cause headaches).

Avoid sweet and sugary foods after or while you drink. Sweet taste makes it tough for the drinker to judge how much alcohol he/she is actually consuming. It also believed that sugar makes the drink hit you harder.

Try not to have a carbonated drink with alcohol as carbonation speeds up the alcohol absorption.

Drinking water is the best cure for a hangover. So try to drink as much water as you can while you are drinking.

Food is probably the last thing you want to look at while recovering, but your body needs energy. Energise your body with clear liquids tilll you can tolerate solid food. Start eating slowly with easy-to-digest foods such as plain toast, rice or clear soup.

The morning after the alcoholic binge, have omelette with bread. Eggs provide energy to the body, build up the protein content and remove the accumulated toxins in the body.

Juice, especially freshly squeezed orange juice, helps raising your blood sugar levels together with easing some of the hangover symptoms. However, if your stomach is upset, skip acidic juices such as orange juice and stick to apple juice instead.

Pepto-Bismol or an antacid is taken to relieve queasiness and settle your stomach. You can even take a mult-ivitamin or vitamin B capsules that help restoring the energy lost during your night of carousing.

90,000 Ways to Relieve a Hangover That Really Work

Our previous article on alcohol was pretty popular. In it, we focused on how alcohol affects our body and brain, and only slightly touched on the topic of how to get rid of the negative consequences. There are many ways to relieve a hangover. And many of them are outright nonsense. For example, eating butter before the process itself, so as not to get drunk.

We decided to collect in one place tried and tested ways to fight hangovers, dividing them into three groups: before, during and after.

Up to

In order to feel good the next day after drinking, you need to know when to stop. Not a theoretical limit, but exactly the amount of alcohol, after drinking which you will feel normal. Through trial and error, you probably already know your limit. And once again it is not worth making mistakes and violating it. You will still feel bad the next day.

Since alcohol gets into the stomach and blood, it costs to eat before the party . It is better if the food is satisfying, but in moderation.A moderate amount of carbohydrates and fats will slow down the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream, and thanks to this, the body will somehow normalize its absorption.

It is believed that alcohol of dark colors has a stronger effect on the body and intensifies the effects. This is due to the appearance in the process of fermentation of biological components of congeners, which enhance the state of intoxication. A study at the University of Rhode Island found that the darker the alcoholic beverage, the more it affects the body.Bad news for whiskey lovers. And good for vodka lovers. Probably.

Tips:

  1. Remember the upper limit, after which you will definitely feel bad, and do not break it.
  2. Drink light drinks, such as white wine, if possible.
  3. Eat an hour before the process.

During

It is advisable to at least mentally divide the amount of alcohol that you will drink evenly for the whole evening and consume it gradually.The mechanism of action of alcohol is such that it is gradually excreted from the body, and if it does not have time, intoxication sets in. In an hour, the liver manages to remove 45 milliliters of alcohol. Therefore, if you normalize its intake, you will be fine both today and the next day.

Particular attention should be paid to liquids. During the process, you should drink plenty of water, but avoid carbonated drinks, as carbon dioxide accelerates absorption. For water, you can set the upper limit yourself.However, you should drink at least one extra liter of water in the knowledge that you will be drinking alcohol. The more dehydrated you get, the worse you will feel the next day.

Tips:

  1. Drink evenly.
  2. Drink a few extra glasses of water. If necessary, through force.

After

If you woke up the next day and feel terrible, then you did not listen to our advice and had a lot of fun the day before.Now you have to get rid of the consequences.

The most logical solution is pain relievers. The ones that contain paracetamol are preferred, as aspirin irritates the stomach and can worsen weakness and feeling unwell. Drinking pain reliever, do not spare the water. One or even two glasses will help a dehydrated body to return to normal.

The myth that a hangover is best killed by drinking more alcohol should be dispelled as soon as possible. Doctors advise not to consume alcohol at all for several days after severe consequences, in order to allow the body to recover.Considering how you feel during a hangover, this advice is not difficult to follow.

Tips:

  1. Don’t try to get rid of your hangover with another drink – it will only get worse.
  2. Paracetamol-based pain relievers are preferred over aspirin.
  3. Water is even more important than ever before. Drink as much as you can make yourself.

Myths

Alcohol consumption is associated with dozens of myths and misconceptions. Many of them are presented as a universal remedy for negative consequences.We decided to analyze the most popular and, what is important, the most harmful advice that is being fed to us.

  1. Mixing alcohol and energy drinks makes you drunk . No. The caffeine in drinks masks the sedative effect of alcohol, making you drink more.
  2. The order of the drinks is important and the variety is important. No. The amount of alcohol is much more important than the variety. Feeling uncomfortable when changing drinks is actually due to the fact that you drink too quickly.
  3. Taking aspirin or other pills before alcohol reduces the risk of a hangover . No. The effect of painkillers will be long gone by the time your head starts to hurt. There is no point in taking pills before alcohol.
  4. Alcohol kills brain cells. No. Alcohol strikes dendrites – the processes of nerve cells that are responsible for responding to external stimuli. Thus, long-term alcohol use and poor nutrition affect coordination problems.
  5. Coffee and a hot shower will make you sober up. No . The liver can process a certain amount of alcohol per hour. For spirits, this number is 45 milliliters. Coffee and showers do not affect the speed and efficiency of the liver in any way.
  6. The more you eat before drinking, the less you get drunk. Yes and no. Food in the stomach actually slows down the absorption of alcohol. However, only in moderation.

How to get rid of a hangover and relieve the condition at home

What is hangover syndrome

A hangover is a malaise caused by alcohol intoxication of the body.Most common symptoms:

  • headache,
  • weakness,
  • dizziness
  • nausea,
  • vomiting,
  • diarrhea,
  • dry mouth,
  • depression,
  • photophobia,
  • irritability,
  • fever (alcohol can trigger the activation of the immune system).

Poor health after drinking usually lasts from 8 to 24 hours.No one is immune from a hangover – even people experienced in the use of alcoholic beverages periodically encounter this unpleasant phenomenon. By far the best way to avoid a hangover is to drink in moderation. But in extreme cases, there are both folk remedies (pickle, green tea) and medicines.

It is important not to confuse hangover with withdrawal symptoms. Despite similar manifestations, the causes of these conditions are different. Hangovers are the result of alcohol poisoning, and withdrawal symptoms are withdrawal symptoms similar to those experienced by drug addicts when they stop using the drug.

Alcohol is consumed by about half of all people on Earth. It is associated with 5% of all diseases and 3 million deaths every year. The main risks associated with drinking: cancer, high blood pressure, injury. The most “drinking” region is Europe. Alcohol remains one of the main causes of health problems and premature death there.

Reasons for a hangover

As a rule, the severity of alcohol intoxication is directly proportional to the severity of the hangover syndrome.Simply put, the more alcohol a person has, the worse his health will be the next day. The fact is that ethyl alcohol in our body undergoes a chain of transformations, transforming first into acetaldehyde, and then into acetic acid.

The enzyme with the difficult to pronounce name “alcohol dehydrogenase” is responsible for the conversion of ethanol into acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde, in turn, must be converted to acetic acid, and this is helped by an enzyme with an even more intricate name “acetaldehyde dehydrogenase”.The more alcohol enters the body, the more difficult it is for enzymes to cope with the load, since their resources are not unlimited.

Therefore, when alcohol is consumed in excess, the body accumulates an intermediate decay product of ethyl alcohol acetaldehyde, which is several tens of times more toxic than ethanol itself. That’s the whole mechanism of alcohol poisoning.

In addition, an excess of alcohol in the body can cause a drop in blood sugar – hypoglycemia. Alcohol interferes with the release of glucose from the liver, and low sugar levels lead to fatigue, headaches, and tremors in the hands.That is why patients with diabetes mellitus must very carefully monitor the intake of alcohol.

What is a moderate dose of alcohol? How much can you drink so as not to experience unpleasant symptoms the next day? It depends on a number of factors: age, weight, gender, heredity, the presence of chronic diseases. If we take the average figures, then for men weighing 70-80 kg, the dose that causes minimal negative health effects should not exceed 14 units (1 unit is 10 ml of 96% alcohol) per week or 2 units per day (Fig.1). For women, the “safe” amount of alcohol is about 20% less. At the same time, do not forget that alcohol is harmful to humans in any quantity. In other words, if you want to avoid the health risks associated with drinking alcohol, you should avoid it entirely.

Figure 1. Acceptable (moderate) daily alcohol intake for men and women. Source: Yulia Lebedeva / MedPortal

As you exceed a “safe” dose of alcohol, hangover symptoms worsen. In addition, the shorter the interval between drinks, the worse the person will feel the next morning.

Hangover Myths

Myth True
There will be no hangover, if you do not “lower” the degree, that is, do not drink low-alcohol drinks after strong ones Only the total dose of alcohol (ethyl alcohol) drunk and the rate at which a person drinks it affects the occurrence of a hangover. If a person often changes drinks during the evening, it is more difficult for him to keep track of the dose
Do not drink white wine after red It is customary to drink white wine before red wine, as its bouquet and taste are subtler.After a rich, tart red wine, it will be more difficult for taste buds to appreciate white wine
Presence of the preservative sulfur dioxide in wine increases hangover headache Headache after drinking wine is a fairly common syndrome. While scientists argue about what is the cause. It is believed that red wine is more likely to be associated with migraines due to its high content of flavonoids – dyes from the skin of grapes

How to Prevent a Hangover

The most obvious and commonplace answer is to drink as little as possible.However, there are situations when it is absolutely impossible to limit yourself to one glass. In this case, the following rules should be followed:

  1. Drink slowly. People who slowly “consume” their alcoholic beverage, the state of health the next day, as a rule, is much better than the adherents of the “little break rule”.
  2. Snack. Preference should be given to cold, low-fat and moderately spicy dishes. Those who like to quote Bulgakov’s character of Professor Preobrazhensky, who imposed hot snacks on his colleague Bormental, do a disservice to the liver, stomach and pancreas.
  3. Drink it down. Still (or slightly carbonated) mineral water with the addition of freshly squeezed lemon juice is best suited. Citric acid accelerates water-salt metabolism and promotes faster elimination of ethanol metabolites from the body. Another option is fructose-rich natural juices (apple, plum, grape). Fructose helps the body absorb alcohol.
  4. No smoking. Many drunken people have an overwhelming urge to smoke to heighten their euphoria.In fact, everything happens exactly the opposite: intoxication really increases, but euphoric sensations weaken. In this case, nicotine not only enhances the intoxication of the body, but also provokes vasospasm and an increase in blood pressure. The next morning, each smoked cigarette reminds of itself with an unbearable headache.
  5. Keep track of what medications you are using. Some medications (antidepressants, sedatives, allergy medications, some antibiotics) can cause vomiting and other symptoms when mixed with alcohol.
  6. 1-2 days before the expected intake of alcohol, it is advisable to enrich your diet with foods high in iodine (baked potatoes, shrimps, seaweed, white beans, prunes). Iodine promotes increased production of thyroid hormones, which accelerate the breakdown of ethyl alcohol.
  7. On the day of the proposed feast in the morning after breakfast, it is recommended to take an aspirin tablet. Acetylsalicylic acid has a beneficial property – it improves the production of enzymes that break down alcohol.
  8. This morning, it is recommended to take any drug with a choleretic effect (Allochol, rosehip extract) – this will improve the functional state of the liver and prepare it for an unequal fight with ethanol.

What to do if you still have a hangover?

Even if a person observes all the “rules” of drinking alcohol, there is a high probability that sooner or later he will still face a hangover syndrome. If this happens, do not beat yourself up and try to spend this day actively.It is better to take care of yourself: drink more water and get some rest. Here are some tips:

  1. Drinking plenty of fluids is a surefire way to fight food poisoning and some non-food. Choose mineral water or drinks that will help restore the salt balance – sweet tea with lemon, tomato juice.
  2. Eat. If you feel nauseous, try drinking some broth or juice. Fructose will give the body the energy it needs.
  3. Sleep.The symptoms go away more quickly with rest. The chances are that after sleep, the hangover will become less pronounced. If your headache keeps you awake, take a pain reliever (such as ibuprofen).
  4. Take a walk, breathe fresh air. Deep breathing helps the body eliminate alcohol breakdown products faster. It is better to exclude significant physical activity with a hangover.
  5. In case of a severe hangover, you can resort to pharmacy products: sorbents, vitamin complexes and tablets specially created to relieve hangover symptoms.

Alcohol poisoning is very dangerous

A hangover is not the worst thing that can happen if you are addicted to alcohol. Alcohol poisoning can lead to heart attack or stroke. An ambulance should be called if the following alarming symptoms are present:

  • chest pain,
  • palpitations,
  • pallor (blue lips and fingertips),
  • continuous vomiting,
  • reduced temperature,
  • 90,021 confusion (a person cannot answer simple questions or answers incorrectly).

Medicines for hangover

Among the drugs that relieve hangover syndrome and are freely sold in pharmacies, the following groups can be distinguished:

  1. Painkillers. This includes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as acetylsalicylic acid, paracetamol, ibuprofen.
  2. Sorbents. Helps reduce intoxication. The most common drugs are activated carbon, colloidal silicon dioxide and polymethylsiloxane polyhydrate.
  3. dietary supplements. There are many dietary supplements specifically designed to eliminate hangover and reduce alcohol intoxication while drinking. As a rule, such preparations are based on acetylsalicylic acid, glycine and aminoacetic acid. The combination of these ingredients helps relieve headaches, accelerates the breakdown of ethanol metabolites, and protects brain cells.
  4. Preparations for rehydration. These medicines are used to restore water and electrolyte balance.They are based on potassium chloride, dextrose, sodium citrate and sodium chloride.

Home and folk recipes for a hangover

If there were no medicines at hand, and a trip to the nearest pharmacy is impossible due to poor health, you can try to alleviate the condition with the help of folk remedies.

Brine

Perhaps the most popular remedy for relieving hangover symptoms in the post-Soviet space. Ordinary cucumber pickle helps to restore the water-salt balance and normalize the osmotic pressure of blood plasma, which will improve overall well-being.Usually one glass is enough.

Water

In the morning after drinking alcohol, we are thirsty. There is a widespread belief that with a hangover syndrome, the body is dehydrated, but this is only partially true. In fact, due to the incorrect redistribution of fluids in the body, the total volume of circulating blood decreases, and at the same time, pronounced swelling is observed in the tissues (it is for this reason that headache is the eternal companion of a hangover). Therefore, to restore the volume of the circulating fluid, it is recommended to drink about 2-3 glasses of clean water for an hour.

Important! Drinking too much water is not recommended as it will put additional stress on the kidneys and heart.

Tomato juice

The effect of tomato juice for a hangover is in many ways similar to the effect of brine – the body replenishes the resources of salts and electrolytes, due to which the osmotic pressure of blood plasma is normalized. Tomato juice also contains succinic acid, which reduces poisoning in the body by accelerating the breakdown of acetaldehyde and saturating tissues with oxygen.Usually 1-2 glasses are enough, but with a strong desire, the volume of juice you drink can be increased.

Green tea

Due to its diuretic effect, green tea accelerates the elimination of toxic metabolites of ethanol from the body, providing natural detoxification. In addition, this drink contains caffeine and tannin, which have a tonic effect and increase performance. If you have a hangover, it is advisable to drink green tea without sugar. To make the taste relatively acceptable, you can add freshly squeezed lemon juice – it will accelerate the breakdown and elimination of the decay products of ethyl alcohol.

Important! Coffee also has a mild diuretic effect, but this drink is not recommended for a hangover, as it increases the load on the heart.

Rosehip decoction

Rosehip is known for its high content of vitamin C, which accelerates the elimination of toxic substances from the body. But its main plus in the context of the topic under consideration is the diuretic effect. Rosehip decoction also improves the outflow of bile, due to which the liver copes more effectively with its detoxification function.For a liter of water, 100 grams of dry fruits are enough (Fig. 2).

Figure 2. Recipe for cooking rosehip decoction.

Drink with ginger and honey

Ginger reduces general intoxication and helps suppress the nausea that often accompanies hangover. To get a drink, ginger root is crushed and insisted in boiling water, after which honey and lemon are added (Fig. 3).

Figure 3. Recipe for making a ginger drink.

Lemon water

As we already know, citric acid accelerates the breakdown of ethanol and the elimination of its metabolites from the body, while water provides natural detoxification of the body.For 1 glass of pure (preferably still) water, it is enough to add 0.5-1 teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice (Fig. 4). To relieve severe symptoms, it is recommended to drink 2-3 glasses of lemon water within an hour, so it is more convenient to prepare the water in a decanter, and store the decanter in the refrigerator.

Figure 4. Recipe for making lemon water.

Natural kvass

The lactic acid contained in kvass accelerates the breakdown of acetaldehyde, thereby reducing the general intoxication of the body.An important nuance: kvass should be homemade, obtained as a result of natural fermentation. Store drinks in plastic bottles should be chosen with care – it is important that it is a natural double fermentation beverage.

Fermented milk products

Kefir, ayran and other fermented milk products contain tryptophan. This amino acid promotes the breakdown of ethyl alcohol metabolites and reduces post-alcohol poisoning in the body. By itself, milk helps to quickly remove toxic substances from the liver and kidneys.That is why in Soviet times it was given out free of charge to employees of “harmful” industries.

Broth oats

Oats are rich in amino acids and magnesium. These components help to restore the structure of plasma membranes affected by acetaldehyde poisoning, and also normalize the state of the nervous system. 2-3 tablespoons of oatmeal are enough for a glass of drink (Fig. 5). You can cook the broth both in water and in milk.

Figure 5. Recipe for cooking oat broth.

The right breakfast

Contrary to popular belief, breakfast for a hangover should not be too heavy – the digestive system is simply not ready to cope with it.Fried and fatty foods should be avoided to avoid stressing the liver. Most suitable dishes:

  • oatmeal with milk (we already wrote about the benefits of milk and oats above),
  • boiled eggs – easily digestible protein will help to quickly saturate the blood with amino acids (in particular, tryptophan, leucine and threonine),
  • green tea with lemon will accelerate detoxification,
  • 90,021 cottage cheese with honey will also accelerate the elimination of ethanol metabolites.

What not to do with a hangover

The biggest mistake is “to treat like with like”, as the aforementioned Bulgakov recommended through the mouth of Woland in the novel “The Master and Margarita”. Unfortunately, the so-called drunkenness is a stereotype firmly rooted among ordinary people. In fact, the use of alcoholic beverages with a hangover syndrome is a sure way to binge drinking and the formation of persistent alcohol dependence. Beer in the morning will not help, but will aggravate the hangover syndrome. It is best to avoid alcohol for the next 2 days.

Also, it is not recommended to eat fatty foods (for example, hamburgers and fries), drink too strong coffee, energy drinks and go to the sauna. The cardiovascular system during a hangover does not need additional stress. For the same reasons, you should not drink too much water.

Conclusion

A hangover is easier to prevent than to combat its symptoms, so it is important to be in moderation during the feast, trying not to drink too quickly and not forget about snacks.

what to do and how to relieve a hangover yourself

Drinking alcohol always leads to sad consequences. This is a hangover. Chances are, everyone who has drunk too much alcohol is familiar with this feeling. This is a very unpleasant sensation and leads to a number of negative consequences. If this happens, it is important to know how to deal with it.

In the course of how a person has gone too far with alcohol consumption, a lot of harmful substances (toxins and toxins) appear in his body.Then the body begins to fight the intoxication of the body.

If you don’t know how to properly deal with a hangover, you can only make it worse. To start expelling toxins through physical activity, you can harm the heart and blood vessels. And after drinking alcohol, the heart is already overloaded and, accordingly, a heart attack or stroke may occur.

Hangover symptoms.

  • headache;
  • heartburn;
  • hands are shaking;
  • no appetite;
  • nausea;
  • reddened eyes;
  • paranoid thoughts;
  • irritation, anger, rage;
  • lack of water in the body.

A hangover is the formation of ethanol breakdown products in the liver.

The liver converts ethyl alcohol into acetic acid, as a result it accumulates in the body. And this acid is much more dangerous than ethanol. Therefore, the body gives up all its resources to cope with the harmful condition. When you decide to drink too much, first think about how much damage to the body you are causing.

How to deal with a hangover?

To relieve symptoms, drugs are usually used for headaches, nausea, vomiting, etc.e. These drugs (for hangover syndrome) can harm the liver, so there are more modern and reliable ways to get rid of this condition. You can wash the stomach or intestines. You can also take a sorbent (activated carbon). In order to restore the water-salt balance of the body, rehydrants are taken. You can use cold compresses for headaches, and adding honey to tea will help restore the body’s metabolism. Good sleep can also help relieve many of the symptoms of a hangover.You can drink a couple of glasses of kefir to restore the alkaline balance of the body. Of course, the best way to get rid of a hangover is not to drink alcohol at all, because this is very harmful to the body. But if you cannot do this, contact the specialists at the alcohol rehabilitation center.

If you are faced with alcoholism? If you don’t know what to do next? Be sure to call and get all the information you need 095 104 62 44 or 098 415 84 64

7 best ways to quickly relieve a hangover

The main problems of hangover syndrome are dehydration and a worn out vegetative system.

1. As the psychiatrist-narcologist Aleksey Magalif told us, you can take with you on vacation means based on succinic acid. But in the same way, the lack of minerals and problems with the acid-base balance will be replenished by hot broth, tea with lemon and honey, sour cabbage soup, khash, apple and tomato juice.

2. But the British scientists recognized honey as the best remedy for a hangover. It removes alcoholic toxins faster than all products due to the optimal combination of fructose, potassium and magnesium.

3. Another tasty and effective way is to ask for a banana milkshake for you at the bar. Milk is a good sorbent, and bananas are rich in polysaccharides and nutritious, they will give energy.

4. If you can eat in the morning, order a salad with fresh spinach. This leafy vegetable is rich in antioxidants, which can help eliminate alcohol breakdown products from the body faster. Also, by the way, you will have a cup of tea with rosemary – its essential oils will normalize the vegetative system and help to cope with nausea.

5. French recipe: Piglet Rinse cocktail. Squeeze the juice of a lemon wedge at the bottom of the glass, then pour half a glass of dry white wine and carbonated mineral water (by the way, Chinese scientists have established that lemon-flavored soda has the highest anti-hangover potential). Drink in one gulp. Very invigorating.

6. And do not forget about a contrast shower – first under hot water (it will expand pores and improve perspiration, and hence the elimination of toxins), then under cold water – for vivacity! But throwing yourself into the sea with a hangover is not worth it: vasospasm may occur.First, tidy yourself up.

7. And if there is a feeling that it is “storming” (the head is spinning, there is no firmness in the legs), you can use the remedies for motion sickness (aeron, air-sea, etc.). By the way, they are useful both on mountain serpentines and when sailing on a yacht.

BTW

Why do we get drunk more often on vacation?

A separate topic is drinking under the sun. It doesn’t matter if you are lugging a “eggplant” of beer to the beach or sipping a cocktail on a sun lounger.In the heat, the alcohol control of the body is sharply reduced, and the chances of getting very drunk even from a small dose of alcohol increase. In addition, there is no appetite in the heat, which also aggravates the quick “breakup”. The most common consequence is falling asleep in the sun, burns and whining on the remaining days of the trip, how stupid you were burned.

But you can easily earn heatstroke! And bathing in a blissfully drunken state also did not lead to anything good. I would not like to spoil your holiday mood, but 80% of those who drown in the summer have a dose of alcohol in their blood.

System “everything is off”

Another danger: in the first days of rest, a person, as a rule, experiences a slight euphoria, relaxation and … starts drinking from morning to evening, without even thinking about it. A glass of beer at breakfast, a cocktail (and repeat) before the pool, after the pool, wine before lunch, during and after, and after dinner, which is stronger. This is still quite a decent option for the average vacationer, especially on an all-inclusive basis. But what is “disabled” at sea is self-control (we have the right to relax, relieve stress, because you don’t need to drive or go to the office!).And if you sit down and calculate mathematically, then the binge, guys, turns out! Not true, of course, Doctor Magalif corrects me, because in between drinking, people eat and even lead some kind of social life, they go on excursions there. But too little pleasant.

After all, everything can end with the so-called “alcohol blow”. This is when the body accumulates so many alcohol decomposition products that all organs begin to “crumble” one after the other: the pressure rises, the liver hurts, the heart breaks from the chest from a frenzied arrhythmia.

So try to keep yourself on “dry alcohol ration” during the day, in the sense that you can have a glass (okay, two!) Glasses of dry wine at dinner, but no more. And don’t use beer as a soft drink. It is also better to abstain from sweet alcohol in the heat. And strong (in cocktails or in pure form) – only for a hearty dinner, when the heat has subsided. And immediately bainki.

A drunken dream on a summer night

Speaking of sleep. Of course, one of the main desires of a vacationer is to sleep off.But here alcohol can play a cruel joke on you. If you bite at night every day, then instead of the desired relaxation, you can get new health problems.

Indeed, sleep after alcohol is usually deep enough at first, but it is no longer physiological, but narcotic.

The body continues to process alcohol and literally draws oxygen from all body tissues, muscles, blood. Therefore, the next day, a person feels tired, because there is lethargy associated with hypoxia (oxygen deficiency).

And a vicious circle is formed. On the one hand, you seem to relieve stress, on the other hand, “thanks” to alcohol, you earn new stress. That is, the effect is exactly the opposite: nightly libations in the shortest possible time can bring the nervous system to exhaustion and cause serious problems with blood vessels.

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how to relieve hangover at home

Daniil Davydov

hungover

Author profile

We wrote this article for those who are mentally preparing for the New Year and are free from alcohol addiction.

Patients with alcoholism suffer from hangovers otherwise, our article will not work for them.

What is a hangover

It’s not so much ethyl alcohol that is to blame for the hangover as the chemical compounds that are formed in the body as a result of its processing.

Once upon a time, the blame for a hangover was attributed to ethyl alcohol. This substance contributes to dehydration, which is why it was thought that a hangover was, in fact, excruciating thirst. But then scientists took people suffering from a hangover and decided to measure their objective indicator of dehydration – the level of the hormone vasopressin in the blood.If the power of the hangover was really associated with dehydration, then those who suffered more, had more vasopressin in their blood than those who practically did not notice the hangover. However, it turned out that the level of this hormone in sufferers is about the same as in those who are not annoyed by a hangover. That is, there is indeed dehydration during a hangover, but it has almost no effect on the severity of the hangover.

A hangover develops when the concentration of alcohol in the blood does not increase, but, on the contrary, sharply decreases.The discomfort peaks when the alcohol content drops to near zero. By this time, the liver has converted all of the ethyl alcohol into poisonous acetaldehyde.

Hangover suffering lasts as long as acetaldehyde is in the blood, and stops only after the liver has already converted it into the relatively harmless acetic acid.

See a doctor

Our articles are written with love for evidence-based medicine. We refer to reputable sources and go for comments from reputable doctors.But remember: the responsibility for your health lies with you and your doctor. We do not write prescriptions, we make recommendations. It is up to you to rely on our point of view or not.

What happens to the body with a hangover

The mechanism of a hangover is not yet fully understood. We only know that ethyl alcohol provokes thirst, and acetaldehyde causes mild inflammation in the liver, pancreas, gastrointestinal tract and brain. So it is not surprising that the unpleasant sensations of a hangover are so varied, because each body suffering from a hangover hurts in its own way.

Hangovers – A Mysterious Phenomenon – Medical Council on Alcohol (MCA) Magazine

Hangovers – NIAAA Brochure

Perhaps acetic acid also contributes to poor health – in any case, injections of this substance provoked headaches in rats. Nobody tested this in public – it would be too inhuman.

How to understand that feeling unwell is connected precisely with a hangover

This is not difficult to understand, because a hangover occurs approximately 8-16 hours after a meal: usually the next morning.On average, this is how long it takes for the enzyme to convert alcohol to aldehyde.

Hangover has recognizable symptoms – they were identified by interviewing 1,410 people who have experienced this condition. The majority, that is 74% of those surveyed, complained – in decreasing order of frequency – of weakness, thirst, drowsiness, headache, nausea, problems with concentration, and decreased reaction speed.

Sometimes a hangover is accompanied by more rare symptoms: for example, 28% of respondents lost their taste sensations, 29% felt an increased heart rate, and about 2% of respondents suffered so much that they even had suicidal thoughts.

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What determines the strength of a hangover

The strength of a hangover depends on several reasons.

Amount of consumed. According to some reports, 25-30% of people, in principle, do not suffer from a hangover, no matter how much they drink. However, the rest have a clear dependence: the more alcohol is drunk the day before, the stronger the hangover.

Beverage color. Many spirits, such as red wine, whiskey and tequila, are obtained from fermentation, which involves crushed grapes with skins or whole grains. This process is triggered by yeast – microorganisms that gradually eat sugar and secrete waste products. This is ethyl alcohol and some other chemicals, some of which give the drinks color – winemakers call them congeners.

What are Congeners – The Current Drug Abuse Survey (CDAR)

Acetaldehyde plays a major role in hangovers, but congeners also contribute.Some of them, such as methanol, formaldehyde and formic acid, are quite poisonous, so they can aggravate the discomfort of a hangover. And since there are more congeners in colored spirits than in refined ones, they are believed to cause a more severe hangover than refined and colorless ones.

Bourbon causes more hangovers than vodka – Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research (ACER)

Heredity. The severity of a hangover depends on the efficiency of the liver enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase: the sooner it converts the aldehyde into acetic acid, the faster the hangover will go away.At the same time, in some people, for example, among Asians, this enzyme works more slowly than in Europeans. As a result, the aldehyde builds up in the body and prolongs the suffering. If a person gets a “slow” aldehyde dehydrogenase from his parents, he will suffer from a hangover more than his peers, who will drink exactly the same amount as he does.

Pos. At the same blood alcohol concentration, women are more likely to complain of a hangover than men. True, if there is very little or, on the contrary, a lot of alcohol in the blood, the difference between men and women disappears.Perhaps this is because most men weigh more than most of their female counterparts, so men, on average, need a large dose of alcohol to earn a hangover.

Smoking. During cigarette smoking, acetaldehyde is also formed, and an additional dose of poison can aggravate hangover suffering. A study of student smokers showed that those who smoked at the same time as drinking alcohol had more intense hangovers. Moreover, the more cigarettes smoked, the stronger the hangover will be.

Student smokers suffer more from hangovers – Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research (JSAD)

Although not mentioned in the study, it appears that even non-smokers at the party can be affected by smokers. In a smoky room, they can breathe in smoke and also become more tormented in the morning.

What helps with a hangover

The effectiveness of other popular hangover remedies, such as coffee, milkshakes, honey, vitamins, activated charcoal, sports drinks with electrolytes, exercise, walking in the fresh air, hot baths and cold heating pads, have not been really tested.

A hangover is like a cold: all you can do is try to ease your symptoms and wait for your body to heal itself.

Take medication with ibuprofen. This is a well-studied non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that reduces headache and inflammation. In our country, the drug under the trade name “Nurofen” is popular, but any remedy with ibuprofen is suitable for the treatment of a hangover.

Alcohol often damages the stomach lining, so that it bleeds, and acetylsalicylic acid makes the blood more fluid – as a result, severe internal bleeding can occur.Preparations with paracetamol increase the load on the liver, which during a hangover is already “worn out” – this can damage it. A healthy person may not feel this, because the liver is a very hardy organ. However, in the future, this may increase the risk of liver disease.

Drink water and eat warm soup. Water relieves thirst. The main thing is not to force yourself to drink: excess liquid can also do harm. Soup helps to restore strength – but if you don’t feel like eating, you can do without it.

Do not drink alcohol. Those who drank the day before and are experiencing a hangover are advised to pause before the next intake of alcohol for at least two days – during this time the body will have time to recover. “Treating like with like” is a dangerous practice: there is a chance to turn a simple hangover into life-threatening alcohol poisoning.

These three methods are the most conclusive. But a hangover is a lot of an individual thing. So, if there is a way that helps you, for example a walk or good old pickle, you should not neglect it.

When to call a doctor

If there are signs of alcohol poisoning. This is more serious than a hangover, and can be life threatening.

As in the case of a hangover, symptoms of poisoning depend on the amount of alcohol consumed, gender and individual reaction of a person to ethyl alcohol. A dose that causes a slight hangover in one, provokes severe poisoning in another.

Acute Alcohol Poisoning – European Journal of Internal Medicine (EJIM)

Ethanol Poisoning in Adults – International Physician Textbook Uptodate

Some people, being poisoned by alcohol, become excitable, their speech becomes slurred, their gait becomes unstable, coordination of movements is impaired.It looks like ordinary drunkenness, but there are additional symptoms:

  • uncontrolled vomiting;
  • nystagmus – trembling of the pupils.

An important symptom of alcohol poisoning is uncontrolled trembling of the pupils. Source: blog Medicalrojak

A person who has poisoned with alcohol can be given clean water. There is no need to give medication – it is better to leave the treatment to the emergency team.

Sometimes a person who has been poisoned by alcohol loses consciousness. This is not just a dream if:

  • the person cannot be woken up;
  • the affected person’s skin is cool, pale or bluish;
  • a person takes less than 8 breaths per minute, and his breathing stops for 10 seconds or longer;
  • An unconscious person experiences muscle cramps.

If a person is in such a condition, you need to call emergency help as soon as possible.

If a person is unconscious, you need to transfer him to a bed or floor and lay him on his side – if vomiting starts, he will not suffocate. It is worth covering the victim with a blanket: after being poisoned by alcohol, people freeze faster than sober ones.

Can you avoid a hangover

The only truly reliable way to avoid a hangover is not to drink at all or drink just enough alcohol to avoid a hangover or poisoning.The only problem is that all people are different and everyone has their own dose.

Here are four tips to help you.

Drink in moderation. Women are advised to drink no more than one portion of alcoholic beverages per day, men – no more than two portions. One standard serving of alcoholic beverages is 14 g of pure ethanol. Different drinks contain different amounts of alcohol. Conventionally, one serving is about 360 ml of 5% beer, 150 ml of 12% wine or 45 ml of 40% liqueur.

Each beverage pictured above is one standard beverage, or one alcoholic beverage equivalent.In the United States, it is any drink that contains 6 fluid ounces or 14 grams of pure alcohol. The percentage of pure alcohol, here expressed as alcohol by volume (alc / vol), varies from beverage to beverage. While this standard is convenient for following health guidelines, it may not reflect typical serving sizes. Source: NIAAA

Each beverage pictured above is one standard beverage, or one alcoholic beverage equivalent. In the United States, it is any drink that contains 6 fluid ounces or 14 grams of pure alcohol.The percentage of pure alcohol, here expressed as alcohol by volume (alc / vol), varies from beverage to beverage. While this standard is convenient for following health guidelines, it may not reflect typical serving sizes. Source: NIAAA

Drink as slowly as possible. So there is less chance of exceeding your norm.

Drink water between drinks. This will help you to avoid strong thirst in the morning.

Have a snack. Food slows down the absorption of alcohol: so there is a higher chance that the liver enzymes responsible for the breakdown of ethanol will have time to complete their task and neutralize alcohol before a hangover occurs.

90,000 How to avoid a hangover? – BBC News Russian service

  • David Robson
  • BBC Future

Photo author, Getty

Why do some people not have a hangover in the morning after a stormy party? We asked this question to a person who knows the answer.

We’ve all met people who seem to be able to drink whatever they want without suffering a hangover afterwards. The other participants in the party lie in a layer the next morning, these same ones wake up vigorous and fresh, as if nothing had happened.You’d think they weren’t drinking whiskey yesterday, but smoothies.

This “hangover immunity” is much more common than you might think. According to recent studies, almost one in five of us manage to avoid the punishment in the morning for what we have drunk the day before, even if we have drunk a lot.

What is the secret – in good heredity, the right choice of drinks, or in some magical remedy that helps relieve hangover symptoms?

Just five years ago, most scientists preferred to ignore this topic.

“It is widely believed that hangovers are a natural deterrent for people to avoid excessive alcohol consumption, so the scientific consensus was not to focus on this issue,” says Richard Stevens of the University of Keele, UK.

As a result, we have a large array of folklore, practically not supported by scientific calculations. However, Stevens, who is part of the alcohol hangover research group, is hoping to remedy the situation.

To begin with, even the reasons for the hangover are not exactly known. Until recently, dehydration was blamed for the onset of this unpleasant syndrome – when ethanol is consumed, the formation of urine increases, as a result of which the body loses a lot of fluid.

Photo author, Getty

Photo caption,

The fermentation process produces toxic by-products that give alcoholic beverages their characteristic color

However, current evidence indicates that dehydration is only one of the causes of a hangover, and not the main one.Most likely, the point is what exactly we drink.

In the process of fermentation, along with alcohol, toxic by-products, the so-called congeners, are formed, which, when ingested, lead to mild poisoning.

Congeners often give the drink a dark color, which is believed to be why the hangover from whiskey is stronger than from crystal clear vodka. (It is also possible that for this reason it is not recommended to mix different alcoholic beverages – the more types of alcohol you try in the evening, the more different types of congeners will enter your body).

A few hours after entering the body, ethanol is converted in the liver into acetaldehyde, which subsequently turns into acetic acid.

These metabolic products are toxic to a certain extent – they cause nausea, sweating and heart palpitations. Ethanol and congeners also wreak havoc on the immune system, causing inflammation.

“With a severe hangover, it feels like the whole body is swollen – it’s the result of inflammation,” says Stevens.Inflammatory processes in the brain cause headaches.

Combined with low blood sugar and lack of sleep, this can lead not only to physical discomfort, but also to apathy and bad mood.

At least that’s what happens to most of us. One of the biggest mysteries facing Stevens and other researchers is why about 23% of people say they don’t have a hangover even after consuming large amounts of alcohol.

Perhaps the reason lies in the genes – studies of twins indicate the likelihood that hangover immunity is inherited.

Scientists have even managed to find several genes in such people, which, apparently, are responsible for removing ethanol and its decay products from the blood, and also mitigate the inflammatory processes caused by alcohol poisoning.

Photo author, Getty

Photo caption,

Neurotics can experience more severe hangovers than more balanced people

Curiously, the intensity of a hangover can also depend on certain personality traits – according to one study, neurotics tend to suffer from hangovers worse than people who are more imperturbable.

This does not necessarily mean that they are making up or exaggerating unpleasant feelings – it is just that emotions are known to influence painful experiences, so that feelings of guilt and anxiety can exacerbate physical symptoms.

While genetics may play a role in the case of some people, Stevens still believes that for most people not having a hangover in the morning is due to drinking smartly.

“Maybe it’s all about measured alcohol intake,” he comments on a recent poll that asked participants to quantify the amount of alcohol they had drunk in the past month and to report how severe hangover symptoms they were experiencing.

Scientists have concluded that with a similar amount of alcohol consumed per month, about 80% of the participants who said they never had a hangover drank in such a way that the concentration of alcohol in their blood never exceeded 0.1%.

In his own research, Stevens tries to dispel some of the most popular myths about alcohol – including the widespread belief that hangovers get worse with age.

“You can often hear that the older the person, the worse it gets in the morning after the party, but this statement has not been scientifically confirmed,” he says.“Hangovers are mostly a problem with young people.”

In one recent study, researchers found that 20-year-olds are about 7 times more likely to have a hangover after a serious binge than 60-year-olds.

“In addition, with age, people begin to figure out which drinks they have a hangover from and avoid them,” he says.

As for folk remedies with a hangover, Stevens’ attitude towards them may not surprise you.

Photo author, Getty

Photo caption,

Fried food raises blood sugar levels, thereby relieving fatigue

According to him, there is no scientific confirmation of the healing properties of ingenious mixtures like the famous “Prairie Oyster” (cocktail of vinegar , Worcester sauce, and a raw egg) described by Pelam Greenville Woodhouse in Jeeves and Worcester.

Most likely, due to the spicy taste, such “drugs” simply distract attention from the symptoms of a hangover, and also have a kind of placebo effect.

Drinking plenty of water is also not an option, as dehydration is not the main cause of a hangover.

“The best way to avoid a hangover is to drink in moderation,” Stevens recalls. Well, if it’s too late for such advice, then – “an ibuprofen pill for a headache and a portion of something fatty and fried to raise blood glucose levels.”

Who knows – perhaps, sooner or later, scientists will find a wonderful cure for a hangover. In recent years, there have been several clinical trials of drugs that, according to doctors, are able to combat the unpleasant consequences of excessive alcohol consumption, and even some success has been achieved.

Photo author, Getty

Caption,

Sometimes help in treating a hangover comes from an unexpected side (pictured – prickly pear fruits)

Some of these drugs are obtained from the most incredible sources. For example, about 10 years ago, scientists found that the extract of prickly pear (a plant of the cactus family), apparently, mitigates the effects of congeners poisoning found in whiskey and other dark alcoholic beverages, and also alleviates the symptoms of inflammation – although so far there have been no laboratory tests. research to confirm or disprove this claim.

If you feel really bad, try eating the “edible stink bug” (Encosternum delegorguei) – if, of course, you can find one.

Despite the rather unappetizing name, in Malawi these insects are classified as delicacies, and the local population strongly believes in their ability to cure hangovers.

(But the bug needs to be cooked properly to get rid of the unpleasant taste – according to one local resident, if you eat it raw, you will lose the taste for a whole month.)

Scientists have already begun to study the nutritional properties of the stink bug; I wonder if his reputation will be confirmed in clinical trials.

Overall, Stevens agrees that hangovers are a useful reminder of the potential harm we can do to the body from alcohol consumption.

But he is not going to spoil the holiday mood for all of us: “There is undoubtedly harm from alcohol, but it brings us so much pleasure. So the most important thing is to drink wisely.”

His recommendation differs little from the advice that caring parents give their grown-up children: enjoy alcohol in good company, but drink measuredly, choose drinks responsibly and know when to stop.

Even if you are one of the lucky ones who don’t know what a hangover is, in the future you will still be grateful for your discretion.

Hangover syndrome: remedies for getting rid of ailment

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Hangover Pills: A Brief Ambulance Encyclopedia

If a pleasant evening with friends dragged on almost until the morning, and at the same time had to drink an unmeasured amount of alcohol, then in the morning you will definitely have to face very unpleasant symptoms of a hangover .Headaches, bad breath, inability to concentrate, nausea, palpitations – it is permissible to get rid of these and some other signs of a morning hangover quickly if you use medication specially developed for this purpose .

How do hangover pills help?

The special composition of these preparations is designed to be able not only to alleviate the general condition of a person with a hangover, but also to replenish his body with vitamins and other useful nutrients.Therefore, in such a situation, it is very important to navigate the list of such substances in order to receive effective and timely assistance in the right situation.

If we talk about the beneficial properties of hangover pills, they are as follows:

  • purification of the body and elimination of toxins formed as a result of the breakdown of ethanol products;
  • restoration of water-salt balance, as a result of which the symptom of dry mouth is eliminated and the feeling of thirst is suppressed;
  • 90,021 elimination of headaches;

  • dizziness goes away, feeling of weakness and depression disappears.

A feature of such drugs is that many of them can be taken both during the hangover syndrome and in the period preceding the booze. What to take, what type of pills to give preference to – each person decides individually. The main thing in this case is to know well the characteristics of your body, the presence of allergic reactions, and also to be aware of what dosage should be present.

Effective hangover pills available to everyone

The most popular and well-known in certain circles are the classic activated carbon, baralgin and aspirin.Charcoal removes toxins, aspirin thins the blood, and baralgin relieves headaches. After generous libations, it is recommended to take complex composition, which provides 2 no-shpa tablets, 1 aspirin tablet and 7-8 charcoal tablets. The last remedy is taken at the rate of 1 piece per 10 kg of a person’s weight. As a rule, after this reception, a hangover in the morning is practically not felt or does not come at all.

Other, more than democratic at the price of medicines, include the following:

  • “Askofen” or “Kofitsil-plus” – are drunk in the evening after drunken feasts, then in the morning you need to make strong black tea, it is possible with sugar, and add one tablet of baralgin and furosemide;
  • vitamin B6 in ampoules – with its help, stench from the mouth is eliminated; the substance in the amount of two is poured into half a liter of cool clean liquid, and is drunk quickly and at a time;
  • “Polysorb”, “Enterosgel” – these medicines, like activated carbon, are included in the group of sorbents, so with their help you can quickly remove the remnants of alcohol.

What is contraindicated in hangover

This question is extremely important, since ignorance of this aspect can sometimes provoke bad consequences of for internal organs. This category includes “Nurofen”. Usually this drug is prescribed if necessary to relieve inflammation, many people drink it against headaches. Joint intake with alcohol will only aggravate the situation and increase the likelihood of toxin poisoning.

Paracetamol , well known to all , is no less harmful.This medicine has a great effect on the liver, and the intake of alcoholic beverages is already overloading this organ. Therefore, when taking the drug, serious disturbances in the functioning of the liver and kidneys may occur.

Citramon – this seemingly harmless drug contains the aforementioned paracetamol, and therefore is also contraindicated in hangover syndrome.

How to relieve a hangover with pills: other effective drugs

Some of the funds suggested in this section are not inherently medicinal, since they contain natural components in their composition, but help to stimulate an increase in tone and improve well-being.There are also medications in the list, which include stimulants .

Antipohmelin

These are the most popular hangover pills on a long list. They belong to dietary supplements. Also, the tool can be used for the purpose of prophylactic action. An important property here is its protective function for the liver. The preparation contains three components – vitamin C, glutamic and succinic acid. With the help of “Antipohmelin”, the decomposition of ethyl in the blood slows down, as a result of which the amount of alcohol consumed decreases markedly.Such treatment makes it possible to significantly reduce the harmful effects of toxins.

To ensure preventive measures, one tablet should be drunk before drinking alcohol, and then taken one at a rate for every 100 grams of alcoholic beverages. If you need to get a person out of the binge, you need to give him from 1 to 3 pieces every day for one week.

Alco-Buffer

This product is developed on the basis of a natural ingredient in the form of extract Milk thistle .With its help, liver function improves, toxic decay products are eliminated from the body. Just as in the previous version, it contains succinic acid, which increases the performance of internal organs. The drug should be taken before drinking alcoholic beverages. To do this, dissolve 3 tablets of 0.8 g in clean liquid and drink quickly.

“Alka-prime”

This medicinal product contains many of the required elements .The formula contains aspirin, supplemented by glycine. The form of release of the drug is in the form of effervescent pills, previously immersed in water. It helps to quickly cope with a hangover, thanks to the properties of acetylsalicylic acid to remove inflammation and soreness. Another ingredient – sodium bicarbonate, allows you to adjust the acid-base balance, and the dose of water in which the tablet dissolves ensures the elimination of dehydration . Glycine affects brain cells, increasing their resistance to toxins.

Tablets before use are thrown into a glass of water in the amount of 1-2 pieces, they must completely dissolve , and only after that you can drink the liquid. It is advisable to take the remedy in the morning if the body is in poor condition. Improvement will come literally in half an hour, and the effect itself will last at least 5 hours.

“Zorex” and “Zorex Morning”

This tool is offered to consumers in two variations. The first of them is Zorex capsules, which contain unitiol and calcium pantothenate.The second – tablets with a special composition, the so-called “fizzy” . who throw themselves into a glass of water. Medicines prevent toxins from entering the internal organs, and help to actively remove ethanol breakdown products from the body. One capsule is drunk in the morning, in the presence of a hangover syndrome, well before breakfast. Another one needs to be drunk during the day. In severe condition, it is permissible to take the drug up to 1 gram per day. “Zorex” has proven itself to be excellent in the case of low-quality booze – the so-called “palenka”, or after mixing different alcohol.

Medichronal

This medicine is intended to improve metabolism. It contains glucose, sodium formate and other substances that have a beneficial effect on the body. The main active ingredient – sodium formate , quickly penetrates through the intestinal walls into the blood, contributing to the effective breakdown of ethyl alcohol products. Glucose is responsible for nourishing cells and neutralizing toxins. It should be remembered that taking Medichronal is recommended only in 90,011 difficult 90,012 cases of hangover syndrome.

“Limontar”

This tool can also be considered a dietary supplement, it is supplied in the format of effervescent tablets. Their production is based on succinic and citric acid. Thanks to their influence in the cells of the body, the production of energy is restored , intoxication is reduced, oxygen is better transported through the tissues. The tool helps to improve the functioning of internal systems and organs, normalize metabolism, and strengthen the muscular system.

Important!

No more than 4 tablets can be taken per day.They need to be crushed and poured into a cup of liquid, adding a pinch of regular baking soda. For the purpose of prophylaxis, the agent can be drunk in the amount of 1 cachet long before the start of friendly gatherings. This usually gives a good result – fairly fast and effective.

Alka-Seltzer

These are effective hangover pills containing healthy and safe ingredients that can successfully fight hangovers and increase metabolism . The main goal of this drug is to eliminate heartburn, reduce headaches and support liver function.Also, with their help, it is possible to normalize the acid-base balance, remove tissue swelling, increase the tone of the body, and increase blood circulation. Due to the fact that they are taken in a form dissolved in water, the restoration of the level of moisture in the body is also added to the entire list above.

To eliminate the syndrome, medications are drunk in an amount of 2 pieces per glass of liquid before going to bed – about an hour and a half. They can also be drunk in the morning to eliminate painful sensations.However, it is worth noting that taking them for more than 3 days in a row is contraindicated in .

Hangover Pills – Preventive Techniques

As you can see from the above, you can remove a hangover with pills not only after the fact, but also before the start of alcoholic parties. Indeed, in any case, it is advisable to warn of an unpleasant state of the body , rather than treat it. In this regard, the review of medicines can be continued with the following list:

  • Enterosgel – you need to drink three tablespoons in the morning and while taking alcohol;
  • 90,021 dairy products – one glass before alcoholic libations;

  • “Almagel” – drink 2-3 tablespoons 15 minutes before drinking vodka;
  • activated carbon – 1-3 pills a quarter of an hour before drinking, later – two pieces per hour.

Also, a rather effective way from the category of homemade cereals is the use of cereals an hour or two before the feast. One bowl of semolina, buckwheat or oatmeal can be a real salvation in the future. It is also recommended to take vitamins of group B and C, which in many ways allow to improve overall well-being.

It must be said that in addition to knowing which pills help with a hangover, the aspect of their correct intake is no less important.Each drug has its own contraindications, which must be taken into account. It is also necessary to strictly follow the dosage indicated in the instructions. Medications should only be taken with clean water without gas. Any other drinks used during a hangover can react with the components of the tablets and provoke unpredictable reactions.

If the symptoms of a hangover do not go away, but on the contrary, they intensify, and at the same time there is a very headache, nausea, and everything blurry before your eyes, then an immediate dropper procedure for a hangover is necessary.