Do Hang Over Cures Work?

[buttmunch]

FRIDAY, Dec. 23 (HealthDay News) — Revelers toasting to the holidays can't count on drugs or herbal concoctions to cure their hangovers, British researchers report.

"No compelling evidence exists to suggest that any conventional or complementary intervention is effective for preventing or treating alcohol hangover," concludes a team led by Max Pittler, a research fellow in Complementary Medicine at Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter and Plymouth.

Their less-than-inspiring advice? Practice either abstinence or moderation when the glasses are being filled.

A second study may provide some help with moderation: It found that people tend to consume a smaller amount of liquor from tall, skinny glasses than from short, squat ones — even when the two receptacles are designed to hold the same amount of liquid.

Both reports appear in the Dec. 24/31 issue of the British Medical Journal.

In the first study, Pittler's team gathered data from eight trials that looked at medical treatment for preventing or treating hangovers.

The trials tested eight different agents: propranolol (an antihypertensive drug), tropisetron (a drug for nausea and vertigo), tolfenamic acid (a painkiller), fructose or glucose sugars, and the dietary supplements borage, artichoke, prickly pear.

Most of these trials found no beneficial effects for these agents on hangover, although borage, a yeast-based preparation, and tolfenamic acid did show some benefit.

Drinking may be fun for a while, but it comes with a price that may be unavoidable, one expert said.

"The supply of folklore remedies for hangover is virtually limitless," said Dr. David L. Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine. "The best way to contend with hangover is not to get one, by practicing abstinence or moderation."


However, many rational approaches to avoiding or reversing hangover have simply not been formally tested, Katz said. "There is some evidence that dehydration is part of the hangover syndrome, so drinking plenty of non-alcoholic beverages, particularly water, before, during and after a holiday indulgence may help."

"In addition, spacing out alcohol consumption will allow your body's enzymes a better chance to keep up, and likely reduce toxic side effects," Katz said. "A simple strategy to accomplish both is to alternate alcoholic beverages with something like seltzer."


Another study in the same journal finds the shape of the glass helps determine the size of the drink.


A research team led by Brian Wansink, chairman of marketing and applied economics at Cornell University, and his colleagues found that people pour 20 percent to 30 percent more alcohol into short, wide glasses than they do into tall, narrow ones of the same volume.

However, they believe that tall glasses hold more, Wansink said. Even professional bartenders pour more into short, wide glasses than into highball glasses, they found.

"If a person wants to limit how much they consume, it's better if you pour into a tall, skinny glass," Wansink said. "If as a host you want to limit what people drink, you better use tall, skinny glasses. You will be less likely to pour too much," he added.
For more on hangovers, head to the National Library of Medicine.

I used to swear by the old McDonalds cure...lots of greasy food, which led to a massive headache about 35 minutes after injesting, then followed by a violent trip to the toilet and then things start to look up. These days, I swear by a large glass of warm water with lemon, a banana and some sort of exercise and then a head massage (preferably performed by someone else, although it can be self-administered.). It actually works for me.

[Barbara]

Before the drinking begins: swallow a little glass of oil (olive oil, ...), it builds a kind of protection in your stomach and slows up the intrusion of alcohol in your metabolism.
Waking up with a hangover: coffee with lemon juice.

I do whatever I can to avoid throwing up, I hate it even if it's the most effective "solution"!!!

[Tiara]

If I ever have a big night of drinking I drink a pint of water before i go to bed when I get in, I always wake up feeling fresh as a daisy too!

Also, if I lie in bed half of the day feeling sorry for myself it always makes things worse. So although it hurts at the time I drag myself out of bed and get a shower and some breakfast.

[*trina*]

I read somewhere that tomatoes are good for a hangover

[pacific breeze]

If I remember to drink a glass of water for every drink I have, I don't get as dehydrated, or as drunk. But half the time I don't remember! I have to have lots of water the next day, a couple of 2-22s, something greasy and once in a while, a Coke, something I normally never drink.

[aabbcc]

Here's a hangover cure suggested by British food writer, Nigella Lawson.

Prairie Oyster - place an egg yolk in a glass ... add 3 tablespoons brandy, a few drops malt vinegar, a couple dashes tobasco, a few drops Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper ... down in one gulp.

Can't say if it works or not - I don't drink, so hangovers aren't something I worry about. I have, however, heard about drinking a raw egg quite often, so maybe there's something to it.

[eeyore0101]

I've found that that Chaser remedy that drugstores sell definitely takes the edge off hangovers, just be sure to follow directions...

ALso B12 before drinking - dunno how much it helps, but it doesnt hurt...

[A*O]

Don't drink too much in the first place.......... meanwhile, back in the real world I try to drink a large glass of water before going to bed. If I get the 'swirling room syndrome' then the only solution is a couple of fingers down the throat (but I haven't had to do that for a LONG time thank God). In the morning, a large glass of OJ with an couple of Panadol followed by a large bacon buttie usually does the trick.

[Lil]

Age definitely makes hangovers worse. I am much more careful now, as I begrudge losing the next day if I feel too ill to do anything. But if I do get a hangover (like today) I favour the greasy food and two paracetamol washed down with a gallon of tea approach.

[darksithbunny]

Water is the best cure. The body gets sick because the alcohol sucks up the excess water. Drinking lots of water is the only cure. Flushes the system and replaces the lost fluids.

[Tenaj]

Originally Posted by *trina*

I read somewhere that tomatoes are good for a hangover

Well I agree with tomato juice, all my friends think I'm sick for liking the stuff but it always makes me feel better. Plus where did the Bloody Mary hangover cure come from? - it makes sense to me.

If that fails, my Mum offered me some solpadeine soluble tablets once. She told me to put two in a large glass of water, swallow the lot (tastes of lemons and slightly fizzy so not too gag inducing), wait half an hour and hey presto - cured.

I was seriously buzzing around my house when I tried them. I cleaned all the rooms, washed the dishes, did two loads of laundry, hoovering - I was a woman possessed! I could not stop, I was nervously looking around for bits of fluff to pick up. This was all before 11.30am, usually I lie in bed literally willing my body to give up the will to live until 3pm.

Actually reading that back - there may be something suspicious in these solpadeine tablets.

[aabbcc]

Originally Posted by darksithbunny

Water is the best cure. The body gets sick because the alcohol sucks up the excess water. Drinking lots of water is the only cure. Flushes the system and replaces the lost fluids.

I've heard that water can also help prevent a hangover if you alternate water and alcohol when partying. Have a drink ... have a glass of water ... another drink ... another glass of water ... etc.

[Rambie]

I drink water between drinks when I am out at night, also I try to eat throughout the night, that always helps without fail.

[sweetrebel]

Originally Posted by Tenaj

Well I agree with tomato juice, all my friends think I'm sick for liking the stuff but it always makes me feel better. Plus where did the Bloody Mary hangover cure come from? - it makes sense to me.

If that fails, my Mum offered me some solpadeine soluble tablets once. She told me to put two in a large glass of water, swallow the lot (tastes of lemons and slightly fizzy so not too gag inducing), wait half an hour and hey presto - cured.

I was seriously buzzing around my house when I tried them. I cleaned all the rooms, washed the dishes, did two loads of laundry, hoovering - I was a woman possessed! I could not stop, I was nervously looking around for bits of fluff to pick up. This was all before 11.30am, usually I lie in bed literally willing my body to give up the will to live until 3pm.

Actually reading that back - there may be something suspicious in these solpadeine tablets.

Ship some of those bad boys this way!!
Seriously, I drink a glass of water and take 2 aleve before bed. During the night I always get thirsty, so I drink some throughout the night...just be careful about a cold glass of water first thing in the morning...have had friends it made sick...I love to have sweet tea after a night of drinking. Our hangover eating place was always huddle house or waffle house...grease and sweet tea-instant cure!! Later we just decided the only thing that was gonna cure a hangover is sex and watching tv most the day!!