A hangover is a series of symptoms that occur in the morning typically following a night of heavy drinking. A hangover usually consists of nausea, headaches, body aches, vomiting, and general confusion. Hangovers have been a part of the human experience since the first fermentation of alcohol over 10,000 years ago in the Chinese river valley civilization. Indeed, there are numerous writings from the Classical era that detailed the attempts by Greeks and Romans to cure the bothersome post-libation ailment. However, they were ultimately unsuccessful, and thus, we must look to modernity to provide us with bless’d relief.
Does a big breakfast cure a hangover?
Short answer: A big breakfast probably won’t cure a hangover, but it most likely help.
Longer answer: A big breakfast can help restore blood sugars to their original levels after being drained by heavy drinking. Eggs are especially important for restoring antioxidants like glutathione because alcohol can greatly deplete beneficial compounds. If the hangover is mild, it is likely that a big hearty breakfast will improve your condition; however, should your stomach be averse to ingestion of any food, a big breakfast will certainly not provide relief.
Does drinking water prevent or cure a hangover?
Short answer: Drinking water the night before or the morning of the hangover does not cure a hangover. However, drinking enough water prevents you from being subjected to dehydration and a hangover, which can make it much more manageable.
Longer answer: Hangover symptoms often overlap with those of dehydration, which makes it difficult to determine if someone is suffering from one or both. Alcohol causes dehydration by increasing urine production, making it important to drink water to counteract those effects. A Dutch study examined a large group of college students and determined that drinking water before bed would not lessen the severity of a hangover. Their conclusion was that only drinking less alcohol would prevent a hangover.
Does ‘hair of the dog’ reduce a hangover?
Short answer: Drinking the morning after does not entirely prevent a hangover. Often it just delays the inevitable while encouraging dangerous habits.
Longer answer: Hangover symptoms typically start to set in when the alcohol blood content reaches zero once more. All alcoholic beverages contain small amounts of methanol, a toxic alcohol that is metabolized into formaldehyde, which could be responsible for more severe hangovers. A common treatment for methanol poisoning is to counteract it with bicarbonate and ethanol, or ingestible alcohol. It is possible that drinking more ethanol can reduce the level of methanol and prevent the formation of formaldehyde. Consuming ethanol also temporarily causes an endorphin boost, which can help alleviate symptoms; however, eventually the endorphin rush will end and the hangover will return.