Health

A few tips that may prevent a full-blown hangover

There’s no evidence a breakfast roll will cure you, but there may be preventative measures

Is the classic fry-up the holy grail hangover cure it promises to be? Photograph: iStock
Is the classic fry-up the holy grail hangover cure it promises to be? Photograph: iStock
Dr Muiris Houston
Tue Dec 29 2020 - 06:01

Did you enjoy Christmas, albeit on a smaller scale than usual? And what about the new year festivities: are you planning to consume much alcohol on Thursday night?

January is Health Month in The Irish Times. Throughout the month, in print and online, we will be offering encouragement and inspiration to help us all improve our physical and mental health in 2021. See irishtimes.com/health
January is Health Month in The Irish Times. Throughout the month, in print and online, we will be offering encouragement and inspiration to help us all improve our physical and mental health in 2021. See irishtimes.com/health

Exuberant festive drinking carries the risk of waking up with a significant hangover on New Year’s Day. This column has some tips to help reduce the severity of that hangover.

Read on: I may even have the definitive hangover cure.

When considering what your tipple will be come new year’s, watch out for congeners in alcohol. Drinks heavy in congeners include red wine, whisk(e)y and brandy. White wine is more “congenial” than red, while rum and gin also have a lower congener concentration. But the lowest of all is vodka: it has almost no colouring or flavouring, making it theoretically the best type of alcohol if your aim is to avoid a severe hangover.

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In addition to the peak blood alcohol levels reached during a drinking session, these characteristics likely play a part in the severity of a hangover: type of beverage(s) consumed; the nature of the drinking occasion; and characteristics of the individual drinker.

Interestingly, the authors of a review could find no research that examined the effects of drinking circumstances on hangover incidence. Whether a social drinking event was convivial or discordant; consuming food prior to, during, or after drinking; the concomitant use of medications or illegal drugs; and predrinking mood and level of fatigue, were cited as possible, but unproven, factors to influence hangover severity.

Tips that may prevent a full-blown hangover

  • Always drink on a full stomach, to even out the absorption of alcohol.
  • Red wine contains tyramine, a chemical that can produce a severe headache, so avoid the reds if this happens to you.
  • Try to alternate alcohol with non-alcoholic drinks.
  • Because alcohol is hugely dehydrating, try to drink a pint or two of water or fruit juice before going to bed after a party. While dehydration is definitely a factor; the toxic byproducts produced by the liver when it processes alcohol are another; and the reduction of blood sugar levels also plays a role. Dehydration is typically accompanied by electrolyte imbalance. Combining water and an electrolyte supplement can therefore tackle some of the symptoms of your hangover, but by no means all of them.

But what if, despite deploying some preventive measures, you wake up feeling irritable, with a pounding headache, tummy cramps, diarrhoea and extreme thirst?

What if, despite your best efforts at preparation, you still wake up with a hangover? Photograph: iStock
What if, despite your best efforts at preparation, you still wake up with a hangover? Photograph: iStock

Some classic hangover cures

  • The hair of the dog is well known. A classic example is a 50/50 mix of tequila and Tabasco sauce. The principle behind the hair of the dog is simply to postpone the inevitable. Adding to your alcohol overload the following morning will not help you avoid a hangover and could be dangerous.
  • One of the more traditional remedies for a hangover is a plate of greasy bacon and eggs. But is the fry-up the holy grail it promises to be? Foods such as bacon and eggs contain an amino acid called cysteine, known to decrease the amount of the toxic chemical acetaldehyde, which is produced as your body metabolises alcohol. But eating a meal with protein, fat and carbohydrate - effectively "lining your stomach" - before hitting the bottle, may be a better bet.
  • A quick survey of family and friends produced the following suggestions for hangover cures: breakfast rolls and Lucozade was a popular one; while the junior doctor in the family said a crisp sandwich was her 'go-to' remedy, accompanied by a good dose of self-pity.

So what about my definitive hangover cure?

I’m afraid there’s no evidence-based treatment for a hangover. The only surefire way to avoid “the morning after the night before” is to drink alcohol in moderation, or not to drink it at all.

And on that note I’d like to wish readers a happy and Covid-free new year.

mhouston@irishtimes.com, muirishouston.com