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The headache begins to start, we’re dehydrated and we don’t have much of an appetite. It’s a this point that one Bloody Mary starts to make many people feel a lot better. Recent research shows that eating more nutrient-rich foods can help your body metabolize, or get rid of, alcohol more efficiently.
What *can* I do to cure my hangover then?
The “hair of the dog” hangover cure has not been well-studied, but a few theories exist as to why it may help you feel better the morning after heavy drinking. A morning drink may be the last thing you want after a night of boozing, but that’s exactly what this quirky English expression means. Originally, the expression referred to a method of treating a rabid dog bite; hair from the dog was placed in the wound. So in that sense, having another drink (any drink) is like taking hair from the dog that bit you.
The NIAAA’s input on ‘hair of the dog’
"Is drinking more alcohol to ease a hangover ever a good idea?" Matthew asks. "In a word - no. Ultimately, all it will actually do is delay symptoms until later in the day." So what if we told you there's an age-old hangover cure that might just spare you from your nauseous misery? Enter the infamous hair of the dog, a thought-to-work hack of continuing to drink so your body can get over the shock of drinking the night before. The government agency’s brochure states that drinking alcohol while hungover "might temporarily minimize some symptoms" — but "it could contribute to and prolong the malaise and other symptoms of the hangover."
What does the name Bloody Mary mean?
Opting for healthier alternatives, such as hydrating, resting, and nourishing your body, is the most effective way to recover from a night of indulgence. Remember, moderation and responsible drinking are key to avoiding the discomfort of a hangover and maintaining your overall well-being. Therefore, your best bet is to avoid drinking more the day after drinking so your body can start recovering ASAP and prevent more symptoms down the line. Other helpful methods for preventing or relieving a hangover include drinking in moderation, eating food, staying hydrated, sleeping well, and taking an NSAID pain-reliever. Research shows that hangovers tend to worsen over time during periods of heavy drinking (12). “Foods rich in an amino acid called cysteine can decrease the amount of the toxic chemical acetaldehyde, which is produced as your body metabolises alcohol.
Get some sleep.
You've probably tried it once or twice (ah, the trusty Bloody Mary), but if you haven't, it sounds a bit counter-productive, right? Yet having an alcoholic tipple when you're hanging is supposed to take the edge off your nastiest hangovers, on the days when copious amounts of carbs alone just won't do. There are as many versions of the Bloody Mary as there are theories regarding who the drink is named after, with beliefs ranging from Queen Mary I, to the actress Mary Pickford, to a waitress in Chicago who worked at a bar called the Bucket of Blood. Unfortunately, there's no proof that actually works, and there's no proof drinking more of the the poison that made you so nauseous in the first place will magically make you feel better. The potential small bit of relief you might get is short-lived and will only ultimately prolong your hangover.
There's a belief that drinking more alcohol when you’re already hungover can cure you of some rough symptoms. “The main cause of a hangover is ethanol – the alcohol in your drinks. It’s a toxic chemical that works in the body as a diuretic, which means it makes you pee more and you can become dehydrated as a result. “Some hangover symptoms are due to dehydration, so drinking plenty of water is important. If you’re feeling the repercussions after celebrating, you might be tempted to try the hangover ‘cure’ best known as hair of the dog. We spoke to experts to see if there is any science behind the theory and find out what else might help rid you of that headache, tiredness and nausea.
Hair of the dog: the science
If you’re trying to find an actual hangover cure, you’re sadly out of luck, according to the NIAAA, which is a part of the U.S. Choosing alcoholic beverages with low amounts of congeners may help reduce hangover severity. Drinking more alcohol to cure a hangover may lead to an even worse hangover when you stop. You may have heard of the “hair of the dog” method for curing hangovers. Research shows that when it comes to hangovers, us Brits seem to suffer more than other nationalities, with nearly two in 10 of us struggling with hangovers after drinking.
The “hair of the dog” is a hangover remedy that involves drinking more alcohol to reduce hangover symptoms. But what about after brunch is over, if you aren’t prepared to spend the rest of your day vegging out on the sofa? Unfortunately, at some point, your body is going to have to metabolize that alcohol, which means there will come a time when you are going to need to deal with the impact your decisions have caused. Suffice it to say, if you are going to need to stop drinking at some point, you’ll need to search for another cure, or just deal with the eventual symptoms. Another potential downside of “hair of the dog” is that some researchers believe it could potentially lead to unhealthy drinking behaviors or, in the worst case, even alcohol use disorder. Studies show that those who have hangovers should avoid further alcohol use, since additional drinking increases any existing toxicity of alcohol consumed in the prior drinking session.
Why do we get hangovers, anyway?
2 Your Health: avoiding a hangover this St. Patrick’s Day - WCBD News 2
2 Your Health: avoiding a hangover this St. Patrick’s Day.
Posted: Thu, 14 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Drinking more alcohol only delays the body's natural recovery process and can lead to a prolonged hangover. In Icelandic, a hangover cure is called "Afréttari" translated "a straightener". If you are feeling hungover, the first drink will straighten you out or lift you back up to your normal state.
And while some of these will be familiar to most of us, there are others that seem to impact only an unlucky few. Dizziness or faintness, loss of appetite, stomach ache, nausea and a racing heart are also common he says, pointing to research carried out in 2012 by Renske Penning and colleagues. To find out, we've enlisted the help of two health experts to weigh in on the supposed 'cure'. If you do try the "hair of the dog" approach, it will certainly not cure your hangover. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
"That being said, it doesn’t fix a hangover, but rather delays the symptoms." "The feeling of a hangover is due to the receptors being without alcohol," he told Fox News Digital. "Many of the symptoms [including headache and gastrointestinal upset] are minimized if the alcohol is reintroduced and the receptors are no longer absent of alcohol."
The idea may have some basis in science in the difference between ethanol and methanol metabolism. Hair of the dog might offer a little bit of temporary relief from a hangover –– but that doesn't mean it's a good idea. While the “hair of the dog” hangover cure is not recommended, there are plenty of other ways to prevent or reduce hangover symptoms. The “hair of the dog” hangover remedy can temporarily make you feel better by boosting endorphins and slowing the creation of toxic compounds, but the hangover will return when you stop drinking.
Before we get into how to relieve our hangover, let’s look at why many of us are so keen too. Symptoms vary from person to person, but there are a core few that seem to be universal. This means there are going to be a lot of sore heads over the festive season – particularly on 1 January.
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