How Do I TREAT My Hangover?

Treatments for your Hangover

Ok, so you have got a hangover, aka alcohol withdrawal, and you want to get rid of it? Although there are no sure-fire cures for a hang over, there are indeed many ways of treating a hangover. As we all know, time heals pain. So, ultimately it will require rest and patience for your body to provide results. But this doesn’t mean you can’t help it along the way. Below are many of the most common and/or effective treatments. If you know of another treatment that is not listed here, please contact us as soon as you can so we can test it out.

Hair of the Dog Remedies
Ever heard the old adage “eat the hair of the dog that bit you”? Well, same goes for alcohol in many cases. Many people believe that by drinking more alcohol the next day, it will save you from a hangover. This is unfortunately not true. Even though the ‘hair of the dog’ hangover treatment DOES alleviate the hangover a bit first thing in the day, it only delays the effects of the coming hangover when it is not prevented the day before (please refer to Preventing Hangovers page). There are, however, some hair of the dog recipes that do, indeed, have some redeeming qualities. Those recipes usually contain a raw egg. Yes. Raw egg. Eggs contain a substance called cysteine which ‘mops up’ remaining acetaldehyde, the toxin produced during alcohol metabolism in your liver which can cause more ‘amplified’ hangovers.

Common hangover recipes:

Prairie Oyster (aka Cowboy Be-Bop):
1 Cup of tomato juice, or can of V8
1 Whole raw egg
1 Dash of Worcestershire sauce
1 Dash of salt and black pepper for seasoning
1-2 Oz. Vodka (optional)

Note: Remember this is a raw egg we are talking about and they do pose a risk of salmonella. Do not consume it if you feel it may be a hazard to your health.

Bloody Mary:
1 Glass of tomato juice
1 Dash of salt and black pepper
1 Dash hot sauce
3 Dashes of Worcestershire sauce
1 Dash lemon juice
1/8 tsp. horseradish
1 oz. vodka (optional)

Eggs
As mentioned earlier, eggs contain an amino acid called cysteine which helps counter the effects of acetaldehyde, which is known to create worsened hangovers.

Water and Sports drinks (i.e. Gatorade)
Since your body is a bit dehydrated from the alcohol metabolism process, you will need to continuously consume water in order to replace the loss of water due to the diuretic effects of alcohol, namely urination. Keep hydrated. Also, sports drinks such as Gatorade provide electrolytes, sugars, as well as minerals needed to help the body recover from dehydration experienced during hangovers.

Pain Relievers
A very effective element in the process of alleviating hangover symptoms is pain relievers. Try to avoid stomach irritants such as aspirin. Also, please note that Tylenol (containing acetaminophen can cause liver damage if mixed with alcohol.

Sleep
Sleep is one of the most essential treatments for a hangover as your body in most cases does not get a chance to go into the R.E.M. state of sleep which provides proper restoration for your brain due to the rebound of glutamine in your body. This ins one of the causes of the ‘out of it’ feeling that is experienced during a hangover.

Bouillon Soup
Bouillon broth is a great food to consume when you have a hangover as it provides water and electrolytes in order to restore your body from dehydration. Also, bouillon soup helps your hang over as it replaces salt and potassium lost while the alcohol was being consumed.

Bread/Crackers
Carbohydrates such as bread and crackers help raise blood sugar levels and calm upset stomach.

Bananas
Bananas help to calm stomach irritation as well as provide much needed potassium levels that have been lowered due to alcohol. Antacids/Pepto Bismol helps alleviate irritated stomach as well.

Coffee
Contrary to popular belief, coffee does not necessarily ‘cure’ a hangover. It simply helps relieve the headache a bit while giving you a speedy boost of energy. Also, coffee is considered to be a diuretic (it dehydrates you) as well as stomach irritant so you may want to explore other options if these symptoms normally affect you.
Ginseng can be a good alternative to coffee since it is not a diuretic while it still increases your energy helping alleviate some of the tiredness that hangovers can cause.

Fruit & Vegetable Juice
Both fruit and vegetable juices can help re-hydrate your body during a hangover as well as provide essential nutrients that your body requires in order to rebound from the long night out drinking. There is also salt in many of the juices as well as sugars which also aid a hangover.

Ginger
This is a great natural supplement for the irritability of your stomach during a hangover.

Magnesium
Supplements such as magnesium during a hang over can help replace the magnesium depleted from your body while it processed the alcohol. Drinking alcohol can lead to magnesium deficiencies and more severe hangovers.

Milk Thistle
We mention milk thistle because of its liver-improving qualities. Milk thistle is often recommended for individuals experiencing liver problems.

Sugar
Sugars (honey and fruit juice), namely fructose, has been thought to help alleviate hangovers. As the alcohol is processed in the liver, the sugars stored in the liver are used up and will need to be restored.

Vitamin B6
Studies have shown B6 as effective towards helping the body cope with the stress on the body that occurs when it exposed to alcohol, preservatives and some congeners which cause heightened hangovers.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an antioxidant. This helps your hangover situation in a number of ways. First, alcohol depresses your immune system, leaving you wide open for colds and other viruses. Vitamin C will boost most immune systems. Next, as alcohol metabolizes and our body detoxifies itself, a substantial number of free radicals are released into our body. Vitamin C’s antioxidant qualities helps fight free radicals in our body as well as potentially alleviating effects of a hang over as well as possible damage to tissues that could occur.