As
Men’s Health magazine puts it so wonderfully, drinking is often a “buy-now, pay-later” affair, and few are those who have never woken up feeling all sorts of down under the weather after a night of heavy partying. Of course, it is commonly believed that most of us practice moderation even when drinking, but slip-ups do occur, which is precisely why a tester for the aforementioned publication took it upon himself to see which hangover cure myths hold water and which do not apply in real life.
Keeping properly hydrated both while drinking and afterwards is said to efficiently eliminate the nasty side-effects that kick in the morning after. Plain water and Gatorade, whose benefits are said to surpass those of the former, are two of the most recommended beverages to be consumed with alcohol. There is some truth to that, Men’s Health says after talking with the “tester” and a couple of specialists.
As far as water is concerned, drinking a glass every two hours or plenty of it at the end of the evening can help in fighting a hangover in that it “puts you ahead of the game,” as Robert Swift, M.D., of Brown University, underlines. Gatorade is an even better option since “the extra salt helps your body absorb the fluid more quickly,” thus preventing dehydration, Dr. Swift adds. Unfortunately, neither of the two are bullet-proof variants so they must be combined with other remedies the morning after.
Another useful tip is to never drink on an empty stomach, which Dr. Swift describes as a no-brainer basically. “The longer alcohol stays in the stomach, the better your body breaks it down.” he explains, adding that a hearty meal (or even a burger or a sandwich) before heading out to party can be extremely efficient in eliminating the effects of a hangover. However, the long-standing myth regarding the almost unknown powers of orange or tomato juice does not stand, Dr. Swift adds, as neither does that of the bull’s eye (orange juice mixed with a raw egg). Aspirin may work, but caution must be advised since it can irritate the stomach, while the combination of alcohol with Tylenol can damage the liver.
The RU-21 supplement, which is said to speed up the elimination of toxins while cutting down on the by-products that cause nausea and headaches, seems to work, but its efficiency depends from person to person, Dr. Swift tells the magazine. A much better option would be working out – but there is a catch here too. While the tester for Men’s Health vouched that he literally felt like he was sweating out the alcohol he had ingested the night before, specialists say that this is not really the case. “The perfect placebo: You’re just doing something to get your mind off the hangover. But you’re getting a good workout, too.” Men’s Health writes.
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