The Virtual Bar Hangover Page

Hangover Remedies

Anti Hangover Tips

By: Dr. I. M. Bibe

Well, having done YEARS of research on hangover cures, here are my scientific findings:

Method 1.

There is one preventive measure that is absolutely foolproof for every person in the world: Don't ever drink. You'll be guaranteed to avoid hangovers for the rest of your life.

Method 2.

Since 99.9% of the people who are concerned with hangovers will never follow method #1, then the next best preventive measure is this: Never drink enough to get really drunk. That way, hangovers will be rare, if not nonexistent.

Method 3.

Since almost everyone who has ever had a hangover will refuse to comply with methods #1 or #2, then this is the next best preventive measure. It has been suggested that consuming a couple of asprin, acetominophone or ibuprofen and drinking a couple of glasses of water will help to reduce the negative effects of drinking. However, this course of action could be hazardous to you long-term health. We recently received the following message from the Univ of Pennsylvania School of Medicine:

"Acetominophen, Aspirin, and Ibuprofen should never be taken with alcohol (unless directed by a physician). Alcholics even should avoid them when not drinking. Tylenol is metobolized by the liver and if the liver has upregulated p450 enzyme system it releases a toxic metabolite. Alcohol plus acetominophen has led to numerous liver transplants and is very dangerous. Recently, Tylenol has been forced to put labels on their bottles with alcohol warnings. Ibuprofen is also metabolized by the liver and little may be known. However, alcohol is a stomach irritant and NSAIDs like aspirin and ibuprofen plus alcohol is also a bad idea."

Method 4.

Methods #1, #2, & #3 apply to ALL people. From this point on, we enter the mysterious realm of experimental preventives. The problem here is that all people are not alike in such things as size, weight, metabolism, chemistry, etc. So, what works for me may not work for you. But I offer these as good ideas to try when you've done what 89% of us do - namely, said to hell with methods #1, #2, & #3. You've just opened your eyes to find yourself crumbled into a collapsed mess, hopefully in a bed, hopefully in somewhat familiar surroundings, but, worst of all, awake. Your mind gradually manages to reconstruct some sort of memory of some portion of the previous night's activities. You feel like the worst part of hell (this is the cue for the proverbial "I'll-never-drink-again" declaration, one of the most pitiful demonstrations of bull$#!+ in all of human behavior). You need help. Quick. A little understanding of what a hangover actually IS really comes in handy here. It's a combination of a few physiological things: a) dehydration - the alcohol has forced evaporation of a certain vital portion of the body's water; b) nervous shock - you're coming off the effects of a mild overdose of a depressant drug, so your nerves are displaying the great Newtonian natural law of action/reaction by going into a relatively hypersensitive state; c) malnutrition - pumping all that alcohol and liquid through your body has effectively flushed away a significant supply of your storage of vitamins and nutrients, chemicals which would stimulate natural defense systems, but you're running seriously low on them now. So..... What you need to do is take some restorative steps to begin a recovery process. This means doing the same things that you should've done in method #3 (it's really too late now, but it can't hurt). It means rest and as little nervous stimulation as possible. It also means trying to eat something that will help to replace the nutrients you've lost. That really should be in the forms of fruits/vegetables, NOT fatty, greasy junk, not dairy foods, something that isn't too tough on the already beat-up digestive system. Bananas are great for key vitamins. But I'll tell you what I've found to be a real miracle medicine for me - tomatoes! Strange but true. This came to me by pure accident. I was a suffering bastard one day following a night of revelry, and I knew I needed some food, but I found myself in a situation where I didn't really have any choice about the lunch that I'd been served. It was a basic Italian-American dish that included a tomato sauce (something like lasagne or spaghetti). In less than an hour after eating, I felt rejuvenated, almost back to normal! I couldn't believe how quickly I had gone from hangover hell to basically ok. I figured it was just a fluke. But the next time I was in a similar situation, I deliberately tried it again, and it worked! This sort of explains half of the reason that a Bloody Mary is the standard morning-after drink. (The OTHER half, of course, is that more alcohol - "hair-of-the-dog" - acts to relax your shattered nerves and numb the pain in the head, but more alcohol is also a great step on the road to alcoholism, not a habit I'd suggest.) So, next time, try it. Maybe a little light pasta with a meatless, greaseless, tomato sauce. Cold gazpacho or a mild salsa may work too, but your stomach will be in no mood for onions and peppers. A glass of V8 may be just the thing. Citrus juices tend to bother the stomach too; but tomatoes are highly acidic, so I can't explain that part.

A Variation On Tomatoes

You say that "But I'll tell you what I've found to be a real miracle medicine for me - tomatoes! ". Tomatoes are good but cucumbers are better for me. They are just water in a solid form, just add lots of salt and they are better than Gatorade. You'll feel better in a few minutes. The salt is the most important element, along with the cucumber (food) that doesn't irritate the stomache. Give it a try!!!
Thanks RSI.

R. Scott

Method 5.

If you know you're going to be drinking a LOT of something, there are certain definite DON'Ts:

The Don'ts

Don't mix a lot of different types of alcoholic drinks (liquor, then wine, then beer). Loudon Wainwright wrote a song about this: "Drinks before dinner and wine with dinner and after-dinner drinks/ Single-entendre/Help me, Rhonda/Locate my cufflinks/ Come with me and you all will see that it all be alright/ Rudolph the red-nosed wino will guide our sleigh tonight."

Don't overdo it with colored liquors (red wine, whiskeys, cordials, dark rum). A cheap red wine hangover is absolutely THE WORST. Death without actually passing into the next world.

Don't> overdo it with sweet blended concoctions. This is the classic mistake of the basic novice drinker. All of these sick sugary trendy drinks with cream of whatever, and doughnut-flavored schnapps, and layers of nifty floating colored syrups and liquers. Imitation raspberry-flavored margaritas and "daiquiris". (Raise your hand if you've ever even SEEN a real daiquiri.) The combination of all of that sugar in the stomach with the mandatory alcoholic kick in the head - the end-result is almost always the same.

From an expert

1. A good heavy meal before drinking will null some of the alcohol's effects. As a matter of fact it will help you to stop drinking if you cannot do it yourself. After a heavy meal and a few drinks you can tell you really cannot drink anymore because you feel so full, and you laterally stop drinking.

2. Second Remedy is, after drinking and before passing out for the night, drink a glass of water with sugar. Put in a glass of water about three full spoons of sugar, mix it, and drink it. While you sleep, the sugar in the glass will breakdown the alcohol molecule there by breaking the proverbial "hell hangover" you will feel the next morning. Then in the morning you will feel better and have breakfast, once you have breakfast you will be back to normal.

Best Regards,
Manny

I recommend the following:

Drink 1 can V8.
Eat 1 small bag cool ranch doritos.
Jump in the ocean, not too deep though.

You'll feel like a million bucks instead of a buck and some change.

ray

Variation on a theme...

Many who imbibe continue to drink right up til they pass out, or go to bed. That means, that while they're sleeping, they are still getting DRUNKER!!!

So, if they can mix the last couple with a little water, or even have a big glass of warer before retiring...the results are amazing. The ocassional Tylenol works, too, esp. with a glass of water. But, as you noted, this is not good for long term strategies.

And, a really spicy, ice cold V8 juice will really help tremendously also the morning after. For some reason, it helps the body metabolize the alcohol left in the system, thereby reducing thirst, helps to reduce dehydration, and adds some nutrition to the sufferer.

Lary F.

More On Water

In addition to your tips - I find that while "drinking a night away" it really helps to have a glass of water between every couple of drinks toward the later part of the evening. This way you won't become as dehydrated during the night - which is the idea!!

Very interesting - your tomatoes theory. I'll have to try it.

Thanx BB

Pickles and Tea?

I didn't find anything like this on your hangover page, so here's a way to fight it. There is one great hangover remedy Russians use (I think we're very experienced in this field :-)) - PICKLED CUCUMBERS (or cabbage as well) BRINE!!! It makes the aldehydes which alcohol turns to as it gets into our body "knuckle under" and throws it out. Here is recipe of how to get from a hangover just in about an hour:

1. Take two pills of aspirin or paracetamol (better) with pickled cucumbers or cabbage brine (DON'T DRINK MARINADES because vinegar slows the process of aldehydes dissociation).
2. In 15-20 minutes have a big cup of just a little sweetened tea (but not very strong).

It should feel better in 40 minutes. And if you make yourself drink a cup of fatty broth the cure will come even faster.

Best regards,
Anatoli S.

Vitamin B-12

Wow, I was shocked wen I looked through your site looking for a new drink to mix for my Quake 2 tournament tonight.... I noticed the CURE for hangovers was missing from your web page... So here it is. When you drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes the vitamin B-12 is depleted from your system thus causing hangovers. So simply take 250mg-500mg before you go out drinking.

Eric

A Little Energy

I have found a cure for hangovers there is a drink called ENERGY, made by Hansens it contains ginko and others herbs one night I drank the most I had ever drank before and the next morning I felt like total shit i just wanted to curl up in a ball and die then i drank half of an ENERGY and in 10 minutes I was up cleaning my house and for the rest of the day I felt fine. this is very odd because I am uaually sick untill the next day. I thought you might like to try this and add it to your webpage. Hansen's ENERGY may be hard to find though the store where we used to buy it quit stocking it.

Oh Captain, My Captain

I am a yacht captain, which means I'm quite often drinking and always near water. I have found that swimming in salt water the day after drinking can bring me back to life for whatever reason. I have several friends who claim the same.

-Bill H.

Sleep Aids Hangover Cure

I've personally found that a Vivarin ( NODOS will eat your stomach), 2 Ibuprofen and a quart of Gatoraide, or Poweraide taken over the course of a couple hours will have you wondering what the hell the problem was when you woke up.

Thanks, Brian W.

Sports Drinks

i have found that gatorade works well for hangovers. keep a big container of powder ready for the morning after, first a light mix, then add more powder to less water to rehydrate first, then replenish vital salts that drinking too much may have caused you to lose also, supposedly acsorbic acid, (vitamin c) helps the body break down alcohol. I don't know if it is scientifically proven, but seems to help a little, especially when you wake up and you are still shit faced. take about 1500mg. The gatorade really is quite good at rehydration and I highly recommend it.

Candy T.

Cold Water Cure

When on vacation on Mt Desert Island, Me., a friend and I went to the Bar Harbor clubs every night and got quite drunk. We were camping in the woods by a stream with a big pool. The first morning - for some reason still unknown to me - I felt so bad that I climbed on a rock and jumped in the icy pool (stress ICY!). Like magic, I felt 100% better (after I resumed breathing!) I repeated this idiotic sounding ritual every morning for the simple reason that it worked every morning. At home I use the cold water tap only for a shower with limited success. If only I could bring that icy Maine pool to SC!

Enjoyed your remedies.
Dan

Honey Wagon

I just read your hangover remedies and found it both entertaining and interesting. I too have some remedies if you are interested.

I read somewhere (a very long time ago) that fructose absorbs alcohol right out of your system. I have put this method to the test and it worked so well that I still follow it to this day.

I woke up about 8 years ago with what was up until that point of my life, the absolute WORST hangover of my then sorry life. I began my new method of treatment...lol...by swallowing a couple of tablespoons of honey and then began eating ices....like the long ones you buy in a big old cardboard box that come in all different flavors. The hangover was completely gone....not even that fuzzy feeling that usually remains in your head even after the worst pain is gone. I was able to shake my head back and forth and still no pain!

Sorry this has been so long, but I hope it helps some other unfortunate hangover sufferers like myself.

Love your page!!
Dawn

Shoulda Had a V-8

Your suggestion that V8 juice might be a good hangover cure is right on, but I take that one step further. Mix V8 juice about 50/50 with soda water (not Tonic Water). The V8 replenishes the vitamins and minerals and the soda water (being slightly alkaline) takes some of the acidic "bite" off the V8 making it easier on the stomach. This one has gotten rave reviews with everyone I know who's tried it.

I think it works a little better if everything is at room temperature, by the way. It's kind of flat and strange tasting, but effective.

Don

Could This Be the One?

I am a Bartender in Lubbock TX, and I must say, I absolutely LOVE your site. I do have some hangover suggestions.

1) Bitters and soda, if it doesn't make you puke, it will totally settle your hangover Nausea.
2) A relatively new Energy drink called "Red Bull" makes you feel almost normal. It costs about two bucks and tastes really good, but its chock full of all kinds of vitamins and healthy stuff. Its great!

Other than that, I'd like to thank you, I have learned a lot from your site. See Ya

JACKiE L.

Plop, Plop

After a nasty night on the town with some college buddies, I sometimes wake up and feel like I fell from the "Someone beat my ass" tree and hit every branch on the way down. It doesn't happen very often, but when it does it's usually due to experimenting with other alcohols my body isn't used to i.e. whiskey, te-kill-ya, or any of the other hard shit...so I mostly stick to beer.

If I throw up...it's a sure fire thing that I will be in complete agony the next day. This all happened until I came to the great university at Oklahoma State...a buddy told me Alka-seltzer was the key. I tried it and sure enough I was a brand new man in 15 minutes. I asked the pharmacist and he agreed that it will indeed help any aches or pains one may have and do it much faster than regular aspirine because it's effervescent and hits your system almost immediatly. If you can tolerate the taste, it works every time...gauranteed! Believe it or disprove it. (extra strength is the best)

-Graham