SciTech Tries: Hangover cures

Another year at Warwick means another Freshers Fortnight is upon us, and if you become partial to a few pints of purple throughout your time at university, you’re bound to be subjected to at least one nasty hangover. Many of us have tried to cure the beating headache and nausea that are our punishments for drinking a bit too much at circle. However, do any of these ‘miracle’ solutions have actual scientific merit? Katie Levey and Alex Stevens have tried and tested some of the most commonly touted hangover cures, to see if any can make the aftermath of a heavy night more bearable.

(Disclaimer: none of these will get rid of the shame you feel after embarrassing yourself at your very first POP!)

THE FULL ENGLISH

WHAT SCIENCE SAYS:

After a rough night of downing pints of purple, a full English breakfast is a classic go-to. However, is there any science to back up the claims that it will cure your hangover?

The fat component of the fry up is thought to be the reason this remedy works for some, but this belief is misplaced. Some experts believe that it is instead the amount of carbohydrates in the meal which helps to restore sugars levels that were depleted making moves on the dance floor of the Copper Rooms. However, research from the Alcohol Hangover Research group, (yes, there is such a thing), shows that drinking may actually lead to higher blood sugars levels, so this is also unlikely to be the cause of your headache in your early morning lecture.

The amino acid cysteine in the eggs of your fry-up is used by the liver to break down acetaldehyde…

Surprisingly, the amino acid cysteine in the eggs of your fry-up is used by the liver to break down acetaldehyde, which is the toxic by-product of alcohol. Unfortunately, the lack of research due to the ethical qualms with getting people inebriated in the name of science means there is no proper answer as to whether it definitely helps with the symptoms. But who knows, a Xanana’s breakfast with extra eggs might just do the trick for you!

DID IT WORK?

This remedy seems to be a bit of a hit and miss for me, but usually I’m wide awake and ready to sit through a morning of lectures just a few hours after eating. On other occasions, I still feel awful, but at least my nausea is reduced and I have some energy to face the day. However, this might just be because remembering to eat breakfast makes me feel like I have my life together.

The only downside is that this method requires you to first either leave your bed and cook a fried breakfast, or walk to somewhere that will do the cooking for you. Alternatively, you can bribe a flatmate to bring said food to you, but chances are they are all also shrinking away from the light.

 VERDICT

Four fried eggs out of five – it has some scientific backing and can help to alleviate symptoms. An added benefit is that it sure does taste good.

 A PINT OF WATER 

WHAT SCIENCE SAYS:

Many of us will have been told that drinking water before going to bed will leave us hangover free in the morning. Some research suggests that alcohol is a diuretic, which acts by suppressing the production of the chemical vasopressin, causing your kidneys to flush out water from your body. However, this might just be the science behind ‘breaking the seal’, since recent research suggests that dehydration might not actually be the main cause of your hangover.

There is no link between the hormones associated with dehydration and the severity of your hangover…

It is suggested that the water content in alcoholic drinks such as beer and cider counteract the dehydrating effects of the alcohol they contain. Research has also shown that there is no link between the hormones associated with dehydration and the severity of your hangover. So, while being dehydrated will definitely make you feel unwell, other factors dictate just how shocking your head feels in the morning. Instead, you can probably blame your immune system for this, but drinking plenty of water certainly won’t do you any harm.

DID IT WORK?

I find that drinking water before going to bed I find helps me feel more refreshed the next day, though it’s definitely not a cure all. In the morning, it is also a good idea to have another glass or two of water, along with some food – your body will thank you for it.

VERDICT

Three Jäger bombs out of five – worth a try, but since dehydration might not be the main cause of your hangover, there are still no promises when it comes to getting rid of your nausea.

THE ENEGRY DRINK

WHAT SCIENCE SAYS:

Sports drinks are often touted as a great hangover cure, and with good reason. They contain electrolytes, specifically sodium, which help you to retain all the water that you take in over the night. Water retention can make you feel much better as research has indicated that some (but not all) hangover symptoms are derived from the dehydrating effects of alcohol. An energy drink might even help if you drink too much water before you go to bed, as in some cases you can actually dilute your electrolytes.

Research suggests that sleep deprivation plays a large role in our suffering…

Additionally, energy drinks contain carbohydrates which release energy slowly, meaning you avoid a sugar rush/crash effect, helping you feel better throughout the day. Carbohydrates also increase the uptake of water in your gut, allowing further hydration.

However, research suggests that sleep deprivation plays a large role in our suffering. While you might pass out in the early hours and sleep soundly for rest of the night, alcohol is thought to prevent the REM (rapid eye movement) you need to feel refreshed and raring to go. If this is the case, using an energy drink to wake you up the morning after might not do you any favours. While we don’t advocate skipping lectures, you may be better off just trying to sleep through the pain!

DID IT WORK?

Honestly? Yes and no. Yes, because I felt a lot more active as the day went on, and my stomach settled itself down enough to enjoy some food. No, because the pounding headache would just not leave. It went on so long I was about to start charging rent, but thankfully it disappeared by the evening. I would recommend drinking juice or milk instead, as these fluids can replace electrolytes, without containing quite as much sugar, which may have been what contributed to the headache.

VERDICT

Four kebabs out of five – pretty effective, scientifically backed and less likely to make you look like a complete mess the following day. Just make sure you get a decent night’s sleep afterwards!

HAIR OF THE DOG

WHAT SCIENCE SAYS:

The “hair of the dog that bit you” is an English phrase from the 16th century describing a treatment for rabies, where hairs of a rabid dog were placed onto the victims’ bite wounds. Safe to say it didn’t work, and we’re not quite sure when it became attached to alcohol. Nevertheless, the phrase has been in common use for centuries. Sadly, there is no scientific evidence to support the idea that it actually works. Research indicates that the best another vodka and coke will ever do is delay the hangover for a bit, maybe giving you enough time to shower before you spend the day questioning your life choices. As far as the science goes, if this works for you, it’s probably just a psychological effect.

DID IT WORK?

I went into this one not sure what to expect, and got mixed results. After a particularly beery night out, I couldn’t even manage half a pint of lager with my cereal without feeling violently ill. The following weekend was spent entirely on cheap red wine, and despite not being able to smell food for a few hours, a bottle in the morning went down like a treat. Tequila slammers don’t really go well with a cheesy omelette, but I felt pretty good for a few hours before collapsing into a useless heap on the sofa. Worth a try for the bants, but probably not going to help you get to that nine o’clock lecture.

VERDICT

One missed lecture out of five – it was good fun drinking with breakfast three weekends in a row, but if you have anything to do that isn’t staying in bed, it’s probably best to leave this one.

So, there you have it. Four hangover cures tried and tested. As you can see, there’s a lack of knowledge concerning what actually causes a hangover, which unfortunately makes finding a solution much more difficult. That being said, all of our ‘cures’, (excluding ‘hair of the dog’ of course!) do have some scientific backing, and will probably help you out a little. However, until science brings us our ‘miracle cure’, we’re likely to have many more mornings spent nursing our hangovers, and feeling a more than a little sorry for ourselves.