What is your remedy for a hangover?

Answer 1

There is debate about whether a hangover might be prevented or at least mitigated. The most important thing to remember though, is that there is no remedy for making yourself sober. Alcohol must be oxidized through the liver before it leaves your body, though breathing deep breaths will sometimes help it go down a bit faster since there is actually alcohol on your breath. A four page literature review in British Medical Journal on hangover cures by Max Pittler of the Peninsular Medical School at Exeter University and colleagues concludes: "No compelling evidence exists to suggest that any conventional or complementary intervention is effective for preventing or treating alcohol hangover. The most effective way to avoid the symptoms of alcohol induced hangover is to practice abstinence or moderation." [1]

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Potentially beneficial remedies
Rehydration: "Effective interventions include rehydration, prostaglandin inhibitors, and vitamin B6."[2]
Opuntia ficus indica: A 2004 clinical study suggests that taking an extract of a prickly pear cactus fruit (Opuntia ficus indica) five hours before drinking had a statistically significant effect on three hangover symptoms. "Three of the 9 symptoms – nausea, dry mouth, and anorexia – were significantly reduced by OFI." (Anorexia in this context simply means loss of appetite, not be confused with anorexia nervosa.)[3][4] The authors conclude, "The symptoms of the alcohol hangover are largely due to the activation of inflammation. An extract of the OFI plant has a moderate effect on reducing hangover symptoms, apparently by inhibiting the production of inflammatory mediators."
Tolfenamic acid (TA): A study concludes, "TA was found significantly better than placebo in the subjective evaluation of drug efficacy (p<0.001) and in reducing the reported hangover symptoms in general (p < 0.01). In the TA group, significantly lower symptom scores were obtained for headache (p<0.01), and for nausea, vomiting, irritation, tremor, thirst and dryness of mouth (all p < 0.05)."[5]
Vitamin B6 (pyritinol): Some studies that have found that Vitamin B6 reduces hangovers.[2][6]
Chlormethiazole: "Chlormethiazole was found to lower blood pressure and adrenaline output and, furthermore, to relieve unpleasant physical symptoms, but did not affect fatigue and drowsiness. The cognitive test results were only slightly influenced by this agent, while psychomotor performance was significantly impaired. Subjects with severe subjective hangover seemed to benefit more from the chlormethiazole treatment than subjects with a mild hangover."[7] "However, all 8 subjects had unpleasant nasal symptoms following chlormethiazole, and it is therefore not an ideal hypnotic for this age group."[8]
Rosiglitazone: [Study in rats] "Rosiglitazone alleviated the symptoms of ethanol-induced hangover by inducing ALD2 expression…"[9]
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Probably ineffective remedies
Globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus) extract: "Our results suggest that artichoke extract is not effective in preventing the signs and symptoms of alcohol-induced hangover."[10]
Propranolol: "We conclude that propranolol does not prevent the symptoms of hangover."[11][12]
Fructose and glucose: "The results indicate that both fructose and glucose effectively inhibit the metabolic disturbances induced by ethanol but they do not affect the symptoms or signs of alcohol intoxication and hangover."[13]
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Supposed remedies
Note: Most of these have not been scientifically tested or reviewed in the above articles.

Drinking coffee or other caffeinated beverages. Caffeine increases the effectiveness of analgesics, and therefore may reduce headache severity when used with aspirin or similar medicines. However, it is also a diuretic and will promote dehydration, possibly worsening other hangover symptoms.
Cabbage leaves or tomato juice
Mixing in a tall glass two raw eggs with pepper, tabasco sauce, and gin. Although the cysteine in the egg yolk may have a mild benefit, the pepper, tabasco, and gin will have a negative impact. Colloquially known as a "Prairie Oyster".
Drinking more alcohol (see hair of the dog), a well-liked, though misguided remedy.
Coca Cola, otherwise known as "Black Aspirin" (popular in Australia), also "The Red Ambulance" (Ireland); the caffeine, bubbles and sugar can be easier to hold down than pure water. Moreover, the low pH helps the enzymes in the stomach and the sucrose partially compensates the inhibitation of the gluconeogenesis. Again, caffeine can worsen effects of dehydration.
Taking a shower and oscillating between extreme cold and hot temperatures. This practice has no effect on the hangover and can be unhealthy. Seen in the movie The Princess Bride.
Eating canned asparagus before going to bed, purportedly a good cure thanks to the diuretic effects of asparagus. Again, diuretics compound the problem.
Ginseng tea is given to a drunkard to relieve the effects of alcohol. This may be the practice, but there is no reason to believe ginseng will help.
Common folk medicine has a wide variety of supposed hangover cures. A good hangover cure should replace essential nutrients lost by the body while counteracting the influence of residual poisons; very few cures do both at once. Among the more common proposed cures are:

Drinking a sports drink such as Powerade or Gatorade, to re-hydrate and replenish lost nutrients in the body. Gatorade offers a high level of re-hydration and - if consumed before and after high amounts of drinking - can limit the effects of a hangover. Pedialyte contains more electrolytes than almost any over-the-counter drug. This will help you re-hydrate your body as quickly as possible.
Drinking a large amount of water before going to bed, and during the night, for rehydration (a little water is much better than none).
Eating as much food as you can hold down. Your pyloric valve will shrink in response to the large amount of food you consume thereby reducing any further absorption of alcohol. A large meal is likely to contain nutrients to replenish your body and may also cause drowsiness which will help you sleep while your body repairs.
Eating mineral-rich foods, like pickles or canned fish
Drinking pickle juice, the solution in which cucumbers were pickled, in the morning (a staple hangover remedy in Poland)
Eating anything substantial, especially before going to bed, to "soak up" the alcohol in the stomach (e.g. a pizza or sandwich)
Orange juice, which is rich in vitamin C
Taking a vitamin B1 (thiamin) supplement before going to bed
(instant) chicken or vegetable soup provides salt, proteins and electrolytes which help attenuate hangover symptoms
Drinking homemade Sauerkraut juice, the solution in which the cabbage was fermented in, in the morning (a staple hangover remedy in Serbia, called rasol)
Irn Bru is commonly regarded as a remedy in the UK.
Cysteine, which is available as the over-the-counter supplement N-acetylcysteine (NAC), is known to assist in processing acetaldehyde, best taken while already drinking and/or before going to bed. (Egg yolk is also rich in cysteine, and it is notable that many hangover folk remedies or morning-after breakfasts incorporate eggs.)
Consumption of an Ulster Fry (popular in Northern Ireland), an Irish Breakfast or a Breakfast Roll, a meal that is an all day breakfast.
Day/night cold and flu tablets - Be wary of ones that contain paracetamol as it should not be mixed with alcohol. Both alcohol and paracetamol can affect the liver, but combined are worse.
Taking a dose of ibuprofen before sleeping can reduce hangover effects dramatically; however long term (longer than two weeks) use of ibuprofen increases the risk of stomach ulcers.
Sleep. Some people argue that sleep only prolongs the negative effects of alcohol due to slower metabolism while asleep.
Exercise. Exercise can be painful with a hangover, but is usually very effective. It increases blood flow to the entire body, especially the head, and induces sweating, which helps the body purge alcohol. The feeling of lethargy dissipates and there is a strong mental and emotional effect where mood will improve.
In 2003, a fad hangover cure was a Russian pill, sold in Russia as Antipokhmelin (Anti-Hangover), and marketed as RU-21 in the USA. It is also known as the KGB pill due to its supposed use by the KGB to allow spies to keep a clear head while drinking

Answer 2

They Have These Pills They Call, "Hangover Helpers". I Don't Drink Anymore, But When I Did They Worked. They Sell Them In The Store.

If you Got A Hangover, Apparently You Drank Too Much, Or Mixed Drinks. Next Time Limit Your Intake and Stick to One Kind Of Drink.

Answer 3

Drink a glass of water for each drink you have during the evening. Before you go to bed take a multivitamin and a strong B complex vitamin supplement that contains all the B vitamins. Add some tylenol and ibuprofen and if needed, an Alka Seltzer. Repeat in the morning.

Answer 4

While I'm drinking, I make sure to have plenty of water (I glass of water per drink) and before I go to bed, I take 2 advil. When I wake up, I have another glass of water, and another advil, if I need it. Never had a problem yet.

Answer 5

I get laid by a girl that a screw my brains out the night I start drinking and if I get a girl that is a good lay I wake up alright but if she is a bad lay I am so messed up. If its to late and I am already hungover I just get a aspirin, sleep pill, and a bowl of Ice cream and watch so porn. that always fix me up after about an hour.

Answer 6

A veggie is a plant or part of a grow used as food

Answer 7

Both are good for you, each fruit/vegetable has different vitamins. Thus as more variety, as better. Vegetables have generally less sugar than fruits.

Answer 8

Drinking water before I go to bed

Answer 9

Water to rehydrate, works best before going to bed try antioxidants like green tea too.

Otherwise, sleep it off.

Answer 10

Ibuprofen works for me!
Sports drinks do help.
Take another drink, and put of the hang over!

Answer 11

drink plenty of water before I go to bed - ideally have a glass of water between each beer as well.

couple of painkillers before bed.

lots of water in the morning

cooked breakfast

then you could always not get drunk in the first place ;o)

Mike
http://www.rpigate.com