The Science of Hangovers (and How to Avoid Them)

I almost skipped writing a post today because I turned 21 yesterday and spent the night partying too much for my own good. However, it dawned on me that I could write about hangovers and perhaps make some people’s lives marginally better.

Everyone has a favorite hangover cure that they recommend to all their friends. More often than not, such cures do nothing at all. Some may even make the problem worse. I think a lot of the problems around hangovers stem from the fact that most people don’t really understand them.

A hangover was initially thought to be caused by dehydration; alcohol is a diuretic that increases urine production. Dehydration from alcohol consumption causes symptoms like thirst and dizziness. However, scientists found no correlation between hangover severity and dehydration, which means that dehydration is not the main culprit.

Another hypothesis states that hangovers are caused by chemical imbalances resulting from alcohol consumption. The Smithsonian states that “with an excess buildup of NADH and insufficient quantities of NAD+, the thinking goes, your cells are no longer capable of efficiently performing a number of metabolic activities.” Research found again no correlation between NADH and hangover severity.

It seems, though, that the 3rd time’s the charm. The prevailing theory about hangover causation states that the condition stems from a buildup of acetaldehyde, an alcohol byproduct “between 10 and 30 times as toxic as alcohol itself. In controlled studies, it’s been found to cause symptoms such as sweating, skin flushing, nausea and vomiting,” said Smithsonian writer Joseph Stromberg. Acetaldehyde is an unavoidable product of drinking: it’s the first result of alcohol breakdown created by the liver enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase.

Ok, so if acetaldehyde will end up in our bodies no matter how much we drink, what should we do? Well the best option might be to abstain from drinking altogether. However, that doesn’t sound like a fun choice. If you intend to drink, you would be wise to listen to some of the common wisdom. Don’t drink very quickly, and make sure to eat beforehand. Food doesn’t absorb alcohol, but it does slow down the rate at which your body absorbs it.

That’s helpful, but only if you’re actively thinking about it before you start drinking. Is there any way to mitigate a hangover after the fact? Drinking a Bloody Mary doesn’t help. Nor does a greasy breakfast, brunch, or lunch. What about Vitamin B, orange juice, or caffeine? Nope, nope, and nope. The best known, scientifically-vetted hangover cure? Sprite. Sprite and its less popular cousin, soda water, have the ability to break down acetaldehyde in the blood and thereby make hangovers less severe. The Chinese researchers from Yat-Sen University in Guangzhou also determined that green tea and similar drinks would actually prolong the acetaldehyde breakdown process. So there you have it. Hung over? Drink Sprite or soda water.