Hangover Myths vs Facts: What Actually Helps
Hangover Myths vs Facts: What Actually Helps
This is the last in my holiday alcohol series. For the direct links to the other articles, check the end of this post.
Hangovers are one of those topics people ask about quietly but experience loudly. I teach college students and adults of legal drinking age, and questions about hangovers come up. People sometimes get offended that this is addressed in a nutrition context, but why not? Alcohol has calories, and people consume it. Ignoring it doesn’t help educate. And in that context, I want to be clear that this article is not permission to overconsume alcohol. It is not encouragement. It is education.
Most people (who drink alcohol) are not drinking with the intention of getting a hangover. Social events run long.. Drinks are stronger than expected. Food intake is inconsistent. The body simply cannot keep up. It happens.
So let’s talk about what a hangover actually is and whether the popular “cures” are myths or facts.
What a Hangover Really Is
A hangover is a collection of symptoms that occur after alcohol leaves your bloodstream. Headache, nausea, fatigue, thirst, brain fog, sensitivity to light, and irritability are common. These symptoms are driven by several factors working together.
Alcohol is a diuretic, which increases fluid loss and contributes to dehydration. It also irritates the stomach lining, disrupts blood sugar regulation, interferes with sleep, and creates inflammatory byproducts as the liver breaks it down. Congeners, which are compounds formed during fermentation and aging, may worsen symptoms depending on the type of alcohol consumed.
There is no magic switch that turns this process off. The liver can metabolize only about half an ounce of pure alcohol per hour. No supplement, drink, or trick changes that. Time matters.
So let’s address some of the things suggested to prevent or cure a hangover in the context of before, during, and after…
Before Drinking: Myth or Fact?
Have a tablespoon of honey before heading out for the night
Myth with a small kernel of truth: Honey contains fructose, which may slightly support liver alcohol metabolism. However, one tablespoon is not enough to prevent a hangover. The bigger factor here is having food in your system: carbohydrates, protein, and fat slow alcohol absorption. Honey alone is not a hangover shield.
During Drinking: Myth or Fact?
The order of drinks matters
Myth: “Beer before liquor” does not prevent hangovers. What matters is total alcohol intake and how quickly it is consumed. Mixing drinks does not magically change how alcohol is metabolized. To explain it, the idea of “beer before liquor, never sicker” is likely from experience, but think about it. Starting with beer, then proceeding to liquor is not the order, but if one is a consumer of beer and other drinks, that’s more than one drink.
The type of drink matters
Mixed: All alcohol contains ethanol, which is the primary driver of hangovers. That said, drinks with higher levels of congeners, such as whiskey, bourbon, and dark rum, may worsen symptoms for some people. Beer and wine are not hangover-proof.
Stick with clear distilled spirits
Mixed: Clear spirits generally contain fewer congeners than darker spirits. This may reduce hangover severity for some people. It does not prevent a hangover if intake is excessive.
Eat before drinking
Fact: Eating before and during drinking slows alcohol absorption and helps stabilize blood sugar. This is one of the most effective strategies to reduce hangover severity. But a hangover can still happen.
End of the Night: Myth or Fact?
Vomiting prevents a hangover
Myth: Vomiting does not remove alcohol that has already entered the bloodstream, and alcohol is absorbed pretty quickly, so if more than 30 minutes have passed, that horse is out of the barn, so to speak. Vomiting can worsen dehydration, irritate the throat, and increase electrolyte loss.
Hydration drinks or supplements prevent hangovers
Mixed: Electrolyte drinks can help address dehydration, but they do not prevent the metabolic effects of alcohol. Products like Gatorade, Liquid IV, or Pedialyte can be helpful but are not cures. Probiotic-based supplements marketed for hangovers have limited evidence and should be viewed cautiously.
Taking painkillers before bed helps
Myth and potentially harmful: Acetaminophen combined with alcohol increases liver toxicity risk. NSAIDs like ibuprofen can irritate the stomach. Taking painkillers before bed is not recommended. Taking medication of any type and consuming alcohol is highly discouraged.
The Morning After: Myth or Fact?
“Hair of the dog” cures a hangover
Myth: Another drink may temporarily blunt symptoms by delaying alcohol withdrawal, but it prolongs recovery and increases overall alcohol exposure. (I had no idea people still thought this one was a “cure.”)
Alka-Seltzer or aspirin cures a hangover
Myth: These may reduce headache pain, but do not address dehydration, inflammation, or sleep disruption. Aspirin can also irritate the stomach.
Hydration drinks
Fact with limits: Rehydration helps. Pair fluids with sodium and carbohydrates when possible. Sip slowly if nausea is present.
Alkaline water cures hangovers
Myth: There is no evidence that alkaline water neutralizes alcohol effects or speeds recovery.
Coffee, cold showers, or exercise sober you up faster (not a hangover “cure” but I didn’t know where else to include this)
Myth: Caffeine may increase alertness, but it does not reduce blood alcohol levels. Mixing alcohol and caffeine is not advised since alcohol is a central nervous system depressant and caffeine is a stimulant. This combination can mask impairment and increase risk. Cold showers and exercise do not speed alcohol metabolism. And exercising while intoxicated is potentially dangerous.
What Actually Helps
Time is the main factor. Supporting your body during that time matters.
Hydrate steadily. Eat balanced meals when tolerated. Focus on carbohydrates, protein, and gentle (aka bland) foods. Rest. Sleep as much as possible. Be patient with yourself.
If hangovers are frequent or severe, that is useful information. It may be a signal to reassess intake, pacing, hydration, or drinking patterns. (And this is not my area of expertise.)
And, I want to reiterate that this article is informational. It is not inspirational. It is not permission. It is meant to provide clarity, reduce misinformation, and support informed choices.
Alcohol affects appetite, sleep, hydration, and recovery. If you missed the earlier articles in this mini-series, you can read more on Alcohol and Appetite, Alcohol and Sleep, and Holiday Hydration.
Be kind to your body. It is doing its best to process something that was never meant to be easy to handle.
