 03.06.2020

The Post-Party Hangover: These are remedies for fighting hangover

Hangover: How is a hangover created?

What helps fight hangover the next day? To begin, we would like to clarify how a hangover is created. The hangover has two important variables – for one thing, there is the dehydration and for another, the imbalance in the minerals/vitamins that the body needs. The dehydration is caused by an interplay between alcohol and one of the body’s hormones. You’ve probably noticed the urge to use the toilet more often after one or two glasses of beer.
Responsible for that is the effect of alcohol on vasopressin. Created in the hypothalamus, it keeps fluids in the body. Meaning: When there is insufficient vasopressin, you’ll have to urinate more often because fluids go from the kidneys directly into the bladder. And this is exactly what alcohol does – it inhibits vasopressin [1]. That is the reason for frequent urination after alcohol consumption – and therefore, the dehydration.
Through the loss of fluids triggered by alcohol, an imbalance of minerals is created, e.g., trace elements such as:

Magnesium
Potassium
Sodium

are withdrawn from the body. However, these are of high importance to the body. Lack of magnesium is seen as causing muscle cramps. And, indeed, doctors see alcohol as a risk factor for muscle cramps during the night after consumption of beer or wine. Among other things, potassium is of importance for impulse conduction. When there is a potassium deficiency, (medical term “hypokalaemia“) it can lead to heart rhythm defects or numbness. And, indeed, some scientific sources describe heart rhythm defects as a consequence of alcohol consumption.

By the way: If you want to ensure an optimal detoxification, you should not forget the trace element zinc. It plays a part in the breakdown of alcohol. In case of a zinc deficiency, the body has problems with breaking down the alcohol, and the detoxification progresses very slowly. This mineral not only plays a role here – also for strengthening immunity an optimal supply of zinc is recommended.

Alcohol and Vitamins

Just like alcohol influences the fluid and mineral balance in the body, ethanol has an effect on vitamins. The consequences can be long-term – in cases where alcohol is consumed regularly in larger quantities which leads to organ damage. But just a celebration with colleagues influences your vitamin level.
Example vitamins from the B complex: Water-soluble compounds are especially strongly influenced by the consumption of alcohol. This means that ethanol has a bad effect on the retention and usage of some vitamins. Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is one of them [2]. It is responsible for the production of energy, and alcohol inhibits the transport of this vitamin on the one hand, and consumes it for breaking down alcohol on the other. The consequences can be a pounding heartbeat and mood changes (well-known symptoms of a hangover).
Minerals and vitamins lost through consumption of alcohol have to be re-supplied to the body. With the help of a sachet of Hangover Aid, you can not only re-supply the body with minerals, it also contains important vitamins which the body simply needs to get going again. A Vitamin Drink which supplies vitally important nutrients.

Fast Remedy for Hangover: These Tricks help

At the latest, when the alarm clock rings in the morning to get you up for the office, or a 4-year old enters your bed, you will regret the last glass of beer you had the night before. That’s the moment when fast help for hangover is in demand. It actually is almost too late. The reason: If you don’t want to regret your alcohol consumption, you’ll want to follow a few tips the night before.

Help for Hangovers – The Night before

Best remedy for hangover – simply do not drink alcohol. A well-meaning advice which is of little use to you now. There are a few tricks you can apply so that you don’t wake the next morning totally hung over, with an excruciating headache and a queasy feeling in the stomach. What do they look like?

Eat before alcohol consumption:
Creating a basis is the best remedy for hangover – a well-known attitude when it comes to alcohol. And this has also been confirmed by recent science. If the alcohol remains in the stomach longer, the problems the following morning are not quite so severe. It is known that fatty foods have an especially large effect in this connection. But also a balanced meal is certainly not a mistake. It will fill up the body’s supply of needed nutrients.
Do not just drink alcohol:
A proven remedy for hangover and nausea is to pause alcohol consumption. Consuming non-alcoholic drinks in between stretches the time between a defined quantity of alcohol. At the same time, you are likely to consume less alcohol. But make sure that you make it largely sugar-free drinks with little carbon-dioxide. Both strengthen the effects of alcohol.
Avoid sugar and carbon-dioxide:
Nothing needs to be added to this tip. Unfortunately, avoiding sugar is not so easy. Especially in wine or cocktails occasional sugar cubes can be found. And snacks are part of parties – especially private ones. Make sure you reach for savory snacks or munchies.
Drink high-quality alcohol:
This is not about the price of a bottle of wine. Even a very good rum or whiskey contains less high-quality alcohol. We are talking about the so-called fusel alcohol/fusel oils. Also known as an accompanying alcohol, these are compounds like methanol, propanol and isobutanol. They are created during the fermentation and distillation processes. In alcoholic beverages they function, among other things, as flavor carriers. Their breakdown products can boost the severity of headaches, for example. As an indirect remedy for hangover the next morning, we recommend the avoidance (or cautious consumption) of such drinks. These compounds are contained, among others, in rum, whiskey, fruit schnapps and red wine.
Avoid nicotine:
Celebrations and alcohol tempt smoking. But reaching for a cigarette should be avoided. Several past studies have come to the conclusion that a combination of smoking and alcohol makes hangovers more severe – as compared to test subjects who have avoided nicotine [3]. And what you should also avoid are Drinking Games, which mostly lead to hangovers.

Alcohol disturbs the mineral balance even the night before. As a remedy for hangover and nausea, balancing fluids and vital nutrients is recommended. Hangover Aid contains vitamins (among others, Vitamin B and Vitamin C) as well as several minerals, mong them zinc.

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Fast Help for Hangover – The day after

In spite of little fusel alcohol and no cigarette, you are getting up the next morning with lead in your legs and an excruciating headache – now a fast remedy for hangover is needed. Therefore, reach quickly for another beer. Stop: Let’s rewind. To fight hangover with alcohol is like fighting fire with fire. There have to be other remedies for hangover which doctors can agree to without hesitation. What is a quick remedy for hangover?

The hangover breakfast:
Alcohol causes an entire cascade of processes in the body. In summary, it leads to a loss of various mineral salts (also known as electrolytes) and vitamins. Now – the morning after – it’s about re-supplying the body with them. And for that to work, salty-sour foods are exactly the right thing. Therefore, reach for that jar of pickled herring and cucumbers. Even if the sight of them does not look exactly appetizing. The fact is that a hangover breakfast is recommended by doctors after a night of partying. But it does not have to be the pickled herring home remedy or a hand full of bacon. A granola with fruit or whole-grain bread with radishes will also replenish the body with vitamins and minerals. And they have the added advantage of not burdening the body further.
Tea & water:
Coffee for breakfast against a hangover – what normally is self-evident should be rethought when a hangover is present. At least when it’s about black coffee. A much-cited study by the University Clinic Freiburg has found positive effects in the combination of espresso/citric acid (through their effect on prostaglandins). Pain signals are influenced which has a positive effect on headache. More easily digestible would be a cup of green tea. It also contains caffeine – sometimes in similar quantities as espresso. Furthermore, you will replenish fluids with water (or chamomile tea) which will be more gentle on the stomach.
Wake up with fragrances:
At first blush, fighting a hangover in the morning with fragrances may seem a bit unusual. It is based on the findings of aroma therapy. Meaning: Starting your day is easier with reviving etheric oils – even if the bed looks especially inviting. Peppermint Oil, dabbed directly onto the forehead, can bring relief from hangover headaches. In parallel, you can also use reviving lavender, melissa or lemongrass oils as room fragrances to become yourself again after a hangover.
Going for a walk in fresh air:
Of course, nobody feels like an extended walk with a headache and that queazy feeling in the stomach. Even worse is the thought of doing sports. However, excercise in fresh air is one of those home remedies for hangover that you can believe. It revs up the circulation and additionally supports the breakdown of alcohol.
Fighting hangover headache:
Many of the affected reach for pain pills when those typical hangover headaches occur after alcohol consumption. We recommend against that. You’ll find out a bit further down why that is the case. So, how do you fight that pounding headache? One possibility is to work with cold. The impact of cold restricts the blood vessels, and the feeling of pain lessens. Simply use a wash cloth or a gel coolpack. Attention: The coolpad is not put directly onto the skin, but is wrapped in a towel. Another home remedy, whose effect is already known for another pain, is the use of cloves, which may require a bit of getting used to. They contain eugenol, a substance that eases pain [4].

Are you looking for fast help for a hangover? If last night got a bit late again, your body needs vitamins and minerals very quickly. Of course, you can eat an apple. Or you take a sachet of Hangover Aid, which contains vitamins from the B Complex as well as magnesium and zinc. Mix it into at least 100 ml still water and drink it down. It’s a quickly available remedy for hangovers that fits into every pocket.

Anti-Hangover Remedy: What does not work at all?

There are many myths out there around preventing a hangover and fighting it the following day. A popular catch word is the “counter-beer“, known as Hair of the Dog. And also the headache pill is always handy. But: These are tips and tricks you would be better off avoiding. The headache pill, for example: Quickly throw down an acetaminofen – and you’re done.
Doctors and pharmacologists point out regularly to avoid that active ingredient in cases of alcohol intoxication. On the one hand, these medications should not be taken on an empty stomach. On the other, acetaminofen has properties that disqualify it as an anti-headache pill when a hangover is present.

Glass with one tablet — Pain Remedy for Hangover – better avoid acetaminofen.

It’s about breaking down the medication. Alcohol and acetaminofen are broken down in the liver by the same enzyme. On the one hand, the pain medication slows down the detoxification of the body. In parallel, through the breakdown process further toxins are created which can damage the liver. Additionally, studies have proven the negative effects of alcohol and acetaminofen on liver function [5,6].
As to the “counter-beer“ (Hair of the Dog), you can read in some – mostly in popular science sources – that it has a temporary effect. This is connected with the break-down products. In addition to ethanol, alcoholic beverages also contain methanol. Its breakdown creates substances that are anything but harmless. If ethanol is again taken in, it binds to the enzyme for the breakdown of methanol – which helps, at least for the time being. However, the hangover problem is not eliminated, it‘s just kicked down the road.
For a somewhat different reason, eating very heavy meals, fatty foods, or foods containing much acid during a hangover should be avoided. All this is at the expense of an already upset stomach. Moderate amounts of acid can support the breakdown of alcohol, but too much of it has a negative effect on the stomach lining. If the nausea is especially severe, we recommend against all foods that further burden the stomach. As an alternative, pretzels or pretzel sticks can be tried.
Hair of the Dog and pain pills are questionable anti-hangover remedies. Instead, you should try to re-supply your body with all the vital nutrients it has lost over the last hours. Hangover Aid is a quick remedy for hangover which is easy as pie to take. Put a sachet – with a glass of water (at least 100 ml) – on your nightstand in the evening. The next morning, open the sachet, stir the powder into the water and drink. Not only does Hangover Aid re-supply your body with vitamins and minerals, but also with badly needed fluid.

[1] Wang XM, Dayanithi G, Lemos JR, Nordmann JJ, Treistman SN. Calcium currents and peptide release from neurohypophysial terminals are inhibited by ethanol. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1991 Nov;259(2):705-11.
[2] Chandrakumar A, Bhardwaj A, ‘t Jong GW. Review of thiamine deficiency disorders: Wernicke encephalopathy and Korsakoff psychosis. J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol. 2018 Oct 2. pii: /j/jbcpp.ahead-of-print/jbcpp-2018-0075/jbcpp-2018-0075.xml. doi: 10.1515/jbcpp-2018-0075.
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[5] Ndetan H, Evans MW Jr, Singal AK, Brunner LJ, Calhoun K, Singh KP. Light to moderate drinking and therapeutic doses of acetaminophen: An assessment of risks for renal dysfunction. Prev Med Rep. 2018 Oct 24;12:253-258. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.10.013. eCollection 2018 Dec.
[6] Mohammadi S, Nezami A, Esmaeili Z, Rouini MR, Ardakani YH, Lavasani H, Ghazi-Khansari M. A Disposition Kinetic Study of Tramadol in Intoxicated Rats Induced by Ethanol and Acetaminophen in Perfused Rat Liver Model. Alcohol. 2018 Sep 21. pii: S0741-8329(18)30107-1. doi: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2018.09.006