How To Cure A Hangover? Results Of Study

Scientists who have carried out a study into the consequences of drinking to excess say the only way to avoid a hangover is to simply drink less alcohol.

Contrary to what many people believe, eating and drinking water made no meaningful difference to the way people felt after a night of boozing, the research showed.

After a night of carousing, a group of 826 Dutch students were asked if they had followed it by consuming food or water.

Just over half said they had eaten after drinking, but this had little impact on the severity of their hangovers.

Lead scientist Dr Joris Verster, from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, said: "Those who took food or water showed a slight statistical improvement in how they felt over those who didn't, but this didn't really translate into a meaningful difference.

"From what we know from the surveys so far, the only practical way to avoid a hangover is to drink less alcohol."

The study also found that so-called seasoned drinkers who boast of being immune to hangovers are deluding themselves.

An estimated 25% to 30% of drinkers maintain they can down unlimited amounts of alcohol safe in the knowledge that they will wake up clear-headed the next day.

But according to the study, they could be accused of being lightweights.

The scientists calculated the blood alcohol levels of a group of 789 Canadian students who were questioned about their drinking in the previous month.

They found that 79% of those who claimed not to experience hangovers had actually drunk less than they thought.

Their average post-drinking blood alcohol level was less than 10%. While still around twice the safe driving limits of many European countries, it was not enough to save them from a sore head the next day.

"In general, we found a pretty straight relationship; the more you drink, the more likely you are to get a hangover," said Dr Verster.

"The majority of those who in fact reported never having a hangover tended to drink less - perhaps less than they themselves thought would lead to a hangover."

The results of the study were presented at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology's annual meeting in Amsterdam.