A hangover is a virtually inevitable consequence of drinking too much alcohol. There are many tips on the Internet on how to alleviate this condition, and almost always the main recommendation is to drink plenty of water. The logic in this is not difficult to understand – water helps eliminate dehydration that a person experiences during a hangover. In addition, drinking plenty of fluids supposedly helps remove toxins from the body faster. But people who have experienced a hangover know that there is only one effective cure for a hangover – time. But what does science say about this?
When you have a hangover, it's recommended to drink a lot of water, but does it really help? Photo source: clinic-centr.com
Hangovers and dehydration are not related
Anyone who has consumed alcohol knows about its diuretic effect. This property increases the risk of dehydration, which is believed to be behind the malaise, headaches, nausea and some other hangover symptoms. Dry mouth and intense thirst experienced upon waking up after an evening of drinking are clear signs of dehydration.
Of course, dehydration is not the only cause of all the above symptoms. For example, the severity of a hangover largely depends on the drink a person consumed the day before. But, as is often stated, dehydration plays an important role in poor health. This means that by replenishing fluids, dehydration can be eliminated, and thereby significantly alleviate the condition.
Hangover and dehydration are two unrelated conditions caused by alcohol consumption. Photo source: aif.by
To find out if this is true, an international team of researchers analyzed data from 13 previous studies. The goal of the work was to find a link between dehydration, alcohol consumption, water consumption, and hangover severity.
The data obtained, as expected, do not exclude the simultaneous occurrence of dehydration and a hangover. However, scientists have not found any evidence of a direct link between a hangover and dehydration. That is, one condition does not cause the other. This means that replenishing lost water does not have a special effect on hangover symptoms. That is, both conditions are concomitant, but at the same time independent consequences of alcohol consumption. But this is in theory, but how is it in practice?
Should you drink a lot of water when you have a hangover
Another study of 826 students found that drinking lots of water only slightly improved hangovers. Another study of 29 people aged 18 to 30 found that drinking alcohol resulted in mild dehydration that resolved quickly, while hangovers lasted much longer.
Drinking a lot of water does not ease a hangover. Photo source: dzen.ru
But what is even more interesting is that the amount of water you drink is not related to the severity of your hangover. This data correlates with the review study described above. Apparently, waking up after a party, a person does experience dehydration. This aggravates the general well-being to some extent, but by drinking water or other liquid, dehydration can be quickly eliminated. However, this does not affect hangover symptoms caused by other reasons.
Why Water Doesn't Help With Hangovers
We have already mentioned that almost all alcohol that enters the body is processed by the liver. After the alcohol is broken down by one of the enzymes, the toxin acetaldehyde is formed. It is this that causes a hangover. However, this toxin is not excreted from the body by water, but by the enzyme acetaldehyde dehydrogenase. Thanks to it, the toxin breaks down into carbon dioxide and water. Drinking a lot of water obviously has no effect on this process, or almost no effect.
In fairness, we note that all of the above studies are based on observations of relatively small groups of people. But, in any case, you should not consider drinking a lot of water as a hangover cure. You should drink water only while you are thirsty, which indicates dehydration.
Pickle brine for a hangover can be more effective than just water. Photo source: eda.show
However, it should be understood that in this case we are talking only about water. For example, drinking pickle brine can be a more effective remedy. This is due to the content of potassium, magnesium and sodium salts in it. By drinking pickle brine, a person replenishes the supply of electrolyte salts, which are lacking during a hangover.
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However, even pickle brine should not be drunk in large quantities. According to experts, half a glass of this drink is quite enough. If you drink too much pickle brine, this will lead to the opposite effect – tissue swelling and additional stress on the cardiovascular system, which is already suffering. Also, it is important not to confuse brine with marinade. If you drink vinegar, you definitely shouldn't expect your condition to improve.