4 Foods People Swear Prevent Hangovers—What Science Says

You know what a hangover is like: the hammering head, the dry mouth, the fatigue, a upset stomach, perhaps even anxiety. But what is really involved?

“A hangover occurs due to a variety of different things made by alcohol,” said Kenneth Leonard, PHD, director of the University of Buffalo’s Clinical Institute on Addictions. Among them, a night of consumption can lead to:

• Dehydration and loss of electrolyte
• Stomach irritation
• Increased inflammation
• Exposure to a toxic alcohol by-product called acetaldehyde
• Bad sleep
• Blood sugar

With as many sick effects to counter, “Avoiding the hangover is much better than treating it”, ” Leonard said Health.

Of course, not drinking alcohol is the simplest (and only 100% effective) way to avoid a hangover. But the Internet is filled with others supposed Prevention tactics – including eating specific foods before, during or after an evening in order to push a difficult morning.

Can one of these snacks prevent a hangover? Here is what science says.

“When you enter an evening, take cheese. Cheese and crackers, “recommended a creator of Tiktok in a January video.” I swear, since I did this, I haven’t had a single hangover. ”

It can be on something. A 2023 study using rodents suggested that Eating cheese containing specific probiotics can improve alcohol metabolism and alleviate the symptoms of wooden mouth. (All cheeses do not contain probiotics, but varieties, including cheddar and gouda, often do it.)

Unique studies, especially those conducted on animals, must always be taken with a grain of salt. But Robert Swift, MD, PHD, professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown University who studies alcohol abuse, said there was a reason to believe that cheese could help you feel better in the morning.

“Cheese is a dense food for calories”, “ He said. “The stomach will take the time to digest it, and it’s okay Slow down the release of alcohol in the blood circulation. »» In addition, cheese tends to be Packed with salt, which can help to reconstruct the lost electrolytes to drink.

These potential advantages are not specific to cheese, added Swift; They would probably apply to any food with a similar nutritive profile. However, there may be a reason why wine and cheese are a classic association.

In April, none other than producer and songwriter Benny Blanco went to Tiktok to suggest Take olive oil – one before drinking and halfway through the night – to prevent a hangover.

Like cheese, olive oil is slowly digested. Extra virgin olive oil also contains antioxidants that could theoretically counter part of inflammation and hepatic damage caused by alcohol consumption, said SWIFT. “But half a bottle of vodka would overwhelm” these compounds easily, he warned.

It is not true either, like some people, say that olive oil “covers the stomach” to prevent the consequences of one watered night, said Swift.

Leonard is even less convinced. If hacks like olive oil blows “have effects, they will be on the fringes”, “ Leonard said. “They will not have big effects.”

In a Mars video, the designer of Tiktok Vanessa Gerstner has sworn that A “before game of mustard” – aka, eating the right mustard before drinking – could prevent a hangover.

“There is no evidence that it will do anything”, “ said Sara Hoffman, RD, clinical dietitian with Jefferson Health.

As with many online trends, she said, it seems to be limited to personal experience rather than real science. “If it works for you, great,” said Hoffman. “But it could be a stroke of luck.”

Swift accepted, adding that the only potential benefit from which he might think would be a high content of Mustard salt, which could replace certain lost electrolytes.

As mentioned above, there is a (very small) amount of evidence that the consumption of probiotic cheese calms the effects of alcohol consumption. But what about direct probiotic supplements?

Companies like Zbiotics, which sells a probiotic drink intended to be killed before an evening, promise that their products can stimulate body capacity to decompose acetaldehyde, the toxic by-product of alcohol.

This concept has also reached Tiktok. Citing a published study, Hannah Fry, mathematician and creator of Tiktok, said in a recent video that Probiotics can give the body “a bit of a step ahead” on the metabolism of alcohol.

The study that Fry mentioned, however, only examined how prebiotic supplementation affects alcohol absorption – not the symptoms of the wooden mouth. It was also funded by a company that manufactures supplements.

There are not many other convincing evidence to support probiotics as a wooden mouthfuls, Swift said.

“Probiotics do not arrive at the liver” or in other parts of the body affected by alcohol, he said. Even though If a supplement helps a little, it is unlikely that it is a remedy.

There is not a ton of research on how specific foods affect the hangover. But a very small 2019 study revealed that People with diets rich in zinc and nicotinic acid can be less sensitive to their symptoms. The meat, crustaceans and legumes are good sources of zinc, while nicotinic acid is in food, including meat, fish, avocados, peanuts, whole grains and fungi, depending on the study.

In general, it is not necessary to hang too much on the specific foods that you eat before or during consumption, experts have accepted. Instead, the best thing to do is have a solid and balanced meal before consuming alcohol and staying hydrated like you, especially if you soak more strongly. “A glass of water for each glass of alcohol is the basic rule,” said Hoffman.

When it comes to taking an analgesic before going to bed after a night of drinking, Swift said he was careful. Certain free -free current drugs, such as Tylenol, represent a danger for the liver when combined with alcohol.

“Remember,” said Swift, “there is no remedy except not to drink.”