Science Has Found The Best Way To Cure Your Hangover

Finally, a reason for science to exist: A researcher in Philadelphia (of course!) has discovered the single most effective cure for a hangover. And it’s really pretty simple.

Coffee and aspirin. That’s it! So much simpler than my current cures of “building a time machine and preventing myself from drinking the night before,” and, if that fails, “staring at the wall until the day is over”. This is all according to Thomas Jefferson University’s Michael Oshinsky, who, no joke, gave rats hangovers:

Ethanol brings on headaches thanks to a chemical acetate it can produce and even low doses can affect some people more than others, said the study.

Professor Michael Oshinsky, of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, induced headaches in rats using small amounts of ethanol.

He then gave them doses of caffeine and anti-inflammatories to find it blocked the acetate and relieved the headaches.

Is this real? Well, it’s science, so it has to be! But what does it mean?

For one thing, that dehydration isn’t the cause of hangovers – the rats Oshinksy got drunk weren’t dehydrated – so don’t worry about coffee further dehydrating you. For another, all the weird cures your roommate is always trying to make you take – “A raw-egg-and-vodka wheatgrass shot? And I have to drink it from the opposite side of the glass? Are you sure about this?” – aren’t even as effective as what your grandfather (and grandmother) were taking.

But, OK, OK, I know you have the best cure, no matter what this Oshinsky fraud says, and all you need is a pound of bacon, a single eagle feather, a willing human sacrifice, and DVDs of the second season of Battlestar Galactica. Please share it in the comments. For the betterment of mankind.

[Telegraph; image via Shutterstock]

Republished from Gawker

Discuss

(24 Comments)
  • [–]

    Tim

    Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 8:08 AM

    When I was in my early 20s I spoke to a friends Dad, who was a nutritionist and a doctor about hangovers. He recommended – of all things – Coca Cola and Panadol.

    He suggested the magic combination of caffeine, sugar, salt and pain relief would nip the hangover in the bud and this remedy has proven pretty reliable for me for over a decade now.

    From my personal experience I’d suggest Coke is more effective than Coffee and acts faster as well…

    • [–]

      Evan Whiteside

      Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 9:59 AM

      …How do you get a Doctorate of Hangovers?

    • [–]

      matt

      Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 11:37 AM

      ah… caffeine, sugar and salt… everything the growing body needs…

      seriously… a nutritionist?

      • [–]

        Tim

        Friday, January 21, 2011 at 9:02 AM

        Yeah, a nutritionist, who ultimately said you shouldn’t drink that much in the first place but if you do, here’s what your body needs and here’s how to get it.

  • [–]

    Samir Parekh

    Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 8:54 AM

    just have a couple panadol before you go to sleep.

  • [–]

    Owen

    Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 9:00 AM

    Ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure? Don’t get so shitfaced you need a hangover fix. TADAAAAA

    • [–]

      Nodeity

      Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 9:31 AM

      That’s one way, here’s another, “drink water” before going to bed, and each time you get up during the night (if you’re capable) drink more

      • [–]

        Turned

        Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 11:29 AM

        Even if I only have 3 or 4 beers over a few hours most of the time I still feel like crap the next day. And thats with drinking 1-2ltrs of water during the day and then more before I go to bed. So not getting shitfaced or drinking water seems to work very well. For me at least

      • [–]

        Turned

        Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 11:30 AM

        *not work

      • [–]

        Nodeity

        Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 2:52 PM

        Ehh,.. I supose it depends on how much of a bender you were on! :)

  • [–]

    Michael Hudson

    Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 9:14 AM

    Take it one step further in terms of caffeine content and do one of those energy drink shots that are listed as dietary supplements with the panadol? Although i would probably use a dedicated anti-inflamatory if i had to rather than a panadol.

  • [–]

    Ben H

    Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 9:18 AM

    Can of Coca-Cola, small portion of hot salty chips and a handful of lollies. In that order.

  • [–]

    Tinks

    Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 9:20 AM

    Two meat pies and a can of Lift usually do the trick.

    Dropping a couple of Nurofen the night before always helps too.

  • [–]

    Chris Rigg

    Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 9:50 AM

    Water before bed and hair of the dog in the morning, oh and try to eat.

  • [–]

    Tahn

    Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 11:50 AM

    When you are hungover, you are dehydrated. Caffeine is a BAD idea because it is a diuretic!

    Drink 2 glasses of water per standard drink. If you can’t do that, drink lots of water before bed. If you can’t do that..
    Drink lots of water (or a sports drink [electrolytes]) when you wake up to rehydrate.
    If you need to be awake and have to be somewhere, then an energy drink (or two) will then suffice to wake you up.

    Although your body craves oily food when hungover, it is also the worst food to eat. Oats, I believe, are the best for you to eat.

    However, the number #1 proven hangover cure is… MARIJUANA! Why?
    - It eliminates the headache!
    - Gets rid of nausea.
    - Gives you the munchies, so you can eat!
    - Makes you tired so you can sleep easily and wake up hangover free!

    Ah, if only something so wonderful were legal, eh?

    =]

    • [–]

      Ben

      Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 4:20 PM

      Couldn’t agree more. Plus it makes that 2nd season of Battlestar Gallactica SOOO much better too ;-)

  • [–]

    Dan

    Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 12:19 PM

    Ummm, there was a song about this, pretty sure it involved lime and/or a coconut?

    The BEST cure however, is to get back on it. Start the day with a bloody mary, or 4 :) Get a couple into you and you’ll start feeling heaps better. Panadol helps, but only so much.

    Hit the pub for a big lunch and a couple more pints then about 3-4pm SMASH the waters in a big way, early to bed, the next day you’ll wake up like nothing happened. Plus you spent the day having a lovely breakfast and pub lunch so it’s not like you did nothing all day :)

  • [–]

    Tim R

    Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 1:19 PM

    i usually just down a litre or so of water before i sleep and im right as rain in the morning, i always thought it was dehydration that caused hangovers.

    certainly puts a hole in my cure but it still works for me.

  • [–]

    MJ

    Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 2:23 PM

    Tahn has hit the nail on the head with my favourite hangover cure :D

  • [–]

    InformedGamer

    Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 2:23 PM

    Avoid hangovers.
    Stay drunk.

    Breakfast beers will always do you well

  • [–]

    Murphy-Lee

    Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 2:28 PM

    Pretty extreme but if you are willing and have access to bottled oxygen and an IV drip line nothing else cures a hangover quicker.

    • [–]

      Tahn

      Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 10:37 PM

      Some morphine too?

  • [–]

    Matthew Rodgers

    Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 9:24 PM

    there is only one completely full proof hangover cure, DON’T STOP DRINKING!!!

  • [–]

    tay

    Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 5:28 PM

    Obviously, none of you have studied your Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz enough. Best hangover cure is a cornetto

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