Hangover Cure #5 – Over the counter hangover pills
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The Myth
Over the counter dietary supplement RU-21 contains the active ingredient succinic acid, an extract of amber. The penis enlargement internet marketers have jumped on the bandwagon and now tout the pill as a miracle cure for alcohol hangovers. Supposedly developed by Soviet scientists for the KGB, this ‘wonder drug’ apparently metabolizes the alcohol in your body. Urban legend says that it was intended for use by KGB spies to drink heavily with suspected Western spies so that they could remain sober and potentially obtain secrets from their drunken counterparts. When that didn’t work, tests showed it could lessen a hangover. Let’s see.
The Reality
“I had decided beforehand that to fully test this pill I’d need to drink more alcohol than I had ever drunk in my life before. Heading to the local watering hole I started gradually with a couple of bottles of Corona and lime. Then I downed two pints of Carling lager before my mate came over and challenged me to pick up the pace. Necking a double vodka and coke I summoned the barman to provide me with two shots of tequila and a beer to wash it down. Amidst this I was popping the odd ‘dietary pill’ and drawing concerned looks from the locals. Stepping up a gear I drank, in quick succession, a depth charge, two shots of some disgusting apple liquid, an Aftershock and a Southern Comfort and coke. I finished the evening off with a bottle of Bud and a shot of absinthe. (I remember everything I drunk because I wrote it down, thankfully) The next morning I woke up feeling like I’d been hit in the face by a sledgehammer and proceeded to be ‘violently ill’ in the bathroom. This experiment was an absolute disaster and I would gladly accept death to stop the pain.”
The Conclusion
Upon further research, it is documented that the pill “is not for binge drinkers”. It apparently works best when drinking in moderation. Call us cynical but isn’t that the kind of drinking that means you barely even get a hangover, thus ensuring that the drug can never be discounted as a placebo, created by a charlatan to take money from the unsuspecting public?
Hangover Cure #6 – Back To The Future Wake-Up Juice
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The Myth
In Back To The Future: Part 3, Doc Brown gets smashed on whiskey after losing the love of his life. Mad Dog Tannen is on his way to six-shoot Marty and the Doc to an early grave and the lovable scientist has passed out at the bar. The bar tender Chester puts together an antidote to alcohol called wake-up juice. The BTTF wiki claims this juice includes tabasco sauce, cayenne pepper, chili peppers, onion, and mustard seed. We bought and blended the ingredients to test out on our unsuspecting subject.
The Reality
“‘What’s in it?’ I ask gingerly as I walk into the kitchen nursing the hangover from hell. My tormentor just smiles and hits level 3 on the blender. My head reacts badly and I wince at the sound of the blades liquidizing the blood-red concoction. After what seems like an eternity I’m handed a half-pint glass of the most disgusting looking drink I have ever seen in my life. I feel like a prisoner of war as I’m instructed to neck the whole thing in one go. I take a deep breath and fling my head back, gulping down the cocktail of god-knows-what. At first I feel nothing. But then, from the bottom of my throat up and into my mouth and my lips, all I feel is heat. I’m burning from the inside with a very distinct bitter taste. I reach for the tap but nothing comes out They cut the taps to ensure the experiment goes as planned! I gag and heave and after what seems like an eternity I prepare myself for the humiliation of vomiting on the kitchen floor, just as the taps come back on and I engulf my head in water, lapping at the faucet like a dog after a long walk. Thirty minutes later and the headache still pounds through my skill, my stomach is more volatile than ever and my lips still tingle with the hint of tabasco sauce. I’m never drinking again.”
The conclusion
It seems that with all their millions of dollars, Hollywood can put together some fantastic sets, amazing visual effects and some great guy movies, but they can’t create a cure for a hangover.
Hangover Cure #7 – Vomiting
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The Myth
Another prevention which is supposed to be done prior to sleeping, vomiting has been the hangover prevention of choice for frat boys for decades now. The science says that vomiting is the bodies natural way of getting rid of toxins quickly. Oh, there is also the slight risk of dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. Nevertheless, we sent our intrepid subject out to vomit in the name of science.
The Reality
“After a marathon drinking session which started at the local pub, I began my quest to have a drink (or two) in each bar leading into town – a mile long stretch in total – before arriving at a nightclub ten pints later for some serious drinking. Cue shots of vodka, whiskey, tequila, ouzo, absinthe and Aftershock – all in the name of science. I don’t remember getting home, but what I do remember is being wrapped around the toilet for the better part of the night. I awoke in the morning to find myself sleeping on the floor next to the bed. I ached but my head felt fine. My stomach felt pretty solid and I had a big bacon sandwich and cup of coffee to pick me up. I was feeling great with the only downside being my lack of desire to do anything. I lay in bed playing XBox and nothing short of a natural disaster was going to get me out of my underpants. Of course, I’d rather feel bad than have to clean up the festering mess that still exists in and around the toilet bowl!”
The Conclusion
Being sick after a heavy session seems to greatly reduce the effects of a hangover the next morning. It doesn’t reduce the lethargy though and the health risks of regularly making yourself sick means that we recommend leaving self-induced vomiting to Nicole Ritchie and the Olsen twins.
The final hangover summary
Of the seven remedies trialled by our resident guinea pig, we asked him to choose the most effective cure for a hangover. His answer: A Full English Breakfast. Now, after all this science mumbo-jumbo we’re gonna head off and get a few beers, while eating….a full english breakfast. In the meantime, drop your best hangover remedies in the comments. We can’t live without the booze, so we might as well share ways to enjoy all of the positives while reducing the negatives. Cheers.
April 27th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Had a horrible hangover this morning
Gonna go try smokin a big ol joint
i dun got a pool or id take a cold swim, theyve worked for me b4
April 29th, 2008 at 4:08 am
Before bed
1. Big Gatorade
2. Multi Vitamin
3. Some IBprofin or tylonel…
When you wake up
4. Repeat the first 3 steps
5. Get a Big Breakfast Pizza
Works like a charm
May 4th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Well I don’t know if they won’t put it here because I have not seen anyone say it BUT I find the best cure is sex or masterbation.
It gets you sweating so you sweat out the toxins, gets your heart racing and just makes you feel better all around.
May 4th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
Ask any Scotsman what the best hangover cure in the world is and you’ll get “Irn Bru” as the answer. Because it is.
May 14th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Pedialyte (To help your child rehydrate and feel better quickly, choose Pedialyte? at the first sign of diarrhea and vomiting. http://www.pedialyte.com). Fred Durst even sings about it. I swear by it if it’s that hangover that leaves me crawling out of bed just to make it to the bathroom and then cooler to get the pedialyte.
May 15th, 2008 at 9:20 am
Im mexican, we just eat spicy food (generally tacos with a lot of salsa) at night and/or in the morning, walking out of a bar at 6 am and going to a taco stand is the best thing there is for a) sobering up enough to sleep, and b) not having a hang over the next day. Although “huevos rancheros” are also a pretty good solution in the morning.
May 15th, 2008 at 9:21 am
Im mexican: we just eat spicy food (generally tacos with a lot of salsa) at night and/or in the morning, walking out of a bar at 6 am and going to a taco stand is the best thing there is for a) sobering up enough to sleep, and b) not having a hang over the next day. Although “huevos rancheros” are also a pretty good solution in the morning.
May 29th, 2008 at 5:51 am
Water water water gatorade alka-seltzer and a banana (vitamins and good sugars) this combination has worked for me.
June 16th, 2008 at 1:03 am
I second the Pedialyte (or whatever, any kind of paediatric electrolyte replacement). My mum’s a nurse and she gave me a bunch of them when I was really sick, I didn’t use them all so there are a few hanging around in my fridge still. When I have a killer hangover I drink one of those and some water and go back to sleep.
A heavy breakfast doesn’t work for me usually, I just end up seeing it again. But I have a pretty delicate stomach in the morning even when I’m NOT hung over.
@FilipV: I don’t think that’s 100% true. If I keep myself hydrated while drinking heavily, and drink lots of water before bed and when I wake up… no hangover.
June 21st, 2008 at 9:34 pm
a big bowl of menudo with some lime and onions also drink some carbonated water called topo crico its the best cure even when you cant hold anything down
June 28th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Cheerz IntelliShot. Best prevention there is. M.D. recommended. They also have tablets.
July 3rd, 2008 at 3:10 am
after a long night i can barely get myself into bed.
so instead of trying to take anything before i end up in bed (which is almost inpossible) i sleep, then wake up in the morning, take some aleve drink a gallon of cranberry juice (to flush out your system) & have a huge greasy breakfast.
works for me.
July 4th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Yes! I agree with Brendy 100%!!! Weed and some water with Cell Food is the best hangover cure so far…better than the English grease fest
July 10th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
hi.I have been drinking for almost my whole life and to me water workes good but is not the perfect hangover cure.To me a good bottle of gatorade will do the trick.I drink half bfore going to bed and half when i wake up.I feel rerplinished after that.I have tryed all kind of cures and this is the best one i have found.
July 15th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
a big dirty shit does the trick for me
September 21st, 2008 at 9:42 am
Weed, Weed, and more weed, it does the strick every time. Lots of rest. Also drink a laxitive tea, it will flush your sytem out but make sure to dink lots water too. Lots of sex or masterbation works like a charm. A big fat valium works great too=)
September 29th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
replace water with gatorade. replaces carbs, sodium and electrolytes. also, tylenol, and a big breakfast is a great way to wake up. combine those and there will be no signs of a hangover.
October 8th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Great article! Another thing that works is Zaca Hangover Patch. It’s at http://www.zacalife.com
November 14th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
Weed is the best I’ve found as far as clearing up the effects of the hangover, but it tends to leave me pretty useless and lethargic if I’m blazing in a hung-over state. I drink a few glasses of water before I pass, wake up and let loose the after brew stew, maybe #7, a couple more glasses of water, go to the gym and then eat something and spend most of the day trying to drink water. I don’t usually get headaches and my stomach queez usually goes away after the gym, if not then after I eat. If I’m paralyzed hungover (you probably know the difference between this and the latter) then I’ll most often #7 the morning after, smoke a couple of bowls and either vid or watch movies while drifting in and out of consciousness, repeating over the course of the day. This minimizes the hangover and replaces it with apathy and a feeling like most of the braincells in your head decided to take a nap… not to mention that it helps encourage your appetite.
November 24th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Why would one even list all those cures…marijuana is the best cure by far, dont waste ur time with that other shit. A whole god damn website on hang over cures and nothing on weed? It works instantly,it feels good theres no better cure.
December 23rd, 2008 at 1:01 pm
glasses of water and orange juice worked for me…
large amount of water and some orange juice led to some puking but headache was gone and i could peacefully sleep for 5-6 hrs more and woke up to being fresh..
January 7th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Burnt toast, the carbon soaks up the alcohol.
January 21st, 2009 at 3:32 am
Step One: NEVER get Drunk on an empty stomach, not a good idea.
Step Two: Water before sleep. If this causes you to hurl, go for it. The less fermenting poison for your body, to try and process, the better.
Step Three: Water in the morning, THEN milk.
Step Four: This is the important one…..REAL Strawberry Short Cake. NO Frozen Strawberries! NO Canned Whipped Cream! NO Spongy, Empty Caloried, Sugar ridden, Short Cake! Fresh cut strawberries, hand whipped cream and real, homemade, short cake. The strawberries feed your system vitamin c, the cream settles the stomach, and the short cake gives your body something solid to work on. (This is ALSO a great cure for the 5am ‘I’m almost myself again’ acid gloops. *teeheehee*)
Not only does it work beautifully, it’s also a very tasty way to start your ‘Morning After’.
January 21st, 2009 at 3:07 pm
They sell something called THC The Hangover Cure in Texas, it is the only hangover cure I have used that actually works. http://www.the-hangover-cure.com Seriously it kicks ass, everyone at my school uses it.
January 21st, 2009 at 8:07 pm
Actually I tried many many different ones, so far two came up most reliable:
- swim in the lake before heading off to bed. I don’t know if shower will have same effect, for me it usually isn’t.
- take hot tea with lemon & eat some protein, half cooked eggs are awesome. Amino
acids in egg yolks are praise from gods for brain function.
If you can manage large cup of hot tea(english breakfast) with lemon before bed time, you stack odds largely into your own favor.
On other hand drink and have some snacks, while drinking, drink hard liquor, and take stuff, like smoked meats and pickles. That will retain water and keep brean well lubricated.
January 29th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
Take 1 vitamin B12 before you drink and if u remember take at least 2 when you get home and you’ll wake up with NO hang over! I sweAr by this!
February 11th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
1) Keep water beside your bed. Drink as much as you can through the night. When you first start waking up, chug a whole pint glass, and follow it up with an advil.
2) After the advil (or other painkiller without acetametophine), smoke some weed.
3) Refill glass with water and go back to bed for a couple of hours.
The weed will settle your stomach, the water will rehydrate you, and the advil will take the headache and body pains away. When you wake up you’ll be able to down some grease to replenish your system because your nausea will be gone.
I’ve also heard that a banana fruit smoothie works wonders. Soemthing about Potassium and Kerotine.
March 14th, 2009 at 9:46 am
Homemade smoothie with ice, a banana, soy milk, ginger and lots of frozen fruit.
March 15th, 2009 at 3:58 am
To all the people saying weed is a hangover cure – that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard! Perhaps getting mashed takes the edge off a hangover but do you really want to go from hungover to stoned? Not sensible. You’ll just have to deal with a vicious, sleepy, hungry comedown later!
My cure for a hangover is basically to continually eat and drink (preferably sugary drinks and McDonalds as you can REALLY eat a lot of that). It’s important that you don’t use paracetamol/acetominophen when you are drunk or hungover as it can poison your liver – kind of hard to explain but basically your liver will be too busy processing the alcohol to deal with the drug properly and this means the drug gets converted into a poison instead, which kills liver cells. And that’s the last thing you need when you’ve had a skin full, really, isn’t it.
So stick to the Ibuprofen… OK, it can be harsh on your stomach but if you take it with food then that won’t be a problem!
March 19th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Try getting a copy of “the Doctor’s Hangover Handbook” (booklocker.com or amazon.com). It has great, fun science about hangovers. It’s cheap, easy to read and scientifically accurate
May 18th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
Drinking on an empty stomach will always kill you. Me and my co-worker use the party pill from collegepills.com, and follow that up with a lot of water. Always gets my day going and me moving again. Its a lifesaver on those mornings you wake up confused to your alarm clock with blood shot eyes, and you realize that you have to get to work. My co-worker has a bottle in his desk at work. We go through a bottle pretty fast. haha
September 10th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
I have found a product called AfterBuzz that works the best for a hangover! I have been using it faithfully for the best 6 years that recently I decided to sell it too. It’s an electrolyte mixture that you add to water the night of drinking and then the morning after – easy as that. Check out my site at – ILoveAfterBuzz.com
September 11th, 2009 at 12:25 am
I’ve found that the following works for me no matter how much I have had to drink, and I don’t have a hangover the next morning. Only two steps:
1. Have about half a litre to a litre of a really strong cordial drink.
2. Eat 3-4 Vegemite sandwiches, with a load of Vegemite on them. No holding back.
If I do this, when I wake up the next morning, I don’t have a hangover. The problem is trying to remember doing it when you get home drunk.
The cordial contains the sugar to put your sugar levels back to a good level, and of course, the water rehydrates you. The vegemite puts the salt back into your body, whilst filling your alcohol ravaged stomach with food.
October 15th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
I’ve “tried” (more like my ex stuck 4 of them on my back) and i wasnt conscious for 4 hours.
two of the best cures i’ve used are:
-a wake-n-bake followed by a hot pocket
-8-10 hours of sleep and advil liqi-gels
November 14th, 2009 at 11:51 am
Sweating for no reason at all sucks.