Medical Hangover Help

By Carolyn Murray
Anchor
Published: December 22, 2008

Some people can drink several drinks and not experience any signs of a hangover. Others get a hangover after just one drink. The only sure way to prevent a hangover is to avoid alcohol. For those who choose to imbibe, here are a few tips to reduce the chance of having a hangover:

Eat a meal before drinking. Having food in the stomach slows the absorption of alcohol into the body. Susan Broner, M.D., Neurologist with St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City, recommends eating greasy food because fats, in particular, delay alcohol absorption. In addition, many greasy foods are high in carbohydrates, which the body turns into glucose for fuel, reducing the risk of falling blood sugar levels. Keep snacking throughout the party to keep blood sugar levels up.

Take it slow. Obviously, the faster you drink, the faster blood alcohol levels rise and the sooner you will become intoxicated. Drink slowly. Make every other drink a non-alcoholic one. Water is best. If you like soda, stay away from caffeinated choices, which contribute to dehydration and may increase heart rate, causing nervousness and tremor in susceptible people. Fruit juices are also great because they help maintain glucose levels.

Be careful about drink selections. Darker alcohols typically contain more congeners, toxic chemicals formed during fermentation. Drinks with high levels of these congeners are more likely to cause a hangover or headache. Clear liquors (like vodka and gin) have lower levels of congeners. In addition, the carbonation in some alcoholic beverages causes more alcohol to be delivered to the bloodstream.

Don’t drink and smoke. For many people, drinking and smoking go hand in hand. However smoking can reduce the amount of oxygen to the brain and increase the risk of headache.