Only real hangover cure is to drink less

WHISPER it quietly, but there is no cure for a hangover.

That is the conclusion of scientists who conducted an in-depth study of morningafter experts – university students.

They found that contrary to what many people believe, there is no escaping the consequences of drinking to excess. If boozing is your vice, you pay the price.

The research showed that eating and drinking (water) made no meaningful difference to the way students felt after a night of carousing.

A group of 826 Dutch students were questioned about their latest heavy drinking session and asked if they had followed it by consuming food or water.

Just over half said they had eaten after drinking – but this had little impact on the severity of their hangovers.

Lead scientist Dr Joris Verster, from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, said: “Those who took food or water showed a slight statistical improvement in how they felt over those who didn’t, but this didn’t really translate into a meaningful difference.

“From what we know from the surveys so far, the only practical way to avoid a hangover is to drink less alcohol.”

In addition, the study found that so-called seasoned drinkers who boast of being immune to hangovers are deluding themselves.

An estimated 25 to 30 per cent of drinkers maintain they can down unlimited amounts of beer or wine safe in the knowledge that they will wake up refreshed and clear-headed the next day.

But according to the study, they could be accused by some of being lightweights.

The scientists calculated the blood alcohol levels of another group of 789 Canadian students who were questioned about their drinking in the previous month.

They found that four fifths (79 per cent) of those who claimed not to experience hangovers had avoided their morning-after – they had drunk less than they thought!