No Proven Regimen Prevents Alcohol Hangover
The most effective way to prevent alcohol hangover is abstinence or moderation—no medical intervention has compelling evidence for preventing or treating hangover symptoms. 1
Current State of Evidence
The scientific literature on hangover prevention is remarkably limited and disappointing:
- No marketed treatments exist with clinical efficacy support for preventing or treating alcohol hangover 2
- A systematic review of randomized controlled trials found no compelling evidence that any conventional or complementary intervention effectively prevents or treats hangover 1
- Most remedies tested do not significantly reduce overall hangover severity, though some compounds may reduce specific symptoms like vomiting and headache while failing to address drowsiness and fatigue 3
Why Common "Remedies" Don't Work
Water Consumption
- Drinking water is ineffective for preventing or alleviating hangover 4
- Water consumption during or after alcohol had only modest effect on preventing next-day hangover 4
- The amount of water consumed during hangover was not related to changes in hangover severity 4
- Hangover and dehydration are two co-occurring but independent consequences of alcohol consumption—treating one doesn't address the other 4
Tested Interventions Without Proven Benefit
Eight different agents have been evaluated in randomized controlled trials, with minimal success 1:
- Propranolol, tropisetron, fructose/glucose showed no significant benefit 1
- Only tolfenamic acid, gamma linolenic acid from borage, and a yeast-based preparation showed some intergroup differences, but evidence remains insufficient for recommendation 1
What Shows Theoretical Promise
Limited evidence suggests hangover treatments that showed positive effects were those:
- Inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis (anti-inflammatory mechanisms) 3
- Accelerating alcohol metabolism 3
However, these findings require further validation before clinical recommendations can be made 3.
Clinical Reality
- The alcohol hangover is now recognized as a separate medical condition in ICD-11 2
- Until the pathology of alcohol hangover is better elucidated, development of an effective hangover cure remains unlikely 3
- Future research is needed on biomarkers, immune functioning, and alcohol metabolism to advance treatment options 5
Bottom Line for Patients
Advise patients that no pill, supplement, or hydration strategy reliably prevents hangover. The only evidence-based prevention strategy is limiting alcohol consumption or avoiding it entirely 1. Any claims about hangover "cures" lack scientific support and should be viewed with skepticism.