Hangover cure found!!

Chinese scientists have discovered the thing that has had man searching for since the first hangover was felt. You will be surprised to discover it is something that you can pick up in the supermarket or cornershop.

Ladies and Gentleman, I give you Sprite!!

Tomato juice, eggs, coffee, exercise or even the 'hair of the dog', since alcohol was first invented we have been on the hunt to find that elusive cure to keep our hangovers at bay.

And now, a group of researchers from China claim to have found the cure. And it was right in front our noses the whole time.

Apparently the scientists tested 57 beverages and other concoctions and Sprite was the drink that helped break down the enzymes that cause a hangover the fastest.

The science bit:-

After drinking, the liver releases an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) to break down the ethanol into acetaldehyde. This is then in turn broken down by an enzyme called aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) into acetate.

And, while acetate is considered harmless, exposure to acetaldehyde actually causes some of the unpleasant symptoms of a hangover.

With this information the researchers at Sun Yat-Sen University in Guangzhou examined how 57 different drinks, including herbal infusions, teas and carbonated beverages, affected ADH and ALDH.

The result? Well, while some herbal teas in fact slowed down the process and prolonged a hangover, Sprite was found to speed the enzyme's work up.

I've never tried Sprite for an hangover before, I usually find Lucozade does the trick for me, but will certainly give it a go over the Christmas and New Year period.

As for any conspiracy theorists out there who find this a little suspicious, well Sprite is part of the Coca Cola brand, so what price them paying these scientists large swathes of money to come to this conclusion?

Anyway, what's your favourite cure and how effective is it?

ETA:- food.uk.msn.com...

reply to post by Cobaltic1978


Bacon... and lots of it.

anything greasy works but bacon works the fastest...

Lots of cold water too... or a beer if you can stomach it

Not buying it.
Vodka and sprite used to be my drink of choice. Why did I wake up with a hangover still?


@Ak:
Ah, the old "hair of the dog"

The only thing that ever worked for me in my heavy drinking days was more alcohol.

If I was hungover to the point of headaches and nausea I would just make myself a strong bloody mary and that cured it within about ten minutes. Then I would just eat greasy food and drink water the rest of day.

I do not miss heavy drinking at all.

What is it exactly in Sprite that speeds up the work of the ALDH enzyme? Not a lot of information in this article. Just a nice big picture of Sprite.

More advertising via 'scientific' studies.

reply to post by Akragon


I was in Spain a couple of weeks ago and had one particular heavy night.

Went out the next morning for a greasy breakfast and had a beer to go along with it. It was okay for about a hour, so had to continue drinking throughout the day, such a shame!!

This is funny since I always used sprite to cure a hangover. Mostly because it rehydrated me.

For really bad mornings, I always got up, drank a HUGE glass of water and went back to bed. Woke up problem free. No signs, no symptoms.

Though, there are vitamins and shelf items today that work wonders as well, no delays. I have tried a few and I would say that they work better than even sprite. Still, I swear by a huge glass of water and an aspirin if I have one handy.

Pickle juice is also a big help. Anything that replenishes the electrolytes. That there is a oil rig remedy! Them boys drank every night before a long 12 hour day of work. Hahahaha

I like Sprite with Lime and Salt. It helps get over the hang over faster then sprite alone. Sea Salt is better then other salts, but the mix tastes good, and dehydrates faster then just a sweet drink.

Skada
I like Sprite with Lime and Salt. It helps get over the hang over faster then sprite alone. Sea Salt is better then other salts, but the mix tastes good, and dehydrates faster then just a sweet drink.

That sounds good.

You know what is really good that might sound gross to some people? Dos Equis and pickle juice, which by the way is another good hangover cure.

Actually just pickle juice by itself helped for also. Sprite always gives me heartburn.

reply to post by Skada


I must try that one, sounds like you woke up in the bar!!

I usually have a bacon toatie, with a hot Bovril, and a smoke. Usually by mid-day hangover is gone and i'm usually planning the next

Ahh the old hangover every time I drink I get a hangover (sucks) a little or a lot no matter.
My cure ..... for a deadly hang over esp..2 advil 2 glasses of pedialite and 2 baked potatoes with a lot of salt
and butter. Works every time. ...Woops I did mean to say ginger ale or 7-up (almost the same as sprite) to ease the stomach. It does work.

There is a cure, but this is not it. I believe it's from a form of raisin tree in Japan, which actually breaks down acetaldehyde at a very fast rate. Sprite and herbal teas are not going to do anything besides offer a placebo to someone that believes in it... sorry.

When I was younger I used to drink two litres of Fanta Fruit Twist and that did the trick until a couple of years ago... Now the only thing that works for me is if I have a large meal before I start drinking then a pint of water before I sleep and another pint of water as soon as I wake up. It's a rare occasion when I wake up with a hangover any more!

reply to post by Cobaltic1978


The best way to not have a hangover is to be well hydrated before drinking. Once I learned this I haven't had a hangover. I drink anywhere from 10 to 18 beer a day. As long as I drink plenty of water before drinking I don't have a hangover.

If hairy dog is out of the question, then I always drink 2 cans of Lucozade and maybe a pain killer. That usually kicks in after about 45 minutes and has done alright by me for a while.

As someone mentioned, hydrating before and after helps, but none of the above, including the OP, works as well as the Japanese UME Plum!

I take them in concentrated natural pill form.

Not only will they minimize the potential for a hangover (when taken before & after going out drinking), it helps reduce the affects of how soon you get drunk, meaning you usually can out-drink your mates

It also has other benefits such as helping to alkalize your body (alcohol being very acidic).

I swear by these as one whose suffered from various ailments such as IBS for over 25 years, that I've been able to combat effectively, since taking these plum balls over the last 3 years.

The only effective hangover cure is this

and then one of these

Possibly followed by some of this

reply to post by Cobaltic1978


depending on how bad it is and how dehydrated you are and also how quick you need to function I have 2 versions.

Version 1: Pound 2 beers in the shower, and later powerade.. The water in the shower can distract your stomach and taste buds long enough to get the beer down. Mouth wash to follow.

Version 2: wake up chug water go back to sleep, Repeat..

Both methods involve eating at first sign of feeling like you can handle it. a Bacon grilled cheese with a side of buttery grits and oily hash browns does nicely.
Of course in my more alcoholic past says you can't get hungover if you're never sober.
And for me coke is the only drink that calms my stomach enough. Anything clear or yellow green (sprite 7 up mountain dew....) makes me feel sick.

There used to be a product called Chaser where you would take these 5 pills during the course of your drinking, always worked great, even after drinking a full bottle of tequila and 18 beers. Wish I could still find it.