There is no cure for a hangover, scientists say

MONDAY, Jan. 3, 2022 (HealthDay News) – Here’s a lesson many may have already learned over the weekend: Don’t count on ginseng, probiotics or any other so-called hangover heals.

There is no evidence to suggest that hangover cures work, according to British scientists who have studied nearly two dozen trials of these treatment products. Their review was published Dec. 31 in the journal Addiction.

“Our study found that the evidence for these hangover medications is of very low quality and that there is a need to provide a more rigorous assessment,” said lead author Dr Emmert Roberts, a clinical researcher at King’s College London.

His recipe: “For now, the safest way of prevention hangover The symptoms are to refrain from alcohol or drink in moderation, ”Roberts said in a statement to the magazine.

He and his colleagues reviewed 21 controlled randomized trials of clove extract, red ginseng, Korean pear juice, prickly pear, artichoke extract and others potential drugs.

Some of the studies showed statistically significant improvements in hangover symptoms. But researchers said the quality of the evidence was low, usually due to limitations in research methods or imprecise measures.

The peer-reviewed studies usually said little about the nature and timing of alcohol induction and had significant differences in the types of alcohol given or whether given with food. Eight studies included men only.

No two studies have reported the same hangover cure. None of the results were independently replicated.

Common painkillers, including acetaminophen and aspirin have not been evaluated in controlled hangover trials, the researchers say.

They concluded that future studies should be more rigorous in their methods, using validated scales to assess symptoms, and include both men and women.

More information

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has more on that the effect of alcohol on the body.

SOURCE: Addiction, press release, 31 December 2021