Contrary to what your friends tell you, there is no effective remedy for curing your hangover. No matter how much water you manage to guzzle down in the brief window before and after your wild night out, no one is immune to the physiological and psychology effects following the consumption of ethanol, according to a study by Canadian and Dutch scientists. The research, released on Friday, reveals that the key to preventing a hangover all boils down to one magical formula: drink less.
WAIT, THERE’S NO SECRET REMEDY FOR CURING HANGOVERS?
It’s common to take pride in how much alcohol you can effectively consume. In fact, 25% to 35% of the drinking population actually claims to be immune to hangovers, according to Mashable. In an attempt to give credence to this statistic, researchers surveyed 789 Canadian students about their drinking habits, inquiring about the number of drinks they consumed, the time frame of their consumption, and the severity of their consequent hangovers.
WHAT DO THE RESULTS REVEAL?
As part of the study, researchers calculated the estimated Blood Alcohol Concentrations of the student participants. According to the results, 79 percent of people who do not experience hangovers had estimated blood alcohol levels of less than 0.10 percent.
“The majority of those who in fact reported never having a hangover tended to drink less, perhaps less than they themselves thought would lead to a hangover,” said lead author Dr. Joris Verster of Utrecht University.
Eating and drinking water after alcohol consumption also doesn’t seem to play a significant role in whether or not an individual experiences a hangover the following day. Out of the 54.4 percent of students who did eat or drink, only a few noted a slight improvement in how they felt, but the numbers are not significant enough to conclude anything.
While college students may refuse to accept the fact, according to Dr. Michael Bloomfield of University College, the best remedy and preventive measure is obvious:
“Whilst further research is needed, this new research tells us that the answer is simple – ‘drink less.”
