How to cure a hangover

Intoxication and the methods of detoxification

Intoxication is the main but not the only problem of feeling sick when hungover: one should forget about getting free of hangover if the remains of indigested alcohol, toxic products of alcohol cleavage, related substances, contained in the beverage and other toxins are not eliminated from organism.

Physical detoxification

There are several methods helping to get rid of toxins. It is possible to eliminate toxins by a simple «physical» method. The most rapid and effective solution is the usage of enemas or taking of non-toxic purgative: toxins are accumulated in intestines. If the food was eaten quite recently for the last time (less than 4 hours ago), you can try stomach flushing. Also sorbents (activated charcoal or other modern sorbents) would do.

Biochemical detoxification

Our body can deal with toxins by itself, but one could spur metabolic processes (Krebs cycle, to be more particular) in order to get relief sooner. In other words, it is possible to perform biochemical detoxification.

The best thing for the acceleration of that process is taking certain amount of succinic acid, honey or citric acid.

Lactic acid, which has similar impact, is contained in fermented (sour) milk drinks (sour or curdled milk, yoghurt or ayran).

Complex anti-hangover drugs are too aimed at speeding up Krebs cycle. Often these medicines are the combination of the above mentioned substances; however they may contain agents from the inventory of professional toxicologists.

Dehydration or pathological redistribution of fluids

It is possible to restore normal distribution of fluids if fluid from intercellular spaces is transferred into blood (hypovolemia). It is also may help to get rid of swells and headache caused by it. This effect may be achieved by steam-bath (sauna) or by taking contrast shower.

Another method is to take simultaneously liquid and diuretics, for example natural coffee or non-alcoholic beer. Also diuretic effect could be achieved by drinking oat broth, eating watermelon, pine strawberry, bearberry, dandelion, green tea and such drug as verospiron (spironolactone).

You’d better not take furosemide (lasix) for this aim during the hangover.

You may simply drink water during hangover, but not beforehand. It’s a good method to deal with hangover. Though there is one detail: if you just drink a lot of water, then osmotic pressure in blood plasma (concentration of substances and salts dissolved in blood) will fall, and you will have a strong desire to urinate. Therefore immediate compensation of the lack of fluids is impossible and the process will take a lot of time. It would be right to replenish the supplies of electrolyte salts before drinking water, for example drink one glass of cabbage or cucumber brine. Mineral water or oat broth quickly restore volume of circulating blood.

Author: Stanislav Radchenko