Dear Dr. Garner,

It was nice meeting you at the DeSales Media Group Christmas party at Fornino in Park Slope last week.

At that time, I asked you about hangovers and ways to avoid them. I like to drink scotch, yet my friends tell me that if I drink vodka, I have less of a chance of getting a hangover. Is this a myth? What are some things that I can do other than stop drinking to avoid a hangover?

Looking Out for New Year’s Headache in Elmhurst

Dear Looking Out,

It was nice to meet you as well. Your question is frequently asked, particularly around this time of year.

For those who don’t know what a hangover is, think of eating a large fatty meal at McDonald’s, going on a loop-the-loop ride at Coney Island for a half hour and then being on a boat in turbulent water for a few hours. Imagine the dizziness, nausea, vomiting and headache that you have. This is what a hangover feels like.

Most drinkers experience hangovers at some point in their lives — sometimes after one glass of alcohol and other times after several glasses. The hangover occurs due to alcohol withdrawal and the presence of chemicals known as congeners, found in alcohol, particularly those with color — for example, red wine, dark beer, bourbon, brandy and scotch.

Basically, when you drink, the body gets used to the alcohol. When you stop drinking, the body experiences a period of withdrawal. In addition, one experiences dehydration as alcohol causes increased urination. Finally, chemicals in alcohol can give you a bad headache.

There is no sure-fire method to avoid a hangover other than not drinking. However, there are three types of suggestions I can offer: “proven” strategies to reduce a hangover; ways that “may be helpful”; and then there are the “No, don’t even try it” methods.

“Proven” Strategies

Under the “proven” strategies, I suggest the following:

• Don’t drink more than one glass of alcohol per hour. Your body can usually handle this better, and this will cut down on chemicals that might make you sick.

• Drink “light” alcohol drinks more so than “dark” alcohol drinks. This means choosing white wine over red wine and vodka over scotch, as your friend had suggested. The light-colored drinks have fewer chemicals that cause a hangover.

• Alternate a glass of water with each glass of alcohol. This will help maintain your hydration level and avoid some dizziness and lightheadness.

• Resting is important. Take it easy the day of your hangover. It minimizes damage done to the body and can speed recovery.

• Take antacids. Alcohol is extremely irritating to the stomach and the antacids may help to reduce inflammation or irritation of the stomach lining.

• Try crackers and toast which can boost your blood sugar and settle your stomach.

• Eat before you drink at a party. This is helpful not only as far as diluting the alcohol but also in limiting binge eating that might occur at a party.

Methods That May Help

Now the suggestions that “may be helpful” include:

• Consume electrolyte drinks in addition to water. This will help restore some of the missing electrolytes. Flat ginger ale is another option.

• Eat fried foods. This supposedly helps to neutralize some of the alcohol. This has never been proven, but some people swear by it.

• Vitamin B complex. While it is true that vitamin B may be depleted when drinking, no study has proven this to be an effective method.

• Exercise. While this is contradictory with No. 4 in the “proven” category above, some people swear that exercise helps get alcohol out of the system more quickly.

• Drink more alcohol. This is known as “hair of the dog.” It deals with the fact that a hangover is a type of alcohol withdrawal. By drinking a little more alcohol, you minimize the withdrawal symptoms. The problem is that it catches up to you eventually.

Unusual Remedies

Finally, the “No, don’t even try it” hangover remedies. I do not suggest anybody try these. Four of the more unusual types from around the world include:

• From Sicily: It is suggested to eat a dried part of a bull to cure a hangover. To keep the column on a high level, I will not go into any further details about which part it is, but if you wish to know more, please look it up.

• From Ireland: Bury yourself in wet river sand. This has a cooling effect on the body similar to a cold shower and may help you to feel more alert, but you will still have a hangover.

• From Japan: Eat a pickled dried plum. Actually, the salt in the plum may be helpful in restoring some lost nutrients, but it will not help your hangover.

• From Vietnam: Grind up a rhinoceros’ horn into hot water and drink it. It may be rough going down and will not help the hangover.

 

What is amazing about hangovers is that people go back to drinking after having one. If you drink in moderation, you can minimize alcohol effects and lessen the bad feelings.

Thank you for your question.

 

I can’t believe we have gone through another year together. I look forward to continuing the column and TV show in 2013 and wish you all a happy and healthful New Year.[hr] Dr. Steven Garner is a Fidelis Care provider who is affiliated with New York Methodist Hospital, Park Slope. He also hosts “Ask the Doctor” on NET, Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on Ch. 97 Time Warner and Ch. 30 Cablevision.