Two experts on whether hair of the dog actually works
Most of us have experienced the absolute horrors of a dreaded hangover – symptoms of which can range from a headache to soul-crushing anxiety to shaking like a leaf (if you've really overdone it). And when that 'morning after the night before' hits? We'd bet you'd be willing to do pretty much anything to shift it.
So, will drinking alcohol again actually help your hangover – perhaps helping to stop the 'shock' your body is experiencing now the booze is wearing off? Is the old wives tale of having a hair of the dog a legit cure?
You've probably tried it once or twice (ah, the trusty Bloody Mary), but if you haven't, it sounds a bit counter-productive, right? Yet having an alcoholic tipple when you're hanging is supposed to take the edge off your nastiest hangovers, on the days when copious amounts of carbs alone just won't do.
But, question: medically speaking, can drinking more booze help you get over too much booze? And how does your body respond when you ply it with alcohol not one, but two days in a row?
To find out, we've enlisted the help of two health experts to weigh in on the supposed 'cure'. And to offer their professional post-party advice...
What is 'hair of the dog'?
The clue is in the name... kind of. Fun fact: the phrase 'hair of the dog' comes from the age-old belief that you could cure rabies by drinking a potion containing hair from the dog that bit you.
Naturally, modern medicine has progressed a bit since then, and proven that this isn't the case at all. Which is why the meaning of the expression has shifted. Now, if you 'hair of the dog', you 'cure' a hangover by drinking more of what made you feel bad in the first place. Aka, booze.
Does hair of the dog actually work?
Sorry to inform you, but according to the experts, it's just as much a myth as the original definition. Yep, we know that's likely not what you wanted to hear...
Matthew Rowe, health lifestyle adviser at Bupa Health Clinics, says that neither the rabies nor the booze belief have any scientific backing as a hangover cure, and having a drink the next morning will likely make you feel much worse.
"Is drinking more alcohol to ease a hangover ever a good idea?" Matthew asks. "In a word - no. Ultimately, all it will actually do is delay symptoms until later in the day."
Doctor Alka Patel, host of The Lifestyle First Podcast, also confirms this hard no. After all, the theory goes that hangover symptoms are a result of your body breaking down alcohol to get rid of it, so is raising alcohol in the body again by drinking really going to help in the long run?
"Think about it," she asks. "When you eventually stop drinking and your blood alcohol levels return to zero, the hangover will return. In some sense, 'hair of the dog' delays the time until you experience a hangover - but it cannot prevent it entirely."
She also stresses that simply prolonging your inevitable hangover may even end up making it worse, which we can tell you, is not fun. "It's best to aid recovery as soon as you can. Rehydrate and nourish your body, instead," she suggests.
Another thing to remember: alcohol is a carcinogen with the same rating as tobacco and asbestos. It has a strong link to cancers of the mouth, larynx, oesophaghus, liver and colon.... so, not to be a downer, but it's really important to drink in moderation.
It's official, then: that Bloody Mary at brunch is probs more likely to make you feel worse than you did first thing....
What *can* I do to cure my hangover then?
Well, ahem... not an awful lot, actually.
"Contrary to popular belief, there’s no 'magic cure' for a hangover," shares Matthew. Truthfully, he believes that the best way to avoid a hangover is to drink sensibly and know your limits.
Remember, the recommended drinking guidelines are there for a reason, he points out. FYI, you're recommended to drink no more than 14 units per week, which in beer terms, is six pints. Or, if you're partial to a glass of Merlot, it's 10 small glasses of lower-strength wine.
Thankfully, as Dr Alka shares, there are loads of other scientifically proven ways to ease your hangover. Like?
Drinking a glass of water between each alcoholic drink.
Getting enough sleep (drinking enough water will help)
Avoiding caffeine
Sipping sports drinks (in moderation).
Eating bananas or kiwis (Matthew explains they’re full of potassium).
Bonus: scaling back on the booze will mean your 'who did I call last night!?' days will be over...
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