This is a ELI5 response with a high school understanding of human biology. Hangovers are from alcohol poisoning (variable levels), and this poison is detoxified by your liver. The waste is either sent to the kidneys to be processed as urine or to the bowels. Your kidneys require water and minerals to process this waste, and water is the vehicle for excreting waste through urine. When you drink all water and no vitamins/minerals, you risk depleting your supply of those essential elements. So, assuming your water has an appropriate balance of those things, I would think that water with electrolytes or minerals is better than plain water at helping your body process and detoxify alcohol.
Tl;Dr: water with balanced electrolytes/minerals > plain water for hangovers.
Probably because hangover severity increases exponentially as you age. A 16 year old can knock back 20 shots in a night and basically die, but wake up with no hangover.
A 40 year old can drink 3 beers and spend 2 days recovering.
Extreme examples yes, but the younger you are the less you have to worry about hangovers and how to prevent / manage them.
My father is 86, and he says he never had a hangover, and still doesn’t get them.
I sometimes get hangover often within an hour of drinking just 1 or 2 beers or a single glass of wine. I did that too when I was in my 20’s, but back then it was mostly wine that did it.
Would that not be more a function of the volume rather than drink-value in that scenario? Isn’t beer like way harder on your body not because of the alcohol per se but the actual heaviness and richness of it calorically as opposed to vodka combined with the fact that alcohol necessarily interferes with the metabolism and digestion of lesser toxins like actual food?
Not sure how cogent this is and I’m deferring to you but simply exercising my curiosity and trying to put my ignorance to the test aha
The things that aren’t pure alcohol are a definite factor. I can drink a lot more mid-quality liquor and feel great than slightly lower end (nothing crazy expensive. But for example Crown Royal Black is stronger than Regular Crown Royal, but I can drink more of it and still feel better the next day).
From the other answers, the consensus seems to be water + a bit of sugar + electrolytes/minerals is the formula for attenuating or preventing hangover. It seems water is the most important but all three together seem to be an anodyne of sorts, which tracks with my experience.
No one took a guess, so based on your writing style, I’d peg you as early 20s (but if you’re that young, you do strike me as having strong critical thinking skills for your age)
This is a ELI5 response with a high school understanding of human biology. Hangovers are from alcohol poisoning (variable levels), and this poison is detoxified by your liver. The waste is either sent to the kidneys to be processed as urine or to the bowels. Your kidneys require water and minerals to process this waste, and water is the vehicle for excreting waste through urine. When you drink all water and no vitamins/minerals, you risk depleting your supply of those essential elements. So, assuming your water has an appropriate balance of those things, I would think that water with electrolytes or minerals is better than plain water at helping your body process and detoxify alcohol.
Tl;Dr: water with balanced electrolytes/minerals > plain water for hangovers.
My thougtz exactly! I don’t drink any such distilled/mineral-free water so that must be the secret to my non-madness
What’s your age bracket if you don’t mind me asking?
I don’t mind but I’m actually a little more interested i why thats interesting to you and what your best guess would be to that end ;) 🍿
Probably because hangover severity increases exponentially as you age. A 16 year old can knock back 20 shots in a night and basically die, but wake up with no hangover.
A 40 year old can drink 3 beers and spend 2 days recovering.
Extreme examples yes, but the younger you are the less you have to worry about hangovers and how to prevent / manage them.
My father is 86, and he says he never had a hangover, and still doesn’t get them.
I sometimes get hangover often within an hour of drinking just 1 or 2 beers or a single glass of wine. I did that too when I was in my 20’s, but back then it was mostly wine that did it.
I’m 100% the opposite. 52 and can drink 15 light beers in the afternoon and evening. Daily. And still don’t really get drunk.
OTOH, when I was younger, I was pounding those beers. And without enough food or water.
Would that not be more a function of the volume rather than drink-value in that scenario? Isn’t beer like way harder on your body not because of the alcohol per se but the actual heaviness and richness of it calorically as opposed to vodka combined with the fact that alcohol necessarily interferes with the metabolism and digestion of lesser toxins like actual food?
Not sure how cogent this is and I’m deferring to you but simply exercising my curiosity and trying to put my ignorance to the test aha
The things that aren’t pure alcohol are a definite factor. I can drink a lot more mid-quality liquor and feel great than slightly lower end (nothing crazy expensive. But for example Crown Royal Black is stronger than Regular Crown Royal, but I can drink more of it and still feel better the next day).
From the other answers, the consensus seems to be water + a bit of sugar + electrolytes/minerals is the formula for attenuating or preventing hangover. It seems water is the most important but all three together seem to be an anodyne of sorts, which tracks with my experience.
Screwdrivers for the win!
No one took a guess, so based on your writing style, I’d peg you as early 20s (but if you’re that young, you do strike me as having strong critical thinking skills for your age)
🤗