There is no scientific evidence that having another drink will cure a hangover. Photo / Getty Images.
There is no scientific evidence that having another drink will cure a hangover. Photo / Getty Images.
Many people swear that 'hair of the dog that bit you' - that is having an alcoholic drink after a night of drinking - is the best hangover cure.
But unfortunately, there is no scientific evidence that having another tipple will stop you feeling rough after a bout of heavy drinking, according to experts, reports the Daily Mail.
While it may temporarily make you feel a bit better, it merely postpones the symptoms until later in the day.
Dr Emeka Okorocha has revealed he urges people not to believe the myth, and to take time to allow the body to recover.
"When people ask me whether continuing to drink will help their hangover, I beg them not to do it," he said.
"You should take at least 48 hours for your body to rest before taking alcohol again."
What causes a hangover?
The symptoms - usually some combination of headache, thirst, fatigue, dizziness, nausea and general grumpiness - reach their peak when your blood-alcohol goes back to zero.
In the liver, alcohol is broken down into a toxic chemical called acetaldehyde. An enzyme, alcohol dehydrogenase, further metabolises it into acetic acid.
If the amount of alcohol you consume outpaces the ability of your enzymes to process it, acetaldehyde builds up in your body, leading to headaches and nausea.
The symptoms - usually some combination of headache, thirst, fatigue, dizziness, nausea and general grumpiness - reach their peak when the blood-alcohol level hits zero.
You may feel a fleeting boost from putting alcohol back in your system but really is is just tricking you by masking the symptoms - which will show up eventually.
Dr Okorocha, 24, revealed to the BBC the 'cures' he has personally road-tested during his time as a medical student in University of East Anglia's student bars.
1. A bloody Mary - but a virgin one
The tomatoes in a virgin Mary contain fructose, which will help your body flush alcohol out. Photo / Getty Images.
Ingredients
1/2 glass of tomato juice 2 tbsp lemon juice 1 dash of Worcestershire sauce 1 dash of hot pepper sauce 1 celery stick
Why it works: Tomatoes contain fructose, which is a sugar that can help your body metabolise alcohol faster to get it out of your system, explained Dr Okorocha.
"It also contains vitamins and minerals, which help fight inflammation and rehydrate your body and brain," he said.
2. A banana and honey sandwich
Bananas are a high source of potassium - an electrolyte that gets depleted when you binge drink. Photo / Getty Images.
Studies show it may help pain, by blocking the formation of the inflammatory compounds prostaglandins and leukotriene, so it could even help ease a throbbing head.
If you sweeten it with honey, the fructose can help get rid of lingering alcohol.
4. Glass of water before bed
The underlying cause of a hangover is dehydration so having water before bed will work wonders. Photo / Getty Images.
Ingredients
1 glass of water
Why it works: Dr Okorocha advises that before you go out, you leave out two paracetamol and some water.
The underlying cause of a hangover is dehydration. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means that a boozy session is flushing water from your system. Getting a pint down you before you hit the sheets will give you a head start of hydrating the next morning.
