While there's no definitive cure for a hangover, Dr Rhonda Patrick explains some methods that have proven effective in tackling the painful symptoms.
There's nothing worse than waking up with a horrible hangover after a fun night out with friends.
While there's no definitive cure for a hangover, Dr. Rhonda Patrick has some tips for easing the symptoms. “There's some interesting research exploring how certain fruits affect alcohol metabolism,” she told her podcast, Found My Fitness.
There are two enzymes that can break down alcohol and its by-products: alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase.
Laboratory studies have shown that fruits such as pears, sweet limes, and coconut water may boost these enzymes, speeding up the breakdown of alcohol.
This could potentially reduce the duration and severity of a hangover, she says. The study suggests this could be an effective hangover treatment, but there's no human evidence to back it up.
Animal studies have found that starfruit, quince, yellow lemon, pear and Java apple can help reduce ethanol, a component of alcohol, possibly because they contain more fructose, a type of sugar found in fruit, which may help speed up the elimination of alcohol, she said.
Studies in humans have shown that consuming fructose reduces the duration of intoxication by about 30 percent.
“These findings suggest that consuming fruit or fruit juice (e.g. cranberry with vodka) when drinking alcohol may, in theory, help reduce some of the symptoms and sleep effects of a hangover by increasing the body's ability to process and eliminate alcohol more quickly.”
