Does a paracetamol, ibu or an Advilletje really work against a hangover?

I don't know about you, but don't you feel sluggish, unstable, emo, and a wreck to the core when you have a real good old hangover? I mean: you did it to yourself. And that's the worst part. Because now you're knocked out.

Because with a real hangover, you can actually do nothing but lie horizontally on the couch and watch a nature documentary about something calming like The Life of the Ant.

More effort? You don't have the strength for that when you're intensely hungover and seeing stars. And on such a desperate, dramatic day, you'll ask yourself: what can I do against this hellish feeling? Against that constant nausea, against that head that feels like a bowling ball? You look hopefully with watery eyes and a dead bird in your mouth in your sink cabinet. You find a paracetamol of 500 mg. You find a stash of Advils, a strip of ibuprofen. What actually works and what doesn't against a hangover?

According to a pharmacist, you can at least rule out that a hangover can be prevented if you take a paracetamol preventively before going to sleep. You might think with your drunk head that it's a good plan, but no. “Paracetamol works for only four to six hours, and during your sleep, you won't feel the hangover symptoms anyway. Preventive use doesn't make much sense because the paracetamol has worn off before you wake up. Furthermore, paracetamol does nothing about the cause of the hangover, which is caused by a buildup of alcohol breakdown products.” Okay. But once you've woken up the day after, what then pulls you through that hellish day?

An Advil could save your weekend, just like a paracetamol. That works pain-relieving and will ensure a slightly less pounding head. What you better not take, on the other hand, is aspirin, which contains acetylsalicylic acid. That's not good for your liver and kidneys, and they've already had a hard time after a load of alcohol. So what do you choose? According to some experts, it's better to take a paracetamol: they are the least harmful to your organs and won't make you feel more nauseous. Your stomach lining is already irritated by the amount of alcohol you've consumed, so you don't want to make that worse with a pill. Others swear by ibuprofen because it would be more effective against the symptoms of a hangover, although you better not take that if you're feeling nauseous or have stomach issues. So we say: nauseous? Paracetamol. Headache like a donkey? Ibuprofen.

If you want to do even more about that hangover, this also helps according to scientists:

1. Eat eggs
2. Eat bananas
3. Drink broth
4. Drink a fresh fruit juice
5. Drink as much water as possible

And watch the life of the ant: that way you learn something.

Source: Pharmacy Times