Drink in Moderation, or Not at All
The severity of hangovers increases with the amount of alcohol consumed
For this reason, the best way to prevent hangovers is to drink in moderation (or to abstain completely).
The amount of alcohol needed to produce a hangover varies between individuals.
Avoid Drinks With Congeners, Toxic By-Products of Alcohol Production
Ethanol is the main active ingredient in alcoholic drinks.
When ethanol (simply referred to as alcohol in this article) is produced by sugar-fermenting yeasts, side products called congeners are formed as well
Congeners are toxic chemicals, other than ethanol itself, formed in small amounts when alcohol is produced. Well known congeners include methanol, isopentanol and acetone
Having a Drink the Morning After
Treating a hangover by having another drink seems paradoxical.
Yet, it is a famous hangover remedy, often referred to by the phrase “hair of the dog (that bit you)”
Although the habit has not been proven to be effective, there is some interesting science behind it.
Simply put, drinking more alcohol (ethanol) is believed to affect the metabolism of methanol, a well-known congener found in trace amounts in some drinks.
After drinking, methanol gets converted into formaldehyde, a highly toxic substance. This is believed to be partly responsible for many hangover symptoms