Do you have one of those annoying friends who claims never to have a hangover? Well, the truth is they are just not trying hard enough.
Scientists have questioned almost 800 students to find out whether or not there were drinkers who were less susceptible to feeling bad the morning after.
Speaking at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology conference in Amsterdam, the scientists explained that they had asked the students to recount the severity of their hangovers and the amount they had drunk the night before.
The results? “In general, we found a pretty straight relationship; the more you drink, the more likely you are to get a hangover,” said Joris Verster from Utrecht University. “The majority of those who in fact reported never having a hangover tended to drink less, perhaps less than they themselves thought would lead to a hangover.”
In a separate study, the scientists investigated another drinking myth: that you can alleviate a hangover by hydrating before going to sleep. The same survey was put to a similar number of Dutch students, but they were also asked whether they had eaten anything or drunk water afterwards.
Advertisement
Unfortunately for those whose post-pub routine involves a kebab and a swift pint of Powerade, there was no significant correlation with a reduction in hangovers.
As Dr Verster said, depressingly: “From what we know from the surveys so far, the only practical way to avoid a hangover is to drink less alcohol.”