Most people enjoy a good night out, but few are as rapturous when the consequent hangover comes to call.
The dry mouth, the pounding head, the creeping fear of what you might have said or posted when you were three sheets to the wind. It’s a universally loathed thing.
And still, the next session is never too far away. Why do we do it?
Drinking responsibly can be a way to relax, bond with others and lower social anxiety. It’s overdoing it that’s the problem. Excessive consumption is the reason why many follow December’s joyous revelry with Dry January, paying penance by committing to a full 31 days off the sauce.
The older you get, the worse hangovers seem to hit, but there are ways to minimise the effects. Hangover tablets are full of brain fog-busting vitamins designed to accelerate recovery and have you back on an even keel.
We spoke to the government’s former drug tsar and co-founder of new GABA spirit Sentia, Professor David Nutt (famously dismissed in 2009 after saying ecstasy and LSD were less dangerous than alcohol) to seek his expert advice on handling the mother of all hangovers.
Food first, booze second
While we’re well versed in the theory, practice is often harder to follow - especially when you’re feeling raucous after a few serves. If it’s too late to heed the ‘always drink responsibly’ logic, pre-planning can help soften the morning-after ratchet of pain.
“Don’t think before the Christmas party meal, just afterwards,” Prof. Nutt says, echoing long-held advice of never drinking on an empty stomach. Skip fizz with canapes if you can too - “it can get you drunk too quickly and make it easier to lose control”.
Save the good stuff for when you'll appreciate it
As for aged drinks like whisky and port, the expert says to swerve them if you’re already tipsy as mature spirits have a more profound effect on the brain. And of course, “you won’t appreciate their special tastes”. Why make your hangover worse by wasting good Scotch?
Many hangover remedies exist on the market, but does the Professor give them any kudos? The short answer is no; the only thing he recommends is anti-inflammatories like Ibuprofen. Aspirin is a no-no, “as your stomach will already have been irritated by the booze the night before.”
Give your liver a break
Another way to dial down hangovers that feel gifted from Satan himself is to alternate drinks with something non-alcoholic, or a ‘functional alcohol’ like Sentia (£28.99), a botanical drink that enhances the GABA neurotransmitter. GABA’s function is to mimic the good bits of drinking - that is, socialising and relaxing - without the drawbacks traditional boozing dumps on us. Swapping every other drink for one with Sentia instead can prolong the feel-good effects of drinking while leaving you feeling relatively fresh come the morning.
Reboot the body
What if morning comes and you still feel rougher than sawn timber? Replenishing your system with lost hydration, electrolytes and essential vitamins can help fast-forward your hangover.
Prof Nutt points to zinc and vitamin B3 in particular, as they accelerate the metabolism of alcohol: “This study suggests that social drinkers who have a higher dietary intake of nicotinic acid and zinc report significantly less severe hangovers."
Elsewhere vitamins C and B12 are found in the ingredients list for many hangover tablets. Magnesium is also useful for soothing achy muscles and fatigue, making it as ideal for having after a workout as it is for when you’ve overdone it.
If you’re in a sorry state and looking for help, we’ve rounded up the best vitamins to help send a hangover packing.
Remember: the products listed below are not an absolution to excessive boozing. They may help on the odd occasion that you overdo it. Drinking responsibly is always the way.
If you think you might have a dependency on alcohol, it’s best to seek professional advice from a medical professional.
Shop the best vitamins to help blast away a raging hangover below
Berocca Energy Orange & Mango 90 Day Bundle
For big house parties as well as major occasions like Christmas and New Year's Eve, it feels wise to get a bulk order in.
Berocca has long been a staple of the morning-after routine, infusing the body with depleted electrolytes, vitamins and minerals. Antioxidising vitamin C, also a star ingredient, battles harmful free radicals that may be present thanks to boozing. As for the flavours? They're pretty tasty too.
Buy now £16.00, Boots
Rebound, Liver Detox Supplement
Filled to the hilt with hangover-busting essentials - B Vitamins, B1, B2, B6, B12 - Rebound promises to do exactly what it says on the, er, pouch. The 40 vegan capsules also include NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine) which converts into L-Cysteine in the body, a helpful soldier in detoxifying nasty chemicals floating around your system. There's also rosemary leaf to give your liver a helping hand.
Most convincing review?: "The "Hangover Rebound" liver detox supplement has proven to be a true lifesaver for me on numerous occasions. As someone who occasionally enjoys a night out with friends, this product has become an essential part of my post-party recovery routine... I've found that taking this supplement after a night out significantly reduces the severity of a hangover, helping me bounce back quicker. It also helps me feel more energized and clear-headed the next day, which is a welcome relief."
Recommended use states that you should take two capsules before your party and another two before bed. Pair with Hangcure Rehydrate Hydration Powder Electrolyte Drink to help replenish lost minerals, electrolytes and vitamins.
Buy now £24.99, Amazon
Nutrition Geeks Magnesium Glycinate 3-in-1 Complex
It's not sold as an official hangover cure, but magnesium is said to help many of the symptoms associated with hangovers: poor sleep, achy muscles, low energy and general fatigue. It also helps with mineral absorption, so perfect for pairing with rehydration tablets or drinks. The packet contains 90 vegan tablets; take one or two (depending on how hard you're hanging) with water or a cold drink when you get up.
Buy now £8.98, Amazon
MyProtein Zinc & Magnesium Capsules
Available in 30, 90 and 270 portion tubs, MyProtein's zinc and magnesium capsules help keep both vitamins topped up in the body. The formula has vitamin B6 included too which should help boost your immune system and ward off fatigue. Zinc also aids alcohol-busting enzymes to perform better and is an anti-inflammatory, making it an ideal supplement to take when you're feeling sorry for yourself the morning after the night before.
Buy now £3.92, MyProtein
Wild Nutrition Food-Grown Vitamin B12 Plus
One to start using well ahead of party season, just one pill a day of Wild Nutrition's Vitamin B12 Plus is all you need to support energy levels and the nervous system. Made with beetroot powder, the formula is vegan-friendly, a community that may benefit from including more B12 in their diet. The vitamin is naturally present in animal-derived foods.
Buy now £15.00, Wild Nutrition
Horbaach Vitamin B3 Niacin 500mg
These vegan-friendly capsules are perfect for battling tiredness with 500mg of nicotinamide. This vitamin also helps fast-track alcohol through your metabolism, making it perfect for taking when you're hanging harder than the inhabitants of a chimpanzee enclosure. Take one capsule daily.
Buy now £9.44, Amazon
Vita Premium Vitamin C High Strength 180 Vegan Tablets
The sunshine vitamin is famed for bolstering your immune system, something you may have dented during your boozing sesh. The best way to top up is by eating it in food - add a punnet of Easy Peelers to your next supermarket shop - but you can also find it in high-strength supps too. Vita Premium's Vitamin C vegan tablets contain 1500mg of the stuff in a go. Lean on it more in the winter, when you'll need it most.
Buy now £10.43, Amazon
Holland & Barrett Milk Thistle 100mg 30 Capsules
According to nutritionist Lily Soutter, “Studies have shown that the active components of milk thistle may help to ease liver inflammation and promote cell repair.” This explains why the herbal remedy is used to boost liver health and help it recover from toxins such as alcohol. Take one a day with your main meal.
Buy now £10.99, Holland & Barrett
Nourished The High Flyer Stack
Nourished’s High Flyer stack doesn’t just tackle fatigue from one angle, instead offering a whole stack of different nutrients that aim to combat those feelings of exhaustion in multiple ways.
Containing scientifically proven nourishments to help reduce stress and anxiety, maintain focus and boost natural energy levels, it brings together a range of impressive ingredients including Ashwagandha, LactoSpore Probiotics, vitamin B12 and black pepper extract. Bonus points for its sweet, blackberry-esque flavour: the closest thing you’ll find to adult-sized gummy vitamins.
Buy now £37.99, Nourished
Revival Rapid Rehydration Electrolytes Powder
You've dehydrated yourself into a husk of a person; now it's time to refuel. Get a hyper-charged glass of H2O with these hydration powders, full of electrolytes, B vitamins and vitamin C, which will feel like they're working the instant it hits your tongue thanks to the assorted fruit flavours. This box contains 12 sachets to mix with liquids (although a box of 30 is also on offer). Going out of town? Slip a few sachets into your bag; future you will applaud you for it.
Buy now £16.19, Amazon
