A thumping headache, a tongue that feels like a carpet and a strong sense of queasiness and regret – it is a condition with which many will be all too familiar on New Year’s Day. But while it may seem tempting to reach for a hangover “cure”, researchers have chosen New Year’s Day to tell us that most will offer cold comfort.
Scientists say they have evaluated studies looking at 23 different substances alleged to help prevent or treat a hangover, but found all of the “remedies” had low-quality evidence for how well they worked.
The study revealed only seven of the substances showed some sign of potential benefits for overall hangover symptoms, with participants giving a lower hangover symptom score, recorded as a percentage, compared with a placebo.
