According to Modern Drunkard Magazine, there are more slang words for 'inebriation' than for any other word in the English language. Some of them are relatively modern, while some go back for centuries. Up until the 20th century, the term 'hangover' was used to describe just unfinished business, like an agenda item left over from a meeting. Sometime in the early 1900s, however, it came to be applied to the aches and distress felt the morning after a night of drinking.
Of course, the hangover wasn't invented in the 20th century. Although there is little scholarly material on the subject, it's safe to assume that, human nature being what it is, the hangover was probably discovered the morning after the discovery of fermentation. And drinkers have been in search of the perfect hangover cure ever since.
The Cause of a Hangover
The pounding headache, the upset stomach - of course, in its simplest terms, it's a no-brainer. A hangover is caused by the consumption of alcohol. But why does drinking alcohol cause a hangover? There are several reasons.
Alcohol is a drug, and physiologically it doesn't really belong in the human body. Drinking is an enjoyable way of introducing a toxin into the system. The body produces enzymes to protect itself, but if the toxin level is too high, the body can't metabolize them efficiently, and the excess toxins make the victim ill.
Compounding the misery is the fact that alcohol is a diuretic, which is also why there's always a line in the bathroom at the bar. The kidneys and liver need water to dilute and flush the toxins away, and if there's not enough fluid coming in, the body will start pulling fluid from other places to send into the battle. The result? Dehydration.
Curing a Hangover
One of the oldest cures known is "the hair of the dog," or the notion that after an evening of over-indulgence, another drink is just the ticket. Consider it a homeopathic remedy - too much is a harm, but just a little is a cure. That concept can be traced back at least as far as Hippocrates. (The Greeks took it literally, rubbing dog bites with dog hair.) One of the most famous morning-after cocktails is the Bloody Mary, although the Bullshot is also popular.
Oddly enough, there may be some validity to the practice. It's believed that a portion of the misery of a hangover is caused by the withdrawal from alcohol, so it's reasonable that consuming a small amount of alcohol would ease that pain. On the downside, while another drink may help alleviate the pain of withdrawal, there's not going to be a way to avoid that withdrawal completely.
And the Bloody Mary contains tomato juice, which is rich in Vitamin C, while some drinkers swear by orange juice or sauerkraut. Vitamin C is proven to help (not cure) a hangover, since it helps the liver in clearing toxins. Juices can work faster than water to re-hydrate the body and replenish lost nutrients, so they may be a better choice than just taking a vitamin pill. Milk thistle aids liver function, and may give a boost to the toxin-clearing process, while ginger root tea is a traditional remedy to settle an upset stomach.
There is one thing that almost all hangover cures have in common. They might speed the process, or help reduce the symptoms, but they don't really cure a hangover. When it comes right down to it, the only true cure for a hangover is time.
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