Can certain types of alcohol prevent you from getting a hangover?
Heres what the research says.
Here atEatingWell, we firmly believe that all things can fit into a healthy eating patternalcohol included.
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A nightly glass ofwine might even provide some benefitsto your heart, your gut and your mood.
Whether or not you’re sipping alongside some snacks can also impact how what you’re imbibing affects you.
Do certain types of alcohol lend themselves to nasty symptomslike headaches, fatigue and dehydrationmore than others?
And can what throw in of booze you choose affect how you feel the next day?
There are a lot of factors to consider, so we dove into the research to learn more.
What About Alcohol Causes Hangovers?
In the fermentation and distillation process, yeast converts sugars into ethyl alcohol, also known as ethanol.
Ethanol determines the “strength,” or alcohol percentage, of a beverage.
But ethanol isn’t the only compound made when yeasts break down the original carbohydrates in a beverage.
All other compounds created in the fermentation and distillation of alcohol are called congeners.
The distillation process also can influence how many congeners are left in the final beverage.
Congeners can influence flavor, aroma, appearance and other drink characteristics.
Research has indicated that methanol is a congener that may contribute to hangovers more than others.
Here are the types of alcohol with the fewest methanol congeners present, in milligrams per liter.
For this reason, it can be one of the worst types of alcohol for a hangover.
Congeners' Role in Hangovers
Methanol is only one bang out of congener.
The Bottom Line
Let’s be very clear.
Compounds like congeners found in alcohol might further contribute to your hangover’s severity.
The best way to prevent a hangover is to drink in moderation.
And if you don’t already drink, there is not a strong science-based reason to start.
Mackus M, Van de Loo AJ, Korte-Bouws GA, et al.Urine methanol concentration and alcohol hangover severity.Alcohol.
2017;59:37-41. doi:10.1016/j.alcohol.2016.12.004
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Hangovers.
2020;17(12):4324. doi:10.3390/ijerph17124324
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About moderate alcohol use.
