Headaches, dry mouth, nausea, fatigue, body aches, irritability, dizziness and memory problems, who has never felt this after taking a few doses too many. At this time of year, hangovers can appear more frequently thanks to the countless gatherings and celebrations. But after all, what is a hangover? How long does it last? And above all, is it possible to cure or prevent it?
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In time: the answers to all these questions are part of the special content produced in December with tips for “surviving” the end of the year. Gift suggestions, 2025 retrospectives, rankings of the best sparkling wines are some of the other topics covered in the “SOS December” newsletter (find out how to subscribe).
According to the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), a hangover refers to a set of symptoms resulting from excessive alcohol consumption. Remember that moderate alcohol consumption is defined as one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. One dose is equivalent to ten grams of pure alcohol, which corresponds to 300 ml of beer (5% alcohol), 125 ml of wine (12% alcohol) and 30 ml of spirits (40% alcohol).
This difference in recommendations for men and women is because women are naturally more sensitive to the effects of alcohol in general, regardless of their age.
— Women, even at younger ages, generally have less muscle mass than men. This also means that they have a smaller volume of body water, increasing the concentration of alcohol in their blood — explains hepatologist Cristiane Villela Nogueira, from the Clementino Fraga Filho University Hospital and professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the UFRJ.
— Some studies show that they also produce less of an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase, which leads to slower metabolism of alcohol — adds Dr. Polianna Souza, geriatrician at Einstein Israelita Hospital.
People over 50 are also at greater risk of having a hangover. This happens because there is a sort of reduced tolerance to alcohol as we age, as the body becomes less able to process alcohol. This goes for both men and women.
— Alcohol tolerance decreases with age. So the fact that people, especially women 50 and older, report feeling the effects of alcohol more is not just a perception, but a well-documented physiological phenomenon, Souza says.
Hangovers are the result of alcohol toxicity in the body. Typical symptoms include fatigue, weakness, thirst, headache, muscle pain, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, dizziness, sensitivity to light and sound, anxiety, irritability, reduced alertness, tremor, difficulty concentrating, sweating, rapid heartbeat, and increased blood pressure.
Generally, these symptoms appear between six and eight hours after the end of the binge drinking and can be observed for up to 8 p.m. The intensity can vary from person to person and depending on the amount of alcohol consumed.
Despite the definitions of moderate and heavy drinking, how much alcohol does it take to cause a hangover? Our bodies take an average of one hour to metabolize a dose of alcohol, according to information from the Cleveland Clinic. Therefore, consuming more than one dose per hour can cause a hangover.
And is it possible to cure a hangover? Many home remedies and even drugstore products claim to improve hangovers. There are liver-protecting capsules, electrolyte-rich drinks, vitamin patches to wear while partying, and strips that dissolve on the tongue, all with the goal of speeding recovery.
However, a study by Stanford University in the US, which evaluated hangover interventions, including compounds such as tolfenamic acid, Korean pear juice and a vitamin B6 analogue called pyritinol, available in products and thought to alleviate hangover symptoms, found little evidence that they actually work.
Unfortunately, there is no effective way to speed up this process, only time. But there are some things that can really help.
- Eat Carbs: Drinking alcohol can lower blood sugar levels, so theoretically, some of the fatigue and headaches of a hangover could be caused by a brain functioning without enough of its primary fuel, according to information from Harvard Health Publishing. Bland foods, like toast and whole-grain juices, are one way to gradually bring sugar levels back to normal.
- Hydrate: Alcohol is a diuretic. This makes you urinate more, leading to loss of a lot of fluids and an imbalance in electrolyte levels. According to the Cleveland Clinic, you can lose up to a liter of urine in the hours after drinking four glasses of alcohol. Dehydration causes thirst, fatigue and headaches. Therefore, drink plenty of fluids, especially water, to reduce dehydration. Isotonic drinks are also welcome to replace electrolytes. Nutritionist and GLOBO columnist Priscilla Primi also recommends calming teas, like chamomile, lemon balm, green tea, and even matcha. Among natural juices, Primi says unfiltered fruit juices are best, especially pineapple, which contains bromelain, an enzyme that aids digestion. Watermelon and melon juice are also good because they contain a lot of water.
- Sleep well: Alcohol is a sedative and can help induce sleep. But it will be fragmented and you will tend to get up early. Lack of sleep alone doesn’t cause a hangover, but it certainly contributes to fatigue, as well as loss of productivity and difficulty concentrating. If possible, get enough rest to combat these symptoms.
- Antacids and anti-inflammatories: Alcohol irritates the lining of the stomach and intestines. It slows digestion, increasing the secretion of fatty substances by the liver, stomach and pancreas. All of these processes can cause stomach upset and nausea. Antacids help calm the stomach. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, help relieve pain and discomfort. But they can also irritate your stomach even more. Use sparingly.
- Coffee: Caffeine may not have any particular power against hangovers, but as a stimulant it can help relieve drowsiness. However, it is important to remember that caffeine and alcohol should never be mixed, as caffeine can mask the depressant effects of alcohol, making consumers more alert than they actually would be. can help improve attention level.
- Be patient: Your body must eliminate the toxic byproducts of alcohol, rehydrate, heal the tissues, and restore its functions and activity to normal. Unpleasant symptoms tend to disappear within 8 to 24 hours.
If you can’t get over a hangover quickly, the good news is that it’s possible to drink and prevent a hangover with a few simple tips.
- Drink slowly. Limit your consumption to one drink per hour. This is approximately the amount your body can process. If you consume drinks like champagne, drink slowly. Carbon dioxide bubbles can accelerate the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream and compete with the absorption of oxygen.
- Drink water. Alternate alcoholic drinks with plain water. According to Cristiane, drinking water with alcohol helps dilute the alcohol in the body. This helps prevent dehydration, which helps reduce intoxication and, therefore, hangovers.
- Feed yourself. Do not drink on an empty stomach. Food helps slow the absorption of alcohol, according to Polianna. It is best to eat before drinking or while drinking.
- Choose wisely. Choose lighter colored drinks, such as vodka, gin, light beer and white wine. These drinks contain fewer congeners (compounds produced during fermentation that contribute to the flavor and aroma of alcoholic beverages but can worsen a hangover) than dark drinks, such as darker drinks like whiskey and cognac.
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