You know what a hangover feels like: pounding head, dry mouth, fatigue, an upset stomach, maybe even anxiety. But what actually causes one?
“A hangover comes about because of a variety of different things that alcohol does,” explained Kenneth Leonard, PhD, director of the University at Buffalo’s Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions. Among them, a night of drinking can lead to:
- Dehydration and electrolyte loss
- Stomach irritation
- Increased inflammation
- Exposure to a toxic alcohol byproduct called acetaldehyde
- Poor sleep
- Low blood sugar levels
With so many ill effects to counter, “avoiding the hangover is far better than treating it,” Leonard told Health.
Of course, not drinking alcohol is the simplest (and only 100% effective) way to avoid a hangover. But the internet is filled with other supposed prevention tactics—including eating specific foods before, during, or after a night out with the goal of warding off a rough morning.
Can any of these snacks actually prevent a hangover? Here’s what the science says.
“When you get in from a night out, have cheese. Cheese and crackers,” one TikTok creator recommended in a January video. “I swear, since I’ve been doing this, I have not had a single hangover.”
She may be on to something. One 2023 study using rodents suggested that eating cheese containing specific probiotics may improve alcohol metabolism and alleviate hangover symptoms. (Not all cheeses contain probiotics, but varieties including cheddar and Gouda often do.)
Single studies, particularly those conducted on animals, should always be taken with a grain of salt. But Robert Swift, MD, PhD, a professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown University who studies alcohol abuse, said there is some reason to believe cheese might help you feel better in the morning.
“Cheese is a calorie-dense food,” he said. “The stomach is going to take some time to digest it, and that’s going to slow the release of alcohol into the bloodstream.” Plus, cheese tends to be packed with salt, which may help replenish electrolytes lost to drinking.
These potential benefits aren’t specific to cheese, Swift added; they would probably apply to any food with a similar nutrient profile. Still, maybe there’s a reason wine and cheese are a classic pairing.
In April, none other than the producer and songwriter Benny Blanco took to TikTok to suggest taking shots of olive oil—one before drinking and one halfway through the night—to prevent a hangover.
Like cheese, olive oil is digested slowly. Extra-virgin olive oil also contains antioxidants that could theoretically counter some of the inflammation and liver damage caused by drinking, Swift said. “But half a bottle of vodka would overwhelm” those compounds easily, he cautioned.
It’s also not true, as some people say, that olive oil “coats the stomach” to prevent the aftermath of a boozy night, Swift said.
Leonard is even less convinced. If hacks like olive oil shots “have any effects at all, they’re going to be at the margins,” Leonard said. “They’re not going to have big effects.”
In a March video, TikTok creator Vanessa Gerstner swore that a “mustard pregame”—aka, eating straight mustard before drinking—could prevent a hangover.
“There’s no evidence that that’s going to do anything,” said Sara Hoffman, RD, a clinical dietitian with Jefferson Health.
As with many online trends, she said, this one seems to be limited to personal experience, rather than actual science. “If it works for you, great,” Hoffman said. “But it could just be a fluke.”
Swift agreed, adding that the only potential benefit he could think of would be mustard’s high salt content, which could replace some lost electrolytes.
As mentioned above, there’s a (very small) amount of evidence that eating probiotic cheese calms the effects of drinking. But what about straight probiotic supplements?
Companies like ZBiotics, which sells a probiotic drink meant to be downed before a night out, promise that their products can boost the body’s ability to break down acetaldehyde, alcohol’s toxic byproduct.
That concept has reached TikTok as well. Citing a published study, Hannah Fry, a mathematician and TikTok creator, said in a recent video that probiotics may give the body “a little head start” on alcohol metabolism.
The study that Fry mentioned, however, only looked at how prebiotic supplementation affects alcohol absorption—not hangover symptoms. It was also funded by a company that makes supplements.
There’s not much other compelling evidence to back probiotics as hangover helpers, Swift said.
“Probiotics aren’t getting to the liver,” or other parts of the body affected by alcohol, he pointed out. So even if a supplement does help a bit, it’s not likely to be a cure-all.
There’s not a ton of research on how specific foods affect hangovers. But a very small study from 2019 found that people with diets rich in zinc and nicotinic acid may be less susceptible to their symptoms. Meat, shellfish, and legumes are good sources of zinc, while nicotinic acid is found in foods including meat, fish, avocados, peanuts, whole grains, and mushrooms, according to the study.
In general, there’s no need to get too hung up on the specific foods you eat before or while drinking, experts agreed. Instead, the best thing to do is have a solid, balanced meal before consuming alcohol and stay hydrated as you do—especially if you’re imbibing more heavily. “A glass of water for every glass of alcohol is the rule of thumb,” Hoffman said.
When it comes to taking a painkiller before bed after a night of drinking, Swift said to be careful. Some common over-the-counter medications, like Tylenol, pose danger to the liver when combined with booze.
“Remember,” Swift said, “there’s no cure except not drinking.”
