Natural Remedies for Hangovers: Activated Charcoal and More

| Modified on Nov 13, 2024
The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Raw Green Mangoes
Posted by Juan Dela Fuente (Philippines) on 12/10/2020
★★★★★

IN THE PHILIPPINES, FILIPINOS WHO ARE HEAVY DRINKERS (lasenggos in the vernacular) have found a very effective way to cure "hangover". And the cure takes effect in minutes, not hours, especially in the morning. They eat raw green mangoes. I have tried it with one whole raw green mango and it works fast. The vitamin C in mango is very powerful.


B Complex, Tylenol Pm
Posted by Tom (Regina, Sk) on 09/15/2010

There are actually pre-mixed supplement capsules on the market that have proved for thirty years to prevent hangovers by supplying various antioxidants and liver-protective ingredients. They are even named as some kind of hangover preventative or anti-alcohol antioxidant blend. The main key ingredients are always Vitamins C, E, and the amino acid "NAC", or n-acetyl cysteine. Then there are up to a dozen others in the mix. NAC is readily recognizable as the one key nutrient used by hospitals to save people admitted from kidney and liver failure from overdose of acetaminophen! Some of those others are chlorophyllin, selenium, zinc, copper, barley grass, thiamin, etc. Here is a quote from one page of a long article explaining why booze can hurt so badly after over-consumption! :

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been associated with acute ethanol-induced liver damage. A study published in the journal Artery confirmed a specific toxic metabolite of alcohol (acetaldehyde) and identified an antidote (N-acetyl-cysteine): "All known pathways of ethanol metabolism result in the production of acetaldehyde, a highly reactive compound. N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), an analogue of the dietary amino acid cysteine, binds acetaldehyde, thus preventing its damaging effect on physiological proteins. "45 NAC is a glutathione precursor and direct antioxidant. Pretreatment with or co-administration of NAC helps to inhibit acute ethanol-induced liver damage via counteracting ethanol-induced oxidative stress


Wood Chip Alcohol Fumes
Posted by Robert Henry (Ten Mile, Tn) on 12/24/2015

HI U OLE PATOOTS, , , , , , , , since some of you will be having libations during the holidays, I caution you not to get high on wood alcohol.

Up until this incident, I would have said that pine chip fumes were more dangerous than hardwood chip fumes. Not so, and here is a story that I experienced in the 70's as superintendent of a pulp mill.

We always built extremely large chip storage piles to prepare for the wet winters. That year it was too large and covered all the chip tunnel ventilation. A utility man's job was to clean under the chip conveyors in the tunnel.

I got a call from the digester operator saying that he got a weird call and then silence. He thought it was the utility man cleaning the chip tunnel. We rushed out there and he was out cold in the tunnel. We got him to the hospital and the doctor concluded that he passed out drunk on hardwood chip fumes. This is wood alcohol or methanol and can cause you to go blind or permanently affect your brain.

Luckily , the doctor was a country boy and had some common sense. He brought him down slowly using vodka for three days. He had one heck of a hang-over. The kid's eye sight was not affected, but his personality was to an extent.

ATS======ORH=======


Activated Charcoal
Posted by Melissa (Texas) on 12/31/2014
★★★★★

Activated Charcoal is the ticket!

Take 2 Charcocaps Prior to drinking, 2 during and 2 before going home/passing out; drink a BIG glass of water with the last charcocaps. You will be right as rain in the morning=) The 2 before/after are most important, no worries if you forget the middle dose. I'm much older & don't go partying anymore like I did in my twenties. I was wrapping Christmas presents & sipping Prosecco while listening to Christmas music & before I knew it the bottle was EMPTY! I drank it by myself!!!!! STUPID

Charco caps saved me. I felt a little more tired than usual the next day, but NO HANGOVER.

*CAUTION: activated charcoal will sweep (remove) your entire system of EVERYTHING including medications, & nutrients (don't waste your vitamins, save for the AM after w/breakfast;)

I'm not promoting alcoholism here; take it easy folks. Eat well before drinking, pace yourself & have water in between if it will be a long night. Don't drink & drive=)

Multi-Vitamins
Posted by Bret (Phoenix, Arizona) on 08/21/2008
★★★★★

You wont believe this. I thought I discovered a cure for hangovers A FEW YEARS AGO.and I don't know of many people who have used this recipe and didn't swear by its benefits.

Liquid Chlorophyll, water- soluable vitamins, potassium, calcium carbonate.
Activated charcoal.

These, taken with 1,000 militers of H20 will prevent 90% of hangovers.

MORE SPECIFIC:

Water Soluable Vitamins: Small dose b complex.(large doses make you puke.)
Vitamin C- Detoxifies the aldahyde biproducts. Used buffered form or use regular VIT. c with extra tums.
Calcium carbonate
Tums- take three or four.
Protects stomach. Adds calcium ions to blood stream. Protects kidneys from phosphates.
Potassium- Depleated by diuretics.
black strap molasses, potassium supplements, three bananas, gatorade/powerade.

Chlorophyll:
Detoxifies
by binding to and/or absorbtion.
Well documented properties!

Activated charcoal.
Absorbs alcohol that's remaining in your stomach.Blocks it from your blood stream and liver. Excreted through feces.

Water:
Very important. Alcohol is diuretic. You become dehydrated and your electrolytes are off. So, replenish water and lytes is good strategy.

Nobody, goes out and buys all this different stuff just to treat hangovers. But when they do they are glad they did. If after all this, you wake up to urinate in the middle of the morning, if you still have a headach,...take benadryl 25 mg.

WARNING:

Do not take aspirin, tylenol for hangovers. Tylenol can cause liver damage. Aspirin can cause G.I. bleeding.


B Complex, Tylenol Pm
Posted by Cheryl (Powell, Wyoming) on 07/12/2008
★☆☆☆☆

WARNING!

Please tell all your readers NOT to take any acetominiphine (Tylenol) products when drinking. It really stresses your liver even more than already stressed from the alcohol. Take plain old aspirin or ibuprophen instead!


Water and Aspirin
Posted by Scott (Pen Argyl, PA) on 10/26/2007
★★★★★

A hangover is simply dehydration caused by alcohol drawing water out of your system. As a former bartender I learned this simple method of always avoiding a hangover and if I already have it releving it quickly. Drink lots of water and take aspirin before going to bed. The water rehydrates the body and the aspirin thins the blood to get the alchol through the blood system and out more quickly. The only problem with this is you will be getting up a few times during the night to go to the bathroom but I prefer this to the hangover.

Blackstrap Molasses
Posted by JB (Minneapolis, MN) on 01/03/2007
★★★★★

If you take a tablespoon of Black Strap Molasses after a night of drinks and then one in the morning, the effects don't seem as bad. I'm thinking it's the potassiuim that is the helper. This molasses has a lot of potassiuim. My husband tried it and he agreed that he felt much better in the morning. I at first recommended the molasses to my mother who was iron low and had a hard time with iron pills. Her iron was normal a few weeks later at her scheduled doctor apptmt. I read the bottle and noticed the potassium percentage and decided to try it after a cocktail party and was amazed!

Honey
Posted by Eric (Anchorage, Alaska) on 12/16/2006
★★★★★

i am a severe drinker, but had been on wagon for 1 month then went on a major drinking episode. i took 2 tablespoons of honey every hour when shaking and sick and felt calm and good did this for 5 hours and was like new next day.


Cold Showers
Posted by Piersyp (London) on 08/03/2014
★★★★★

My shower is broken and only does hot, but when you first switch it on you can get about 20 seconds of cold. I went for it and can say that my headache was significantly improved, just wish I could have had a bit more time, it felt like it would have done me more good.


Activated Charcoal
Posted by Shane (Trail, BC, Canada) on 01/02/2006
★★★★★

I was told that if you want to prevent the unpleasant effects of a hangover you can take an activated charcoal capsule with each alcoholic beverage which will absorb the harmful elements in the alcohol which cause the hangover.

Activated Charcoal
Posted by Sam (Miami) on 01/01/2015

There is a video on YouTube where a chiropractor explains that drinking activated charcoal beforehand prevents hangover. Not only for hangovers but food poisoning, gas, nausea etc.


Fruit Salad
Posted by Citygirl27 (Richardson, Tx, Usa) on 06/25/2012

The two things that are missing that cause hangovers are sugar and water. Biological fact: Alcohol lowers your blood sugar and dehydrates you. Your headache is because it can't get enough glucose, and your low energy/drag is because you are dehydrated. When sugar cant get to your brain, it can't function properly = bad judgement and headache. Fruit salad, fresh or canned, fresh is preferable but canned also works, will make your headache go away without medicine. You can also substitute a diabetic glucose beverage or any liquid with real sugar (not corn syrup which is much less bioavailable and taxes your liver) if fruit salad isnt' available. Glucose works unbelievably fast and will also increase your alertness. A glass of water and some glucose (chewed tablets or beverage) will get you the fastest results, fructose and water as with fruit salad the next fastest. Water in any instance. Prevention: You can reduce the severity of one significantly by having a tall glass of water before bed and upon waking. No fancy weird concoctions needed.


Chlorella
Posted by Shannon (Ottawa, On) on 05/12/2012
★★★★★

Chlorella works wonders for hangovers. What I do is take 3 grams (1 tsp powdered chlorella, can be found at any natural food store) in a smoothie before a night out drinking, then 3 grams before bed. Make sure to get "broken cell wall" chlorella. This ensures easier digestability and absorbtion. If you forget to take it the night before, you can also try 3-6 grams the next morning. It won't work as well but will definitely improve your hangover. I get the WORST hangovers ever, and this is the ONLY remedy that has ever worked for me!

Chlorella
Posted by Nog (Australia) on 12/15/2013
★★★★★

Never posted here before but took 6 grams before drinking and again before bed, had a 15 hour drinking session, 6 hours sleep then went for a run and got back on it again. A Night out usually wrecks the next few days for me but not anymore this stuff is gold


Multiple Remedies
Posted by Jennifer (Sunrise, Fl, Usa) on 11/21/2011

Ah, the dreaded hangover. After a night of punishing your poor body with alcohol, your body finally gets to punish you back!

The morning after, if you wake up and you're still a little drunk, or the nausea hasn't set in yet, this is your golden opportunity to take action before things start to get REALLY bad. I think you know what I'm talking about. Get something in your stomach as soon as you can to help your body absorb the alcohol and toxins in your system. I hate to say it, but grease and carbs are the best things you can put in your body at the first stage of a hangover, for whatever reason, it really helps! (This is the only time I'd ever advocate eating fast food! ). If your stomach churns at the thought of eating McDonalds, make yourself something with lots of grease and carbs - maybe a pizza, some spaghetti with butter or something similar. After you've eaten the greasy food, take an ibuprofen if you think your stomach can handle it (don't take more than you need, and never take Tylenol, it's very hard on your liver and can be potentially deadly mixed with alcohol.)

After you got some food in your stomach, spend the next 24 hours on a detox diet. Fruit juices, tomato juice (like V8), milkshakes with banana and honey, or a vegetable soup like gazpacho are all very helpful to replenish all the vitamins and potassium your body lost and to help gently detox the alcohol out of your system. Keep drinking water or a sports drink throughout the day to rehydrate your body.

Your body will also recover more quickly if you take a nap than if you try to tough it out all day. If you were intoxicated when you went to sleep the night before, then you probably didn't get enough restful sleep - even if you went to sleep for 8 hours. When you feel good enough, go for a run, go in a sauna or steam room or take a hot shower to help your body sweat out the toxins (just follow up with lots of water afterwards, because whether you realize it or not, you are really dehydrated! )

If you woke up and there's no chance you're going to be able to keep some food down, make some ginger or peppermint tea and sip it SLOWLY. The ginger tea is a powerful nausea reliever and you will rehydrate your body in the process. If you're really nauseous you can double up the tea bags. Once the nausea has been relieved and you think you can keep some food down, follow the steps above.

Here's a few helpful things you can do for next time to prevent a hangover:

- There are 'hangover prevention' type pills you can find over-the-counter at the drugstore that contain B vitamins and vegetable carbon. They really work if you take them as directed. If you're going somewhere where you feel like you might really be tying one on, pick these up first!

- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Aim to drink at least one glass of water between every drink you have.

- Never drink on an empty stomach.

- Don't drink too much too quickly, 1 drink per hour is enough for most people. You need to give your body time to process the alcohol.

- Sometimes eating before you sleep is helpful.

- Don't mix alcohols. Also, stick with the top-shelf liquors over the rail liqours.

- With wines and champagnes, beware sulfates and carbonation - they both cause headaches in sensitive people.

- Always drink in moderation. We all make mistakes, but remember that everytime you binge on alcohol, you are doing damage to your brain, your heart, your liver and your kidneys. And most importantly, please get help if you think you're having trouble controlling your drinking.


Fresh Fruit Juice
Posted by Manasa (Suva, Fiji) on 02/09/2010
★★★★★

For immediate relief of hangovers, I found the following juice will relieve all my hangovers in fifteen minutes. Make a natural juice out of carrot, pawpaw, apple, pineapple, tomato, orange plus any other fruit to taste.(Each to be the size of say 1/2 an apple), and drink all at once. (should be enough to fill say an 8oz glass). Wait for 15 minutes or so. Your hangover will be completely gone and you should be ready for another day.

Fresh Fruit Juice
Posted by Hippy_chick (West Side, Australia) on 05/04/2012

YES agreed. My best hangover remedy is a green smoothie - filtered water, lots of leafy greens and fresh fruit. I add chia seeds too. It doesn't do miracles after a huge night but it definitely helps. Goes great with a home-made BLT! X


Asparagus
Posted by Rob (Manhattan, New York) on 01/24/2010

Hangover Remedy - this from Dr. Weil....

avoid alcohol in the first place. However, if you do overdo it, drinking plenty of water and taking a B-complex vitamin supplement plus extra thiamine (100 mg) to counter the B-vitamin depletion caused by alcohol can help, as can... asparagus? Researchers at the Institute of Medical Science and Jeju National University in South Korea recently conducted a study that linked the amino acids and trace minerals in asparagus extract with reduced hangover symptoms.

While more research needs to be done before asparagus can be touted as a reliable hangover remedy, if you drank too much the night before, eating asparagus at breakfast can't hurt - it is a nutrient-dense vegetable, among the richest food sources of folate, and a good source of fiber, vitamins A, B6 and C, and potassium.


Milk Thistle, Sea Buckthorn
Posted by Rob (Manhattan, New York) on 11/20/2009
★★★★★

Thumbs up for Milk Thistle

testing out a combination Milk Thistle and Sea Buckthorn combo (from Germany). I was surprised that I didn't suffer the usual ill effects this morning from a few beers the evening before. (shakiness, headache...I rarely drink)

I attribute it to the Milk Thistle...decided it will be a regular on my supplement shelf.


Green Tea
Posted by Amanda (Columbus, Ohio) on 11/15/2008
★★★★★

If you drink one cup of green tea in the morning it will treat a hangover due to the concentrated amount of antioxidants that it contains. It also will not hurt to up your water consumption, as you are bound to be dehydrated. It works!


Hangover Prevention
Posted by DK (St. Paul, MN) on 10/29/2008
★★★★★

Hangover Prevention

Depending on how much and how long you will be drinking in a night depends on this method, but it works for me. All you have to do is eat.

On a light drinking night, Eat at least a little bit 4 hours before or up to the point you start drinking.
Eat a moderate sized meal after drinking. I suggest having a balanced meal of maybe some breads, milk, meat, fruits and veges, but also with some junk food too. Keep away from a lot of sugary foods. I myself, might eat a sandwich, and some chips with a glass of milk, or 2 eggs on toast with milk.

On a moderate drinking night, Eat a moderate meal 4 hours before or up to the point you start drinking.
Eat a moderate /heavy meal after drinking. I suggest having a balanced meal of maybe some breads, milk, meat, fruits and veges, but also with some junk food too. Keep away from a lot of sugary foods. I myself, might eat a sandwich, a bowl of cereal, and 2 ice cream sandwiches.

On a heavy drinking night, Eat a moderate meal 4 hours before or up to the point you start drinking. Eat a heavy meal after drinking. I suggest having a balanced meal of maybe some breads, milk, meat, fruits and veges, but also with some junk food too. Keep away from a lot of sugary foods. I myself, might eat a burger and fries, a sandwich, 2 glasses of milk, and some strawberries.

If you going to be drinking over a period of time such as 6 hours or more, I suggest having a snack in the middle of drinking or a light meal. Pasta or noodles of some sort seems to be the best for these types of meals.

This has worked for me for a couple years, and I haven't woke up with a hang over yet from doing this, good luck to everyone!

Hangover Prevention
Posted by Joyce (Joelton, Tn) on 10/30/2008 490 posts

The foods you list to prevent a hangover seems to contain a lot of junk foods and sugary foods. My question is: Why do you need to prevent hangovers? If you can't take a drink or two and stop before getting drunk (which causes hangovers), it is time to quit drinking at all. Why let alcohol rule your life?


Hangover Prevention
Posted by Katrina (Oakland, Ca, Usa) on 02/18/2012

A while back I had the worst hangover of my life. Pretty much very thing I smelled, looked at or thought about was making me want to vomit. It lasted a good 5 hours, until I was so hungry that I just had to eat even though I was positive I would not be able to keep it down. All I had was some 3 day old greasy Chinese leftovers, but I heated them up and ate it. I felt better within minutes! The nausea was relieved and then totally gone within an hour.



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