Doctor reveals how the body can best cope with alcohol: "It's best to pre-hydrate the whole day"

Created: 08/30/2022, 06:23

By: Juliane Gutmann

Weddings to garden parties: Beer, wine and spirits often flow in large quantities at such celebrations.

You don't have to feel miserable the next day if you know a few tricks.

Dietary supplements with vitamin B12, magnesium and potassium, electrolyte solutions from the pharmacy or the always-a-glass-of-water-after-the-beer-rule: everyone has their own anti-hangover recipe.

Of course, the healthiest thing is not to use alcoholic beverages in the first place.

But if you do get cravings, a few simple measures will help to prevent feeling unwell the next day.

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In the ZDF interview, Yael Adler, dermatologist, non-fiction author and nutritionist, gives tips on how the body can best cope with an alcohol-rich evening.

Background: Alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine and schnapps contain ethanol.

This is a drug classified as liver poison that can damage organs and the brain.

Excessive consumption has fatal consequences: cirrhosis of the liver, alcohol addiction, nerve damage in the brain and even cancer.

The recommended maximum amounts of alcohol according to the German Center for Addiction Questions:

• At least two alcohol-free days per week

• For women: no more than twelve grams of alcohol per day, i.e. no more than a small glass of wine (0.125 liters)

• For men: no more than 24 grams of alcohol per day, i.e. two small glasses of beer (0.6 liters)

However, an international team of researchers recently concluded from a study that people under the age of 40 should avoid wine, beer and other alcoholic beverages completely.

You can find out more about this here.

Cocktail, beer or wine: alcohol damages the brain and liver and should not be consumed regularly.

© Ok Shu/Imago

Rollmops as the perfect hangover breakfast?

Medical tips at a glance

"If you know that you're going to drink a little something in the evening, you should be watering the whole day.

Preferably with mineral water," says Dr.

Yael Adler, who specializes in nutritional medicine, among other things.

Tap water is not recommended because it contains less of the essential electrolytes magnesium, calcium or potassium, which the body loses through alcohol consumption, says the doctor.

“The fact is that alcohol drives water.

Then the next day you have a headache because you are dehydrated because the electrolytes are missing.

You have to fill that up," says Adler.

Hearty food on the day of the celebration also prevents the alcohol from being converted too quickly in the body.

Those who also rely on little sweet alcohol also prevent after-pains.

Because sweet drinks slow down the breakdown of alcohol, Adler explains.

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Fancy some sour Rollmops the next morning?

Acidic foods help the body break down alcohol, according to nutritionist Yael Adler.

The Rollmops also contains: "Lots of minerals, such as selenium for detoxification," says Adler.

According to the doctor, the following foods and drinks are also suitable for regenerating faster the day after:

• Mineral water

• juice spritzers

• Pickled cucumbers

• tomato juice

• chicken soup

• gruel