by Nick Hoad
The Hangover Cure: How Supplements Can Help
Let’s be real. Whether it’s that one mate’s birthday, a wedding with bottomless cocktails, or just a night out at the pub that got out of hand, most of us have woken up with the rage of the drinks from the night before. Your head’s spinning, your stomach is in knots, and the distinct feeling that your life is, in fact, pain. In the midst of this unfortunate situation, you’ve probably remembered you have a busy day ahead, and stumbled over to google to type in “how to cure a hangover”. But instead of grabbing the greasy foods and bread, why don’t we turn to supplements to get you back on track? 1. Electrolytes: Your Hydration Hero When you’re slamming beers, wine and spirits, your body loses fluids and vital electrolytes. That headache and fatigue you got? Yeah, you’re dehydrated. A good electrolyte and hydration supplement restores lost sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium, helping you restore balance and feel that little bit better. Options like Switch Nutrition Hydration and 1st Phorm Hydration are top picks to get you back on your feet. 2. B Vitamins: The Energy Reviver B vitamins are essential for energy. Guess what alcohol does? That’s right, it depletes it, leaving you sluggish and brain-fogged. If you’re feeling sluggish after a night out, a good Vitamin B-complex, like the Herbs of Gold Mega B-Complex can perk you right back up and give you that boost to get back in the gym. 3. N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC): The Liver’s Best Mate When you’re out enjoying a night on the town, your liver is working harder than an F1 pit crew. Enter NAC. Boosting glutathione, a strong antioxidant that helps your liver neutralise toxins. Taking NAC after, or even before drinking can support your liver’s health and reduce that nasty hangover. Some Switch NAC is the perfect addition to ditch the hangover. 4. Milk Thistle: The Liver’s Other Mate Because of the stress on your liver from all the alcohol, we’re going to add another liver supplement into the mix, Milk Thistle. The classic liver support supplement. Silymarin, its active ingredient, has been shown to support liver regeneration and ease inflammation. If you’re giving your liver a workout by drinking a a random assortment of shots on a night out Milk Thistle is going to be your best friend. 5. Glutamine: Recovery For Body & Brain You’d think that the words “Amino Acid” were associated with building muscle, nuh-uh. Drinking alcohol damage your stomach lining and cause all kinds of inflammation, glutamine helps repair the lining and reduce the inflammation. In addition to that it also helps you recover from your workouts, making it another two birds, one stone type of supplement. Rule 1 Glutamine or Switch Glutamine are perfect supplements to add to your collection to double up on recovery. Supplements Won’t Work Alone, But They Help There is no magic pill for a hangover, as much as we’d like one. Supplements can’t undo the damage of a dozen tequila slammers (we’ve all been there, no judgement). That being said, adding some supplements along with proper hydration, eating before you drink and sleeping well can make a world of difference when you wake up from a night out.