Beer commercials on TV don’t show people actually drinking the beer, due to long-standing policies of the broadcasting networks. What’s the best hangover cure? Simply put? Water and time. Friends of drinking, make sure you don’t and Google might advise you to drink take Tylenol, Excedrin, or other pain coffee, eat menudo, or even take relievers with acetaminophen. another drink of alcohol. You can try The combination of alcohol and all the “cures” you’d like, but the only acetaminophen can seriously proven way to avoid hangovers is to hurt your liver. If you want some prevent them in the first place. The pain relief, take aspirin, ibuprofen two best life hacks for drinkers are (Advil) or naproxen (Aleve). 1) drink plenty of water (or another non- Don’t waste money on hangover alcoholic beverage) while you party, and pills. Most of them instruct you to 2) limit the number of alcoholic drinks wash down their products with large you have. If you ever wake up feeling amounts of water. If they help, it’s hungover, try these tips: because of all the extra water easing Manage hangovers with healthy your dehydration – not the magic fluid replacement. Drinking leads pills (which are usually just aspirin to dehydration because alcohol and caffeine). Save your money: is a diuretic – it increases the drink water or sports drinks and take rate of urination. The more you an aspirin if you must. While some drink, the more you will experience caffeine might help you feel more dehydration’s ill effects the next alert, it won’t get the alcohol out day, such as headache, dry mouth of you faster. and fatigue. Pour some water or grab Want more alcohol info? The UA a sports drink – they have the added Campus Health Service has a range benefit of glucose (sugar) and of programs: eCHECKUP TO GO, electrolytes (minerals). The Buzz, SHADE, individual Treat headaches with pain relievers. counseling, and more. For more Avoid acetaminophen. After a night information, call (520) 621-5700.

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The Red Cup Q&A is written by Lynn Reyes, LCSW, LISAC, David Salafsky, MPH, Lee Ann Hamilton, MA, CHES, Spencer Gorin, RN, and Christiana Castillo, MPH, in the Health Promotion and Preventive Services (HPPS) department of the UA www.health.arizona.edu Campus Health Service.