As long as humans have been drinking alcohol, we’ve been searching for ways to mitigate our hangovers. In fact, a papyrus scroll dating back to the first century A.D. recommends that hangover sufferers simply wear Alexandrian laurel, a plant worn by Greco-Roman athletes and orators.
In the almost 2,000 years since then, we’ve settled on some hangover cures that sound more sensible than that. But as it turns out, plenty of modern methods are also medical myths. In most cases, remedies like hair of the dog or eating a greasy breakfast will only worsen your hangover.
But what about other factors that can increase a hangover? It turns out caffeine is another culprit here. And although many people turn to caffeinated coffee when they’re hung over, caffeine is far from the salve most people need.
The Effects of Caffeine on a Hangover
When we drink alcohol, our liver breaks it down into acetaldehyde, a toxic compound that causes the headaches and nausea that come with a hangover. Alcohol also causes dehydration. This happens because alcohol essentially tricks your kidneys into frequent urination, which deprives the body of much needed fluids.
When you drink caffeinated coffee while hung over, the caffeine you ingest can worsen these symptoms. The British Medical Journal holds that caffeine will worsen your dehydration, because it also acts as diuretic, and it may also worsen your upset stomach.
Caffeine can also increase your hangover-induced headache. This occurs because caffeine temporarily constricts your blood vessels and increases your blood
