Beer before wine and you're fine' � looks like that's not true anymore

Beer before wine, wine before beer � it doesn't matter. Hangovers will wreck you
the next morning if you drink too much, study finds

A recent British study found that the order in which you drink different alcohols
doesn't determine the severity of a hangover the following morning.Getty Images
The Telegraph
Sarah Knapton
February 8, 2019
9:56 AM EST

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Eating & Drinking
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The advice �beer before wine and feel you�ll be fine, wine before beer and you�ll
feel queer� has long been followed by drinkers eager to avoid a hangover.

However, a study by the University of Cambridge and German scientists suggests that
the order of drinking does little to stave off nausea and a throbbing head.

Researchers asked volunteers to drink two and a half pints of beer followed by four
large glasses of wine, while a second group had the same amount of alcohol in
reverse order.

Unfortunately, we found that there was no way to avoid the inevitable hangover just
by favouring one order over another

The next day they were asked to rate their hangover, taking into account thirst,
fatigue, headache, dizziness, nausea, stomach ache, increased heart rate and loss
of appetite. A week later the groups were asked to switch the order of drinks to
see whether it made any difference.

But after recording the levels of hangovers from both groups, researchers concluded
there was no difference. Put simply, if you drink too much, you�re still likely to
feel ill, whether you follow the rule or not.

Dr. Kai Hensel, a senior clinical fellow at the University of Cambridge and senior
author of the study, said the team originally hoped to come up with sound
scientific advice to help people avoid hangovers. �A clear result in favour of one
particular order could help to reduce hangovers and help many people have a better
day after a night out � though we encourage people to drink responsibly,� said Dr.
Hensel.

�Unfortunately, we found that there was no way to avoid the inevitable hangover
just by favouring one order over another.�
The belief that drinkers can be spared a hangover by drinking beer first can be
found in several countries, which have sayings similar to the British one. Hangover
symptoms occur when higher-than-normal blood alcohol concentrations drop back to
zero bringing dehydration, changes in immune response, and disturbances of our
metabolism and hormones.

They are likely to be influenced by ingredients other than the pure alcohol
content, such as colourings and flavourings, which is why clear spirits are often
the best way to avoid a pounding head.

Champagne makes a hangover worse because the bubbles can accelerate the absorption
of alcohol. Eating while drinking also helps reduce hangovers, especially red meat,
which helps the body process alcohol by boosting amino acids and B vitamins.

The research was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.