We’ve all been there (well, most of us anyway): headache, dry mouth, that helpless feeling of fatigue – all because the increased rate of urination when you’re wasted leads to dehydration.
For those of us who like to drink socially and get a little crazy now and then, a potential breakthrough may have just been discovered. A group of Australian nutrition researchers have managed to brew up a “hangover-free” beer last year, and while it might make the next day a little more bearable, it’s not going to help you make any less a fool of yourself the night before.
From IFLS:
To make their wonder beer, scientists at Griffith University’s Health Institute added electrolytes—substances that affect the amount of water in your body—to two different commercial beers, one regular strength and one light. They then gave the beverages to volunteers that had just completed a rigorous work out.
Light beer laced with electrolytes was found to be three times more hydrating than normal beer, although the researchers caution that drinking alcohol after exercise is still not the wisest idea because it can have all sorts of nasty effects, such as decreased risk awareness. However, they accept that telling people what they should and shouldn’t do is often a fruitless endeavour, so working towards reducing danger is probably a better way to approach the situation.
“We know that beer is a very popular drink with people, particularly after sport or exertion,” research scientist Ben Desbrow told ABC News. “From our perspective it’s about exploring harm minimization approaches that may still allow people to potentially drink beer as a beverage, but lower the risks associated with the alcohol consumption—and hopefully improve rehydration potential.”
There is a catch, however. Apparently the beer was only effective when it was coupled with a low alcohol content. Maybe a blessing in disguise? We’re sure alcohol connoisseurs would disagree.
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