It’s hard to enjoy the Christmas period when you have a stonking headache and feel like you’re going to puke.
Don’t give up the mulled wine and brandy butter yet, though.
TNT has dutifully played crash test dummy to find out which hangover cures actually work.
Full English Breakfast 3/5
Alasdair Morton: I sit down at Streatham’s Hideaway hoping to greasy spoon away the shakes and alco-sweats through some saturated salvation.
The bacon and sausage are great for restoring sugars and salts, but eggs alone are better as they contain cysteine, which breaks down alcohol. Eggs Benedict next time, I think.
Price: £5-£10.
Hair Of The Dog, 4/5
Michael Gadd: Sometimes it’s right to fight fire with fire, or in this case, beer with beer.
After an epic bender, a midday pint of the most flavourless ale I could find on the way to the football – and a can on the train – did exactly the trick.
Downside – has the hangover been cured or just delayed?
Price: Approx £3.80 from any London pub.
Paracetamol, 5/5
Helen Elfer: The secret trick is to pop the painkillers before you go to bed.
You wake up in the morning pain-free, and avoid that bleary morning search through the medicine cabinet when your head’s pounding so hard you can hardly see.
It really works a treat. Genius.
Price: 39p per pack of 16.
boots.com
BeetActive, 3/5
Jade Bremner: In my tender state the last thing I want to consume is this foul-smelling, blood-like liquid.
Apparently betacyanin, the stuff that gives beetroot its colour, is an antioxidant that speeds up detoxification.
The first sip was revolting and didn’t stay down. After forcing it to, I admit my hangover subsided surprisingly quickly.
Price: £5.99.
nutricentre.com
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RU-21, 1/5
Laura Chubb: This dietary supplement claims to metabolise alcohol more efficiently with a combination of vitamins and acids.
However, the box is careful to state these claims have not been proven by an official body. No wonder.
After a heavy Saturday session, Sunday is spent suffering from nausea, a dull headache and a general space cadet demeanour.
Price: £3.95 for 20 tablets.
Nature’s Best Milk Thistle, 2/5
Ruth Board: I popped this pill, a natural remedy that’s supposed to help the liver deal with toxins, the night before with a curry.
While I was out, however, I didn’t drink as much as I would usually because the milk thistle was repeating on me and made me feel slightly sick.
A chalky vitamin-like taste mixed with beer put a dampener on the night. It’s definitely not for me!
Price: £10.50 for 90 tablets.
Headache Relief Balm, 3/5
Dan Thorne: After a beery house party I tried rubbing some of Anatomicals ‘Oi! You Throbhead’ Headache Relief Balm on my temples and passed it around to my fellow sufferers.
It smelled just like Tiger Balm and certainly brightened up my senses.
Surprisingly, it did actually seem to numb the headache, but I’m pretty sure it does absolutely nothing for sickness.
Photos: TNT
