Does Taking Aspirin before Drinking Prevent a Hangover?

Aspirin might have some value when it comes to easing the discomfort of a hangover, but using this over-the-counter medication before drinking alcohol won't prevent a hangover — it might even make it worse. Aspirin prevents alcohol dehydrogenase, an enzyme found in the liver and stomach, from efficiently processing alcohol. Taking it before drinking results in a higher blood alcohol content, which increases the chances of experiencing a hangover the next morning.

More facts about hangovers:

• One strategy that might help minimize the chances of a hangover is to eat something before drinking. Foods that have plenty of protein will help slow the introduction of the alcohol into the bloodstream. This helps to regulate alcohol levels more efficiently and reduce the severity of a hangover.


• Periodically drinking water throughout the evening will help to reduce dehydration and can make the next morning’s hangover less severe.


• In men who are younger than 55, alcohol dehydrogenase has a greater level of activity. When men reach their mid-50s, those activity levels begin to fall, meaning that men that age might find themselves with less alcohol tolerance than they previously had.