Is Sweating Out a Hangover Actually Effective?

A hangover is your body's way of expressing its displeasure. The relentless nausea. The throbbing headache. The, well, digestive troubles. We hope the fun from last night was worth it because today will be rough.

Since ancient times, when the first overindulgent Mesopotamian consumed too much fermented barley, hangovers have existed. Almost as long, there have been dubious hangover remedies and prevention methods. Popular ones include eating greasy food to absorb the alcohol and calm your stomach, sticking to either beer or liquor in one night but never mixing them, and the timeless "hair of the dog," which involves starting your day with the very drink that caused your misery.

You might know someone who insists that jogging home after a night at the bar helps sweat out the toxins causing a hangover. Not only is this completely incorrect, but it could also lead to severe dehydration.

To clarify the confusion, the idea of sweating out a hangover has a tiny bit of truth. The body eliminates alcohol through two primary methods: urine, breath, and sweat. This might make it seem logical that more sweat equals faster alcohol removal.

However, this reasoning overlooks the second method of alcohol elimination: oxidation in the liver. Research shows that over 90 percent of alcohol is processed by the liver, with less than 10 percent expelled through urine, breath, and sweat.

While it’s technically possible to sweat out a tiny amount of alcohol, it’s negligible. This is the first flaw in the sweat cure theory. The second is that alcohol itself isn’t the main culprit behind hangover symptoms—blame the liver for that.

The oxidation of alcohol in the liver is a chemical process where ethanol molecules are broken down into acetic acid and eventually into harmless carbon dioxide and water. However, this process includes a harmful intermediate stage where ethanol converts into acetaldehyde, a toxic compound for the body.

When consumed slowly and in moderation, the liver can metabolize about one drink (0.5 ounces of alcohol) per hour, preventing toxic levels of acetaldehyde from accumulating in the bloodstream. However, excessive drinking in a short time leads to a buildup of acetaldehyde, causing various unpleasant symptoms such as sweating, facial flushing, headaches, dry mouth, and nausea.

What Happens to Your Body During a Hangover

A hangover occurs when the body can't metabolize alcohol fast enough, leaving behind the toxic remnants of the night before. The euphoric buzz fades, replaced by the harsh effects of acetaldehyde. Since the liver processes over 90 percent of alcohol, the minimal amount expelled through sweat, even in large quantities, won't make a noticeable difference in reducing acetaldehyde levels.

Running home from the bar in a rubber tracksuit, like Matthew Modine in "Vision Quest," is particularly risky. Alcohol acts as a diuretic, increasing urine production, which is why you visit the restroom more often after drinking beer compared to non-alcoholic beverages.

Alcohol not only increases urination but also raises body temperature, leading to excessive sweating. After a night of heavy drinking, your body loses significant fluids, resulting in dehydration. This dehydration is the primary cause of common hangover symptoms like dry mouth, headaches, and fatigue.

Picture how much worse your dehydration would be, and how much more terrible you'd feel, if you decided to go for a sweaty run after downing all those Jagermeister shots. Severe dehydration can result in coma, organ failure, or even death. Plus, running while drunk and dehydrated increases the risk of serious accidents.

To truly avoid a hangover, do the exact opposite of sweating it out. Keep yourself hydrated by drinking water between alcoholic beverages. This not only maintains hydration but also allows your body time to metabolize the alcohol before your next drink.