hangovers get better with age, here’s why

Many people say it: at 20, you can have a series of hangovers and, the next day, be as fresh as the morning dew. As you get older, recovering from a binge can take much longer … But imagine that study carried out in the Netherlands and published on April 5, 2021 proves the opposite. The most common hangover symptoms, such as fatigue, headache, diarrhea and nausea, are less likely to be felt with age.

But how did the researchers come to such a conclusion? 761 alcohol consumers aged between 18 and 94 were interviewed on Facebook. First, the participants were asked to estimate their level of intoxication on a scale from 0 to 10 during their binge drinking. Then it was the severity of their hangover that was assessed. Result: 18-25s estimated their hangover at 3, while 46-55 year olds estimated it at 1.

Two explanations were given by the researchers of this study. First of all, as we get older, we would endure the pain better. Then with age and experience of alcohol consumption, its effects are better tolerated by the human body. Not to mention that as we age, we tend to drink more regularly, but less. Obviously, tolerance to the acute effects of alcohol is growing …

Still, this study should be taken with a grain of salt. Moreover, the researchers at the initiative of this project, themselves, affirm it: this sample of people questioned on their alcohol consumption does not represent the majority of the population. More women than men took part in the study and more young adults than people between 30 and 40 years old answered the questions of the University of Utrecht. One thing is certain: the best way to avoid a hangover is still not to drink (too much), and this, whatever the age …