Why You Might Want To Stop Following The “Liquor Before Beer” Rule

From cures to sneaky prevention techniques, knowing what to believe about hangovers can be pretty confusing. Luckily, the latest video from Brit Lab cuts through the muck to bring us some hard facts about hangovers — why they happen, what might make them less horrible, and the number one myth about what causes them. As for that widespread belief that the order of alcohol consumption makes a difference? That's not so true. Contrary to the "liquor before beer" trope, neither having liquor before beer nor beer before liquor affects how intense your hangover will be. What matters is how many drinks you have total, the host explains. And even though about 77% of people get hangovers, researchers haven't been able to figure out what exactly causes them. So far, they just know it has to do with the way you absorb and process alcohol. So is there any way to dodge a hangover? The video covers a couple of the most widely accepted hangover causes: bubbly drinks and consuming alcoholic liquids that are darker in color. As for bubbly drinks, your body absorbs them faster, thanks to the carbon dioxide in them. And darker alcohols, like whiskey, contain higher levels of chemicals that irritate the blood vessels in your brain, which exacerbates hangover symptoms. (Like we pointed out earlier, mixing alcohol types has no effect on hangovers.) This isn't the best news, but at least you're now a little more aware of what will — and won't — lead to a more intense hangover. Now go forth and enjoy happy hour.