Student, 21, claims she's found the ultimate hack to avoid hangovers after a night of drinking

Daily Mail​

27-04-2025

A Canadian influencer who loves to party claims she's solved the age-old dilemma of how to avoid a hangover with an innovative trick.
Lucy Welcher, 21, from Nova Scotia, shared her 'life hack' in a clip posted on Instagram with the aim of sparing people around the world from sore heads the morning after the night before.
While some people rely on paracetamol, 'hair of the dog' or a greasy fry-up for breakfast to stave off the dreaded hangover, Lucy relies on another ingredient - electrolytes.
The Criminology student filmed herself opening a sachet of the supplement before pouring it into her glass of vodka and lemonade to ensure she remained hydrated.
Glammed up in a black dress with her long blonde hair in a bouncy blow-dry, she stirred the contents of the sachet into her drink and before taking a sip.
Lucy explained in her caption that she makes sure she's hydrated with her lemon-flavoured electrolytes, writing: 'Lemon electrolytes in a vodka soda is so good and you're hydrating'.
A hangover is, in part, caused by a loss of fluids which results in dehydration. The symptoms of this can include thirst, headache, fatigue and dizzyness.
Among the many benefits of taking electrolyte supplements is rehydration, meaning that taking electrolytes could, in theory, help to counteract the effects of alcohol.
While medical professionals tend to agree that the only tried and tested way of avoiding a hangover is to avoid drinking entirely, there are ways to minimise the effects.
A hangover is the result of excess ethanol that the liver cannot process because it has become too saturated.
The main effect of a hangover is dehydration because alcohol affects the body's ability to retain water.
The effects are made worse by the disruption alcohol causes to the metabolism, suppressing hormones which the body uses to control urine - making trips to the toilet a common side effect of drinking.
Dehydration related to alcohol is also worsened if there is vomiting and all of this can lead to an imbalance in electrolytes.
Hangover symptoms include tiredness, feeling thirsty, a headache, muscle aches, nausea and stomach pain. sensitivity to light and sound, sweating and anxiety.
While electrolyte drinks may help to some extent, according to EatingWell, they are not a miracle cure and shouldn't be seen as an excuse to drink excessively.
While electrolyte drinks can restore fluids and vitamins, easing headaches and quenching your thirst, they might not banish other symptoms.
Instead, Dr Sally Adams, an Associate Professor at the University of Birmingham suggests lining the stomach with carbs, protein and fat to slow down the absorption of alcohol.
A greasy fry-up the next day is also a tried and tested method, but according to GQ, it might be more psychosomatic than anything else and the result of doing something caring for yourself.
Other bizarre hangover hacks that have been de-bunked by doctors include dunking your face in ice water.
The hack plays on the survival instinct to prevent drowning - dropping the heart rate, shutting down nonessential processes and shifting blood flow to conserve energy.
These changes, known as the mammalian diving reflex, reduce the anxiety and nausea you feel after a night of drinking.
But the pains come rushing back after your body realizes it is not in danger of drowning.
Dr Karan Raj, an NHS Surgeon, explained mammalian diving in a TikTok video, ending his post with a plea not to try this at home,' which is likely because you may actually drown.
While many social users praised the hack, which made the rounds on TikTok, others have shared that plunging their face in cold water for a few seconds is not enough to do the trick.