Forget aspirins, hairs of dogs and hot baths, the only sure way of avoiding a hangover is not to drink in the first place, according to a new study.
Borage plant
Researchers led by Max Pittler of the Peninsular Medical School at Exeter University, surfed the Internet and combed medical databases to study a range of hangover cures from the traditional to the novel.
Their research roamed from the humble aspirin to fructose, artichokes and even prickly pears but found no silver bullet.
However, they did hold out some hope for the potential of borage, a bright blue herb with star-shaped flowers used traditionally to decorate gin-based summer cocktails.
But their conclusions were sobering.
"No compelling evidence exists to suggest that any complementary or conventional intervention is effective for treating or preventing alcohol hangover," they wrote in the British Medical Journalon Friday.
"The most effective way to avoid the symptoms of alcohol-induced hangover is thus to practise abstinence or moderation," the added.
