Hangovers 101: What Causes Them & How to Speed Up Recovery

Our services mentioned in this article: Deluxe Recovery (Hangover) IV Drip

When it comes to recovery after drinking, most people resign themselves to “riding it out” with water and rest. However, there may be more targeted ways to support your recovery. Understanding how alcohol affects your body can help you actively accelerate your recovery process rather than simply weathering the storm.

The reality is, hangovers are more than just “feeling a bit rough.” There’s actually considerable physiological disruption occurring throughout your body, and understanding it can help you feel more like yourself again much faster.

That’s where targeted hangover treatment comes in, where supportive IV hydration may help alleviate hangover symptoms by replenishing fluids and targeting symptoms. At Effect Doctors, we believe in giving you the tools to not only bounce back faster but also make more informed decisions about your health and well-being. After all, occasional social drinking doesn’t have to mean accepting a day of feeling terrible.

What’s Actually Happening to Your Body Right Now

When you consume alcohol, your body goes into a state of metabolic stress trying to deal with what it recognises as a toxin. Here’s what that looks like:

You’re Dehydrated. Alcohol suppresses antidiuretic hormone (ADH), which regulates the kidneys’ water retention. When this mechanism is disrupted, essential minerals & electrolytes, including sodium, potassium, and magnesium, are rapidly depleted.

Meanwhile, the brain’s water levels drop too. As brain tissue loses water content, it can contract slightly, putting stress on the connective tissue. This can cause a tight, pressure-like feeling around the head.

Low Blood Sugar. The liver has been so busy dealing with alcohol that it’s forgotten to release stored glucose. This can lead to weakness, shakiness, and intense carb cravings. Common symptoms include dizziness, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and sugar cravings.

Everything Is Inflamed. Alcohol metabolism can put significant strain on the liver, which produces acetaldehyde, a compound that’s more harmful than alcohol. This toxic compound can spark inflammatory reactions right across the body, possibly causing general soreness and stiffness.

Your Brain Chemistry Is Chaos. Alcohol initially creates a relaxing effect by boosting calming chemicals while suppressing stimulating ones. However, when alcohol wears off, this reverses dramatically. This can result in heightened anxiety, restlessness, and difficulty concentrating.

You Didn’t Actually Sleep. While unconsciousness may have occurred for eight hours, alcohol destroys the quality of sleep the brain needs for proper recovery. REM sleep, essential for cognitive restoration, is almost non-existent.

Why You’re Specific Foods

Those intense cravings aren’t random; your body is trying to tell you what it needs:

• Crashing blood sugar = the need for carbohydrates.
• Low sodium = craving anything salty.
• Depleted vitamins = wanting everything in sight.
• Low dopamine = reaching for comfort foods.

The problem is, when you’re hungover, your digestive system is also struggling, so food takes a long time to actually help.

How You Can Speed Up Recovery

Hydration Water alone won’t cut it. You need to replace what you’ve lost:

• Rehydration sachets from the pharmacy
• Coconut water is good for natural electrolytes
• Sports drinks can help, just watch that they’re not loaded with sugar
• Sip steadily, you don’t want to overwhelm your system again

Eat Strategically Skip the greasy fry-up and try:

• Bananas for potassium and gentle sugars.
• Eggs, which contain cysteine, an amino acid that can aid your liver in processing toxins.
• Toast with a bit of honey for quick energy without upsetting your stomach.
• Avocado or spinach for magnesium.

Gentle Pain Relief Ibuprofen can help with the headache and inflammation.

Rest Your body needs time to metabolise and eliminate the toxic byproducts.

How IV Drip Therapy Can Aid Recovery

This is where IV therapy can make a difference. Instead of waiting for your compromised digestive system to slowly process nutrients, they’re delivered directly into your bloodstream with virtually 100% bioavailability.

What this means practically:

• Fluids can be replaced much more effectively, rather than over several hours.
• B vitamins begin working immediately upon administration.
• Anti-inflammatory nutrients reduce aches and headaches.Our Deluxe Recovery IV Drip contains what the body is missing:
• Isotonic fluid solution to help restore hydration without shocking the system.
• Complete B vitamin complex to aid energy and brain function.
• Vitamin C which contributes to normal immune and antioxidant function.
• Magnesium to aid with inflammation and muscle recovery.

We can also add anti-nausea medication, IV paracetamol for headaches, or anti-inflammatory medication when clinically indicated, delivered by a registered medical professional.

What to expect: The treatment takes 30-45 minutes. Most people start feeling better within 15-20 minutes as their body gets what it needs.

When IV Therapy Makes Most Sense.

• You need to be functional quickly (work, important events)
• Traditional methods aren’t working fast enough
• Your stomach is too upset to keep oral supplements down
• You want to address the root causes (dehydration, nutrient depletion) rather than just managing symptoms

The Bottom Line

Of course, the best medical advice is not to drink alcohol at all, but most of us do in moderation. Hangovers are your body waving a white flag. While it can recover on its own, it takes time, and sometimes you don’t have time. Whether you’re managing at home or need to be functional quickly, the key is giving your body what it actually needs rather than just waiting it out.

If you find yourself hungover on a regular basis, then perhaps it is time to look at your lifestyle and could be time seek medical advice or support.