What to Drink for a Hangover: Water, Electrolytes, Coffee, Juice and 'Hair of the Dog'

When deciding what to drink for a hangover, water and oral rehydration drinks are the sensible basics, ginger tea may ease nausea, and your usual coffee can head off a caffeine-withdrawal headache; more alcohol ("hair of the dog") can prolong the misery.1,2,3 None of these cures a hangover. Water helps thirst, but in studies it didn't change how bad the hangover was.4

Key takeaways

  • In a 2026 randomized trial in 13 men, drinking water alongside sake did not change next-day hangover symptoms.5
  • WHO's oral rehydration solution contains 75 mmol/L of sodium and 75 mmol/L of glucose; it's a standard treatment for dehydration from diarrhea, not a tested hangover remedy.6
  • Caffeine withdrawal caused headache in about half of people in experiments, typically starting 12 to 24 hours after the last dose.3
  • NIAAA says "hair of the dog" may briefly ease some symptoms but can prolong the hangover.1
  • NIH says ginger may help nausea in pregnancy, but it hasn't been tested for hangover nausea.2

What to drink for a hangover: the short answer

Start with water, add a rehydration drink if you've been vomiting, keep coffee to your normal amount, and skip alcohol.

Morning-after drinks, ranked by what the evidence supports (as of October 2026)
Drink What it offers Hangover evidence Verdict
Water Fluid for thirst Didn't change symptoms in a small trial; at most a modest effect in surveys5,4 Yes, for thirst
Oral rehydration solution A set mix of salt, sugar and potassium6 Untested for hangover; standard for dehydration from vomiting or diarrhea7 Good if you've been sick
Your usual coffee or tea Caffeine Doesn't cure a hangover, but prevents withdrawal headache in regular users1,3 Normal amount only
Ginger tea Ginger May help pregnancy nausea; not tested for hangover2 Worth a try for queasiness
Coconut water Potassium, some sodium Rehydrated about as well as a sports drink after exercise8 Fine if you like it
Sports drinks, juice, soda Fluid and sugar Too much sugar to rehydrate well after vomiting or diarrhea7 Fine in small amounts
More alcohol More alcohol Can prolong the malaise1 No

Water vs. electrolyte drinks: which is better?

For most hangovers, water is enough. Alcohol suppresses vasopressin, a hormone that helps the kidneys hold water, and NIAAA says the mild dehydration that results likely contributes to thirst, fatigue and headache.1 But a 2024 review concluded that hangover and dehydration are "two co-occurring but independent consequences" of drinking.4

Electrolytes follow the same pattern. Research hasn't found a link between electrolyte disruption and hangover severity, and most people restore electrolyte balance quickly once alcohol wears off.1 An oral rehydration solution (ORS) earns its place when you've been vomiting or have diarrhea. WHO's formula contains 75 mmol/L of sodium, 75 mmol/L of glucose and 20 mmol/L of potassium.6 Sports drinks, sodas and juices have too much sugar and not enough electrolytes for that job.7

More in electrolytes for a hangover, does alcohol dehydrate you?, our electrolyte drink comparison and hangover IV drips.

Coffee: helpful or harmful?

Your normal cup can help if you drink coffee daily; more can hurt. NIAAA calls "coffee cures a hangover" a myth, and coffee doesn't sober anyone up.1,9

What coffee does is prevent caffeine withdrawal. In experimental studies, withdrawal caused headache in about 50% of people, usually starting 12 to 24 hours after the last dose, and stopping even 100 mg a day could produce symptoms.3 A hangover morning is a bad time to skip it.

Stick to your usual amount. FDA cites 400 mg of caffeine a day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most adults; a 12-ounce cup of brewed coffee has 113 to 247 mg. Too much can cause jitters, anxiety, a faster heart rate and nausea, which a hangover already supplies.10

Ginger, peppermint and other teas for nausea

Of the two teas, ginger has more research behind it for nausea, though none for hangovers. NIH's complementary-health center says it may help nausea in pregnancy, most motion-sickness studies show no benefit, and it can cause heartburn or diarrhea; check with your provider if you take medicines.2

A little research suggests peppermint extract or inhaled peppermint oil may reduce nausea in people having chemotherapy, but the leaf is barely studied, and the oil can cause heartburn.11 Either tea is reasonable to sip slowly. See hangover nausea.

Juice, soda and coconut water

All three are fine in modest amounts; none is a treatment. Coconut water is rich in potassium (about 51 mEq/L, with about 33 mEq/L of sodium, varying by coconut). After dehydrating exercise it rehydrated people about as well as water or a sports drink, but caused more bloating and stomach upset.8

Claims that Sprite helps a hangover point to a Chinese laboratory study that measured how 57 herbal infusions, teas and carbonated drinks changed the activity of two alcohol-processing enzymes in test tubes.12 The study's published abstract doesn't name a best drink, and it measured enzymes, not hangovers in people. No study has tested Sprite or any other soda for hangover symptoms.

Korean pear juice and other traditional drinks: an evidence check

Korean pear juice has the most interesting data, and it's thin. In a single-blind trial, 14 young men drank pear juice or a placebo 30 minutes before spirits; total hangover severity was 16% lower with the juice.13 A 2022 review rated evidence like this very low quality.14 And it was taken before drinking, not the morning after.

Hair of the dog: why doesn't it work?

It postpones the hangover instead of ending it. NIAAA says a morning drink "might temporarily minimize some symptoms" but "could contribute to and prolong" the hangover.1

It's also a warning sign. The World Health Organization's alcohol screening questionnaire asks how often, in the last year, you've "needed a first drink in the morning to get yourself going after a heavy drinking session."15 If that's familiar, the help-line box below is for you. More myths are in hangover myths.

Which drinks should you avoid?

  • Alcohol, for the reasons above.
  • Extra caffeine, including energy drinks, beyond your usual amount.10
  • Very sugary drinks if you've been vomiting; choose an oral rehydration solution instead.7

No drink makes you safe to drive after a heavy night.1 Next time, the best drink choice is fewer drinks: US guidance says to "consume less alcohol for better overall health"; pregnant women, people in recovery or unable to control their drinking, and people on interacting medicines shouldn't drink at all.16 See how to cure a hangover.

What we don't know yet

No trial has tested oral rehydration solutions, sports drinks, coconut water, coffee or ginger tea for hangover symptoms. The water trial had only 13 participants.5

Frequently asked questions

Does coffee help a hangover?

It doesn't cure one, but if you drink coffee daily, your usual cup prevents a caffeine-withdrawal headache, which affected about half of people in experiments.1,3 Don't overdo it: too much caffeine can cause jitters, anxiety, a faster heart rate and nausea.10

Is Sprite good for a hangover?

There's no human evidence. The claim points to a laboratory study of how 57 drinks affected two alcohol-processing enzymes, not how people felt, and its abstract doesn't single out Sprite.12 A lemon-lime soda is easy to sip, but it has too much sugar to rehydrate you well after vomiting.7

Does hair of the dog work?

No. NIAAA says more alcohol may briefly ease some symptoms but can prolong the hangover.1 Needing a morning drink after heavy drinking is also a screening question for hazardous drinking.15

Is a sports drink or an oral rehydration solution better for a hangover?

Neither has been tested for hangovers. If you've been vomiting or have diarrhea, an oral rehydration solution is the better choice, because sports drinks have too much sugar and too few electrolytes for that job.7 Otherwise, water is usually enough.

Is milk good for a hangover?

No research has tested milk for hangovers. A cup of 1% milk has 366 mg of potassium and is fine if it sits well.19 If you're queasy, start with water.

Sources

  1. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Hangovers. Updated December 2025. NIAAA
  2. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Ginger. Last updated February 2025. NCCIH
  3. Juliano LM, Griffiths RR. A critical review of caffeine withdrawal: empirical validation of symptoms and signs, incidence, severity, and associated features. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2004;176(1):1-29. PubMed
  4. Mackus M, et al. Alcohol hangover versus dehydration revisited: the effect of drinking water to prevent or alleviate the alcohol hangover. Alcohol. 2024;121:9-18. PubMed
  5. Imai H, et al. Water intake during drinking does not alleviate hangover symptoms. Front Pharmacol. 2026;17:1852528. PubMed
  6. World Health Organization. Oral Rehydration Salts: Production of the New ORS. WHO/FCH/CAH/06.1. 2006. WHO
  7. HealthLink BC (Province of British Columbia). Rehydration drinks. Current as of March 1, 2023. HealthLink BC
  8. Kalman DS, et al. Comparison of coconut water and a carbohydrate-electrolyte sport drink on measures of hydration and physical performance in exercise-trained men. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2012;9(1):1. PubMed
  9. NIAAA. Understanding the Dangers of Alcohol Overdose. Updated December 2025. NIAAA
  10. FDA. Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much? August 2024. FDA
  11. NCCIH. Peppermint Oil. Last updated May 2025. NCCIH
  12. Li S, et al. Effects of herbal infusions, tea and carbonated beverages on alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase activity. Food Funct. 2014;5(1):42-49. PubMed
  13. Lee HS, et al. Effect of Korean pear (Pyrus pyrifolia cv. Shingo) juice on hangover severity following alcohol consumption. Food Chem Toxicol. 2013;58:101-106. PubMed
  14. Roberts E, et al. The efficacy and tolerability of pharmacologically active interventions for alcohol-induced hangover symptomatology: a systematic review of the evidence from randomised placebo-controlled trials. Addiction. 2022;117(8):2157-2167. PubMed
  15. Babor TF, Higgins-Biddle JC, Saunders JB, Monteiro MG. AUDIT: The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Guidelines for Use in Primary Care. 2nd ed. World Health Organization; 2001. WHO
  16. USDA and HHS. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030. January 2026. PDF
  17. SAMHSA. National Helpline. SAMHSA
  18. MedlinePlus (NIH). Alcohol withdrawal. Reviewed January 1, 2025. MedlinePlus
  19. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Potassium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Updated June 2, 2022. NIH ODS

Published by Fuller Health, which makes After Party. This article is general information, not medical advice: talk to a doctor or pharmacist about your own health, medicines and drinking. Last reviewed October 9, 2026. How we research and write.

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