It is a popular notion that drinking lots of water after a night of alcohol binge can help you prevent hangovers – the aftereffects of booze. However, according to experts, it is a myth. Studying data from at least three extensive research, scientists from Utrecht University in the Netherlands concluded that just dehydration is not the sole cause of hangovers.

And so, drinking water does not have a big effect on your body’s recovery.

The study, according to experts, tracked the hangover symptoms of boozers who drank water before bed as compared to those who did not. And the results showed that those who drank water felt less dehydrated but the degree of headache, nausea, and exhaustion as those who chose to forgo the H2O were the same.

Researchers concluded that ­consuming water during or directly after a drinking session is ineffective in preventing hangovers. Further, drinking water after the hangover had set in was not shown to alleviate the severity of symptoms.

Dr. Johnny Parvani, previously told New York Post, “A hangover is a clinical condition that is characterized by a combination of effects from alcohol metabolism and dehydration,” Dr. Johnny Parvani, REVIV founder and chief medical officer, told the New York Post.

How does alcohol cause dehydration?

If you drink too much alcohol it reduces how much ADH you make, so it increases how much urine you produce. Each shot of alcohol that you drink forces your kidneys to generate an extra 120 milliliters of urine on top of the normal 60–80 milliliters per hour – all leading to dehydration.

According to experts, dehydration is caused by the loss of water and electrolytes due to the activation of the hormone system that regulates blood pressure, fluid, and electrolyte balance. It also increases oxidative stress in your body – causing inflammation.

If you take a drink, both the liquid and alcohol contents of the beverage pass through your stomach lining and small intestine into the bloodstream. After drinking an empty stomach, alcohol can be absorbed into the bloodstream within minutes. Dehydration then triggers thirst - a common symptom of the morning after, but studies say that thirst and dehydration are relatively short-lived.

The following things happen in your body when you are dehydrated by alcohol:

Your skin develops acne from changing hormone levels and oxidative stress due to alcohol consumption.

According to experts, your muscles become stiff or cramped and lose mass by drinking too much alcohol over time.

Too much drinking damages your liver by excessive fat and protein build-up, as well as scarring, which leads to liver diseases like cirrhosis.

Alcohol also harms your kidneys by causing high blood pressure and increasing toxicity.

Hangovers get worse with age

Experts say as you age, your liver function declines, your body stores less water and you may also lose muscle mass – therefore, hangovers only worsen. It also happens as a higher concentration of alcohol remains in your bloodstream.

According to doctors, while abstaining from alcohol is your best defense against its crippling consequences, a few ways you can mitigate the after-effects include:

Experts say eating not only keeps your blood sugar up, it also reduces the pain and discomfort of a hangover headache. And so, eat high protein and vitamin-rich foods

Electrolyte-fortified water or sports drinks can help you rehydrate more quickly than just water.

NSAIDs and painkillers like ibuprofen help stop the production of enzymes that cause migraine and headaches

Indulge in some light exercises that help boost your metabolism and help your body get rid of alcohol more quickly

Get adequate and sound sleep to let your body rest

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