Hydration isn't actually the biggest factor. When you drink, your liver metabolizes alcohol into acetaldehyde, which is toxic. Hydration helps simply because being more hydrated makes poisons more tolerable, but dehydration isn't the cause of a hangover.

[–] Commiechameleon@hexbear.net 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Ah, as I'm reading the thread it seems to be the loss of b vitamins and magnesium as well. And while I can agree to a degree about the role of hydration not being the biggest factor, I've yet to get one while drinking and properly hydrating. I'll add the vitamins to the list of things to do when I decide to get hammered, but it's gonna probably take a back seat to taking a good 'ol blunt to the face debord-tired

However, I'd love to know how to rid the body of acetaldehyde? I'm assuming piss more?

[–] queermunist@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

It's metabolized in the liver, and oxidizes into acetic acid which is then bound to an enzyme (which is synthesized from vitamin B~5~, so that's where the depletion comes in) and further used to metabolize carbs and fats. Drinking water does... something? We're at the limits of my popsci knowledge at this point lol

[–] Commiechameleon@hexbear.net 1 points 1 week ago

I imagine it's a multifaceted issue and not quite as simply solved as initially written out. Lol