Why you need it
Time is the only 100% effective healer for hangovers, says Dr Guy Ratcliffe, medical director of the Medical Council on Alcohol. However, you can dampen the headache with painkillers. Best are paracetamol tablets that dissolve in water, for rehydration as well as pain relief.

How it works
Paracetamol is believed to act on the brain by blocking a specific enzyme responsible for transmitting pain. It has the advantage over ibuprofen and aspirin of not irritating the stomach lining (which will have been punished enough the night before).

Rating
8

But does it work?
It really does. A particular favourite of our testers was Solpadeine Plus soluble tablets (£2.49 for 12), which cleared up headaches in record time.

WATER

Why you need it
Alcohol is a diuretic (a substance that makes you need the loo) so during a night of drinking you will finish up getting rid of more water than you take in. It is vital, therefore, that before you go to sleep you drink at least a pint of water or orange squash to lessen the effects of the alcohol.

How it works
Ideally you should keep up water levels as you drink alcohol: this will significantly reduce any ill effects the next day. Most of the symptoms of a hangover are down to dehydration after increased urination, so drinking a pint of water every hour will get the body back to normal more quickly.

Rating
7

But does it work?

It's too late for water alone if you wake up with a stinker of a hangover, but a regular intake of water alongside alcohol, while not always practical, is very effective.

FRY-UP

Why you need it
Blood sugar levels are usually low after a drinking binge, so a hearty breakfast of protein and carbohydrates can ward off hypoglycaemia. Other foods contain essential minerals that your body needs replaced.

How it works
Fatty foods like bacon and sausages trigger the release of a hormone that slows down the alcoholabsorption rate. Eggs contain cysteine, which is used to make glutathione - a chemical that "mops up" poisonous free radicals. Tomatoes crop up in many remedies as they contain lots of vitamins and antioxidants. Eaten slowly, a full English can boost energy levels and relieve nausea.

Rating
6

But does it work?
If you feel you have recovered enough to be trusted near an oven, a gut-busting full English is remarkably good at making you feel better. Not only does a big plate of grease take your mind off your headache, it helps get everything back to normal in your stomach. If you can't face all that, bananas help settle the stomach and replace lost potassium salts.

B-VITAMINS

Why you need it
B-vitamins are essential components in the body's digestive system. However, they are water-soluble, so they need to be topped up daily. After a night on the tiles, your body needs a restock of vital vitamins and minerals.

How it works
Products like Berocca (£4.50 for 15) contain much more than the recommended daily allowance of B-vitamins and other soluble minerals. The body takes all it needs and the rest is passed in urine. In some quarters, hangovers are also believed to be psychosomatic: if you wake up expecting to have one, you probably will. Following this logic, if you expect a magic pill to cure it, you may well feel relief even from a placebo.

Rating
5

But does it work?
As with all of the above "cures", there is no clinical evidence to show that B-vitamin complexes are worthwhile for the treatment of hangovers. However, products such as Berocca are established remedies in Australia and are catching on here too.

HAIR OF THE DOG

Why you need it
In folk medicine, the antidote to a canine bite was the burned hair of the dog that bit you. The myth that like cures like is still prevalent among some of today's drinkers - and they may be on to something. Ernest Hemingway is rumoured to have favoured a concoction of beer and tomato juice the next morning.

How it works
Alcohol is broken down by the body into methanol, which in turn forms formic acid - a cause of some of the main problems associated with hangovers. By introducing fresh alcohol to the mix, you can trick the body into dealing with the new problem and slow down the process of metabolising the old stuff.

Rating
5

But does it work?
If you can keep it down, a small amount of alcohol may temporarily relieve the worst of the symptoms. However, you are really only delaying the inevitable - you can't keep drinking for ever.

COFFEE

Why you need it
Coffee contains caffeine, a stimulant effective in boosting alertness. If you wake up late half-dead and stinking of booze, you might think a pint of black sugary coffee on the way to work is just what you need.

How it works
It doesn't; it makes things worse. Coffee, like alcohol, is a diuretic - it speeds up water loss through urine, causing the body to become dehydrated.

Rating
3

But does it work?
The short-term boost of a caffeine hit may be worthwhile if the hangover is mild, but if it's a big one, you're much better off staying in bed with a pint of water and some paracetamol.