LONDON — The soft drink Sprite is the best remedy for a hangover, according to scientists in China who tested 57 different beverages.

The researchers found that carbonated soft drinks, and Sprite in particular, helped accelerate a drinker’s recovery the morning after a heavy night, alleviating symptoms such as nausea and headaches, The Daily Telegraph reported yesterday (Oct 8).

The ethanol in alcohol is broken down by an enzyme in our liver called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) into a chemical called acetaldehyde, which is further broken down to acetate — which is linked to some health benefits of alcohol — by an enzyme called aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH).

By reducing the time acetaldehyde stays in the body, the adverse effect of alcohol is minimised.

Sprite was amongst the drinks that sped up the first process and thus reduced the damaging effects of the alcohol.

In contrast, tests showed that some drinks, including a herbal tea made from hemp seeds, increased the length of the ADH process and therefore inhibited the ALDH process.

“These results are a reminder that herbal and other supplements can have pharmacological activities that can both harm and benefit our health,” complementary medicine professor Edzard Ernst, of the University of Exeter, told Chemistry World.

Prof Ernst added that more research is needed to confirm the findings. AGENCIES