Imagine a substance that could mimic the pleasant effects of drinking[1] without the downside. You could drink yourself silly on the stuff, and then reverse the inebriation with a "sober pill" and drive home safely. Hangover? What hangover?


If that sounds like fantasy, get this: Dr. David Nutt[2] a professor of neuropsychopharmacology at the Imperial College of London, says an alcohol substitute may soon be a reality.


The substance would let you get drunk without alcohol[3] by targeting specific neurotransmitter systems in the brain.


"We know that the main target for alcohol in the brain is the neurotransmitter system gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), which keeps the brain calm," Nutt wrote in a post in The Guardian's comment and opinion section. "Alcohol therefore relaxes users through mimicking and increasing the GABA function."


Nutt told BBC Radio 4, "We can mimic the effects of GABA using drugs[4] that are more selective and much less toxic than alcohol. And also, because they're drugs and work on a receptor directly, we can have an antidote."


Nutt's plan to develop a "drunk without alcohol" drug[5] dates back to 2009. But only recently has the neuropsychopharmacologist identified five Valium-like compounds that he believes would produce the feeling of relaxation commonly associated with alcohol. As Nutt sees it, the substance could be ingested even more effortlessly by placing it in a drink. That way, drinkers could still sip their favorite beverages, but, instead of ethanol, the drinks would contain the alcohol substitute.


Now, Nutt says, all he needs is to secure funding and test how subjects react to each compound.


Just how realistic is Nutt's proposal? Some experts have their doubts.


“We would urge caution on this,” Emily Robinson, deputy chief executive of the U.K.-based charity Alcohol Concern[6] , told the Telegraph. "We should focus on what is going wrong in our drinking culture rather than swapping potentially one addictive substance for another[7] .”



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  • Eating Some Asparagus


    The Journal of Food Science has revealed that <a href="http://www.ift.org/newsroom/news-releases/2009/august/13/asparagus-extracts.aspx">this spring vegetable might be the cure</a> for your post-partying pain. A study from the Institute of Medical Science and Jeju National University in South Korea tested the effect that eating asparagus has on hangovers. The results showed that amino acids and minerals found in the vegetable can protect liver cells from toxins. This process can help prevent nausea, fatigue and headaches.




  • Increasing Water Intake


    Drinking plenty of water or other hydrating fluids is a simple way to treat hangovers. While it won't offer a complete hangover cure, it definitely helps. "Alcohol thins the blood, which is 70 percent water, so it can affect the fluid balance," says Pete McCall, M.S., an exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise. "Drinking water helps restore necessary fluids and can help the bloodstream and circulatory system carry nutrients and oxygen to the tissue and remove the wastes from a night of excessive consumption."




  • Nibbling Toast With Honey


    This is a traditional method used to treat hangovers, but evidence suggests that any high-carb, high-sugar snack might give you only a temporary boost. "Excessive alcohol consumption can negatively affect the metabolism of glucose, so having a snack like this that is high in carbs and sugars (the fructose in the honey) can help elevate blood sugar and provide some immediate energy," says McCall.




  • Guzzling Sports Drinks


    Here again, the extra electrolytes -- really just salts and sugars -- found in sports drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade might give them an edge over plain old water to treat a hangover. "Sports drinks will elevate blood glucose and can elevate sodium levels, which helps muscle cells uptake and use water, leading to quicker rehydration," says McCall.




  • Loading Up On Vitamins And Minerals


    Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D., medical director of the Nutritional Magnesium Association, says that vitamin C and magnesium can help the body break down alcohol and eliminate it from the body, making these two supplements a viable hangover remedy. “One of the most absorbable forms of nutritional magnesium is magnesium citrate powder, which can be taken with hot or cold water,” says Dean.




  • Sipping A Cup Of Joe


    The caffeine found in a classic cup of coffee can give you a short-term boost, but its dehydrating effects could limits its effectiveness as a hangover cure, says Weiss. "Caffeine, which could wake you up, can also dehydrate you, potentially making the situation worse," he says. Though having coffee has only temporary and limited effects, it remains a popular way to initially ease a hangover.




  • Knocking Back Some Hair Of The Dog


    "Hair of the dog," or waking up and having another alcoholic drink, may be a feel-good hangover cure (at least temporarily), but this traditional college approach to ease a hangover really doesn't help. "If an individual is planning to be active, recreationally or competitively, this is not a good idea at all," says McCall. "Drinking more alcohol will continue to disrupt blood chemistry and hydration, as well as impair cognitive function and muscular coordination."




  • Wolfing Down Greasy Food


    A greasy breakfast for a hangover remedy may give your body a short-term boost. "Besides glucose, alcohol reduces the amount of circulating free fatty acids in the bloodstream," says McCall. "A breakfast high in carbohydrate and fat content can help to elevate blood glucose and free fatty acid levels in the short term." However, for the long term, it’s not such a good idea.




  • Pushing Through A Workout


    Of all the possible and popular hangover cures, experts say that this one works the best, improving circulation and pumping up your mood-boosting hormones. The only hurdle is talking yourself into doing it. If you can, McCall has this advice: "Exercising during a hangover should be limited to low-to-moderate intensity exercise, since the hangover will negatively impact cognitive ability, motor control and coordination."




  • Getting Busy In The Bedroom


    Here again, a little morning romp may make you feel much better to ease a hangover -- if you can psych yourself (and your partner) up for it. "Sex with a hangover may be tough for all of the reasons we have discussed," says Weiss. "I've never seen any data to support its use for hangover, but there is no harm in trying."