Let’s get one thing straight: no magic potion lets you drink like a sailor and wake up feeling sharp and focused. Plus, anyone promising a “hangover cure” is either trying to sell you snake oil or prepping you for disappointment.

The truth? If you want to skip the pounding headache, cottonmouth, and existential dread tomorrow morning, you’ve gotta be smarter tonight. A hangover isn’t just “too many drinks.” It’s your body’s shock response to a chemical bender: dehydration, inflammation, blood sugar chaos, and your liver working overtime to process the toxic aftermath.

We’ve got your back. These seven science-backed hangover prevention tips will help you feel better the next morning. 

 

Hydration with Benefits: More Than Just Water

You have heard it before. Hydrate before you consume alcohol. But let’s be real, no one really does that, and when they do, it's probably just a glass of water on the side of their drink to feel good about themselves.

Alcohol alters your antidiuretic hormone (vasopressin), so you go to the bathroom more frequently, which leads to losing much more fluid than you think. However, rehydrating is about replacing fluid but also replacing electrolytes such as potassium, sodium, and magnesium.

Electrolytes come into play with all bodily functions, from nerve signaling to muscle function; basically, everything gets impacted when you drink alcohol. This is where getting electrolytes is a better option in terms of hydration.

Pro tip: alternate each drink with water or a drink that has electrolytes. Kickback contains magnesium and potassium, and utilizes a natural coconut water base to maintain hydration levels. 

 

Load Up on B-Vitamins and Zinc Before the Party

Most people are accustomed to simply thinking about vitamins as a "next-day" solution. However, your body relies on the nutrients both beforehand and during the processing of alcohol rather than cleaning up the downside after the damage is done. 

B-vitamins (B1, B6, B12, etc.) assist your body in turning food into energy, regulate the nervous system, and support liver detox pathways. Alcohol quickly depletes these, and zinc is another key ingredient, as it helps break down acetaldehyde (the toxic byproduct of the metabolic process of alcohol) and supports your immune system. 

Research indicates that people with higher amounts of B vitamins and zinc experience fewer and less severe hangover symptoms.

That's why we made sure Kickback has both. It is not hype; it is physiology.

 

Eat the Right Meal Before You Drink

When you drink without having food in your stomach, the alcohol flies through your stomach lining into your bloodstream, which increases your blood alcohol content (BAC) fairly quickly. This overloads your liver, and the result is a peak in your BAC, which increases the duration and intensity of the alcohol's effects on your body. Translation: quicker buzz, worse hangover.

Eating something before you drink helps ensure some of the alcohol is absorbed slowly as it moves through the stomach via the intervention of food. But not all food is created equal in terms of helping.

 

Look for meals with:

Protein (to stabilize blood sugar)

Healthy fats (to slow the digestion of alcohol and the absorption of its effects)

Complex carbs (to help support energy at a level that puts you in charge, not the alcohol)

 

Great options:

Grilled salmon with roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli

Lean steak with brown rice and sautéed spinach

Chicken thighs with quinoa and roasted carrots

 

Meals like these support metabolic function and provide nutrients your body needs to buffer the effects of alcohol.

Watch out for sugary snacks or fried foods. They cause spikes and crashes in your body's energy level and feelings of well-being.

Want to maximize the amount of alcohol you can tolerate and reduce alcohol-related body damage? Be sure your body has the nutrients and sustenance it needs to get you through the plan.

 

Know What You’re Drinking and How Much

Not every drink is made equal. When you lose grip of how much you drank, hangovers get worse.

Here is what is counted as one standard drink:

 

12 oz beer (5% ABV)

5 oz wine (12 % ABV)

1.5 oz liquor (40% ABV)

 

Your liver can process around one drink per hour. Or, if you are drinking 3 drinks in one hour? You are on the verge of overwhelming your system, and all that excess alcohol will float around in your system, causing inflammation, dehydration, and impaired cognition.

Pro tip : Drink out of smaller glasses at home, and when you can, avoid doubles or cocktail drinks with 2–3 servings snuck into one glass. Out with friends? Keep a mental note of how many drinks you had, or try and drink a glass of water in between drinks. 

Stronger doesn't mean better; it usually just means a worse wake-up call.

 

Skip the Sugar Bombs (and the Energy Drinks)

That brightly colored cocktail with six mixers? Sure, it may taste good, but it is setting you up for blood sugar dips, massive inflammation, and dehydration.

Sugar + alcohol is a horrible combination. Sugar creates oxidative stress and inflammation, making hangover symptoms worse. Sweet drinks allow you to consume more because they mask the harshness of alcohol.

Energy drinks? Even worse. They dramatically increase your heart rate, add a level of faux sobriety, and are extremely dehydrating.

 

Try:

Fresh juices (orange, lemon, cranberry)

Soda water with citrus

Kickback mixers taste great and do not have a sugar crash.

Complex carbs (to help support energy at a level that puts you in charge, not the alcohol)

 

Give Your Body a Head Start Before Bed

What you do before sleep affects how you feel in the morning. While it’s tempting to crash immediately, a few simple actions can make a difference.

 

Before bed:

Drink a full glass of water (or a hydrating beverage like Kickback)

Take zinc and B vitamins (if part of your usual supplement routine)

Eat a small, protein-rich snack like cottage cheese, hard-boiled eggs, or a handful of almonds

Avoid sugary or high-carb snacks that could disrupt blood sugar overnight

Supporting your body’s recovery processes before sleep can reduce the intensity of symptoms the next day. Take off your makeup. Brush your teeth. Change into your sleep shirt. A 5-minute routine tells your body that it's time to rest and recover.

We designed Kickback to work best when you take it before you start drinking. However, it also works well before you sleep.

 

Why We Formulated Kickback This Way

We didn't want another sugary "recovery drink" making outrageous statements. We wanted something that we actually could see ourselves using, something honest, with the science to back it, and not overly complicated.

 

Kickback contains:

Electrolytes for hydration

B-vitamins + Zinc for liver support

Milk thistle + magnesium for recovery and relaxation.

 

It's a pre-drink or pre-bed ritual that supports your body from the inside out. No added sugars, no artificial colors, no unrealistic promises. Just clean ingredients that make sure you wake up feeling great! .

One stick before a night out = less groggy, more energy, better mornings!

 

No Gimmicks, Just Smarter Choices

Hangovers aren't mysterious. They're biological, and when you understand how alcohol interacts with your body, it's something you can work with instead of waking up hungover!

Now, you know how to eliminate a hangover with science-based strategies, not folklore. It's not about saying goodbye to having fun. It's about having a fun night and getting to own the next day.

That's why we built Kickback for drinkers who enjoy their nights and want to own their mornings too. Shop Kickback now and make smarter nights your new norm.