Tailgate Partying Without the Hangover

MLB Opening Day is fast approaching (this year it falls on March 24th) and many of us are eagerly anticipating the excitement of tailgate parties. But some baseball fans may also be remembering the debilitating symptoms of last year’s post-tailgate hangovers, and wondering how they can protect themselves from experiencing these same consequences while still participating in all the festivities. 

Luckily, you don’t always have to stay sober to avoid a hangover—there are ways to have fun and drink with your friends while still minimizing your subsequent hangover. Read on for our list of the most effective strategies for avoiding hangovers, from staying hydrated to pacing yourself and avoiding excessive sun exposure.

Tailgating Tips to Avoid Hangovers as MLB Opening Day Approaches

Eat a Big, Hearty Meal Beforehand

You don’t always know what to expect when it comes to tailgate party food, so consider having your big, hearty meal at home, before arriving at the tailgating party. Drinking with no food in your stomach is one of the easiest ways to get drunk very quickly and to end up with a hangover. The meal you choose to have should contain a balance of carbs, proteins, and fats—for instance, a pasta dish that contains meat, vegetables, and sauce.

Drink Water with Every Alcoholic Beverage

Since alcohol suppresses the body’s production of the hormone vasopressin (also known as antidiuretic hormone, or ADH), it prevents your kidneys from holding onto water. As a result, when you drink alcohol, you end up urinating much more than you would while sober. That’s why you should aim to drink a glass of water with every alcoholic drink consumed (such as one can/bottle of beer or one shot of hard liquor).

Keep Electrolytes on Hand

Replenishing your electrolytes is another aspect of combatting the dehydration that alcohol consumption can cause. Rather than reaching for a high-sugar sports drinks, such as Powerade or Gatorade, consider choosing Capsulyte’s HYDRATION. It contains a combination of essential electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals that will help to quickly restore your body to a state of hydration. You can bring packets of HYDRATION with you to the tailgating event to help protect you and your friends from experiencing the aftereffects of heavy drinking in a more severe way. Especially, if anyone vomits from drinking too much, it’s essential to replenish electrolytes in order to bounce back from the effects of over doing it.

Stay Away from Hard Liquor

Beer is a mainstay of most tailgate parties, but sometimes there may also be shots of hard liquor being shared, which is much more likely to leave you with a brutal hangover. The best way to protect yourself from the ultimate consequences of drinking hard liquor is by avoiding it altogether, or by limiting your consumption to just one shot. 

In addition, you should be especially careful to avoid liquors that are high in chemicals called congeners, which can worsen hangover symptoms. High-congener liquors include whiskey, tequila, and cognac, while vodka, rum, and gin are examples of low-congener liquors. Stick with the latter group if you must drink hard liquor - your future self will thank you!

Take Sun Breaks

Spending hours of uninterrupted time in the sun inevitably worsens dehydration, as it can cause you to sweat more and lose even more fluids than you normally would. Not only should you be prioritizing hydration by drinking water with each alcoholic beverage and keeping electrolytes on hand, but you should also protect yourself from dehydration by taking breaks from sun exposure in order to cool off. Do what you can to protect yourself from the sun’s rays, such as wearing sunglasses and wider-brimmed hats, and even bringing a type of sunshade to your tailgate party.

Pace Yourself

When it comes to your health, drinking in moderation is obviously the goal to which to aspire; however, if you know that you’ll most likely be drinking heavily at upcoming tailgating parties, the next best thing (i.e., the “harm reduction” approach) is to prioritize the act of pacing yourself as you drink. This means drinking more slowly, at a more consistent rate, rather than throwing back multiple drinks per hour. 

Pacing yourself while drinking may reduce your chances of having a severe hangover the next morning. It can also make it easier to drink less overall, as you’ll likely consume fewer alcoholic drinks by pacing yourself. Although this rate varies, most people’s bodies can process one standard drink per hour, so it’s recommended to follow the “one-in-one” rule of drinking one drink per hour or less. This involves tracking the number of drinks you consume, as well as how long it’s been since your last drink. It’s a bit more work, but it’s definitely worth it to avoid waking up terribly hungover!

Add Capsulyte's PREGAME to Your Tailgating Routine

Incorporating PREGAME into your tailgating routine—before and/or while you’re drinking—can help make the aftereffects of drinking less severe. Formulated by internal medicine physician Dr. Dan Nguyen, MD, MBA, PREGAME contains evidence-based ingredients that address the root causes of feeling awful the day after drinking alcohol.

DHM for GABA Rebound and Liver Protection

Dihydromyricetin (DHM) is an antioxidant and potent anti-inflammatory. Studies show that taking a DHM supplement may improve cognitive function and reduce stress levels. In addition, DHM regulates glutamate and GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid) function (glutamate’s function is often thought of as what turns the brain on, and GABA’s function is thought of as what turns it off) helping to alleviate the psychological symptoms that can arise as a result of “GABA rebound” – a term often used to describe when GABA levels plummet after a night of drinking. In the long term, DHM may also protect the liver from alcohol-related damage.

NAC for Robust Antioxidant Support

N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is a form of the amino acid cysteine as well as a building block of glutathione, a powerful antioxidant. Taking an NAC supplement can provide your body with what’s needed to produce glutathione, which neutralizes the free radicals that cause oxidative stress and cell damage.

Promotes the Elimination of Acetaldehyde

In addition to its antioxidant properties, glutathione can also help neutralize toxic byproducts of alcohol metabolism, most notably acetaldehyde. Capsulyte’s PREGAME contains Siliphos® (derived from milk thistle) and Clovinol® (derived from clove buds), both of which help the liver eliminate acetaldehyde. Clovinol® supplementation may lower blood levels of acetaldehyde and reduce hangover symptom severity by 55 percent.

Visit the Capsulyte blog to learn more about how Capsulyte can help make the mornings after tailgate parties (and other events involving drinking) a little easier.