Michelle and Thea take allergy pills for hangovers: Expert warns against myth
Friends Michelle and Thea have for several years taken allergy pills for hangovers. But does it work? A professor answers.
Michelle Andersen (left) and Thea Dalmose (right) have for several years taken allergy pills for hangovers. They find that they help, but are not sure why. (Graphic: Søren Winther Nørbæk, DR). 15 min. ago
Michelle Andersen from Kolding knows all too well the feeling of waking up after a night out with nausea and a churning stomach. Previously, her hangovers could be so bad that she vomited all day.
But then she got a tip from her family: Take an allergy pill with a glass of water before going to bed.
And according to Michelle Andersen, it worked.
- I really feel that it works. I no longer throw up the day after, says the 26-year-old, who has taken the pills to avoid hangovers for a long period.
The advice to take allergy pills for hangovers is not unknown. Her friend Thea Dalmose has herself shared a video on TikTok where she talks about allergy pills as a possible hangover trick.
But even though the advice lives on among some young people, there is no scientific evidence that allergy medication prevents or treats regular hangovers.
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Alcohol recommendations
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At most 10 standard drinks per week for adults aged 18 and over.
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At most 4 standard drinks in the same day.
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Young people between 18 and 25 should be particularly careful not to exceed the recommendations.
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No alcohol consumption is risk-free for health.
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Children and young people under 18 are advised not to drink alcohol.
Source: Danish Health Authority
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A recurring piece of advice
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For Michelle Andersen, it started with a tip from a family member. Thea Dalmose got the advice from a former colleague who thought allergy pills could help.
Thea Dalmose already takes allergy medication daily because she has allergies. That is why she has also taken the pills in connection with nights out.
- I have basically always taken allergy pills, and my hangovers used to not be that bad, so I figured it probably helped in some way, she says.
She stresses, however, that she does not know whether the pills make a real difference. Nor has she herself noticed any clear difference on the days when she has forgotten to take them.
Michelle Andersen has also become more cautious. After hearing that it might not be good for the body to take allergy pills without having allergies, she has gone from taking them several times a month to about once every other month.
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Peter Qvortrup: How to get through a hangover as best you can
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*Skip the allergy pills:* There is no evidence that antihistamines work against hangovers. Some older types can make you drowsy, but they do not relieve nausea, headache, or dehydration.
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*Drink water:* Hangovers can be caused by dehydration, the breakdown products of alcohol, irritation of the stomach lining, and lack of sleep. So drink plenty of water.
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*Eat something:* Something light to eat or food with fat and salt can help if you feel unwell.
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*Sleep or rest:* Give your body time to recover.
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*Eat before the party:* An old diplomatic tip is to drink cream before a reception. Peter Qvortrup Geisling himself prefers a burger before the Christmas lunch. Fatty food in the stomach can delay the absorption of alcohol.
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*Choose with care:* Some believe that light-coloured drinks cause fewer hangovers than, for example, red wine, whisky, cognac, and dark rum, which contain substances called congeners. Also remember to drink water along the way.
*Why does the myth about allergy pills arise?* Red wine contains histamines, and antihistamines can help against redness and palpitations in some people who drink red wine. But that is not the same as treating a hangover.
Source: Peter Qvortrup Geisling, health correspondent, DR News
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Can make you drowsy
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According to Janne Tolstrup, professor of epidemiology at the National Institute of Public Health at the University of Southern Denmark, there is a possible explanation for why some associate allergy medication with fewer hangovers.
She says she has heard a little about some people taking antihistamines for hangovers.
Some antihistamines can have an anti-nausea effect, and certain types are also used against motion sickness. But that is not the same as treating a hangover.
- There is no documentation that it helps, says Janne Tolstrup.
She also advises against combining alcohol and sedating antihistamines. Depending on the preparation, the medication can affect reaction time and the ability to make quick decisions.
Figures from Statistics Denmark show ( https://www.statistikbanken.dk/medi1 ) that the number of people who filled a prescription for antihistamines rose from approximately 355,000 in 2020 to approximately 411,000 in 2025. The figures do not say, however, whether the medication is used for anything other than allergies.
Also read: Professor: These are the things it makes no sense to use paracetamol for ( https://www.dr.dk/p3/tager-du-paracetamol-mod-de-forkerte-ting-faa-professorens-svar-her )
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Water over miracle cures
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For Michelle Andersen, the experience has been enough that she previously believed in the advice. But she is not sure whether it is the pills or the expectation that they work that has made the difference.
- It could also just be the placebo effect, she says.
Janne Tolstrup points out that hangovers can manifest differently from person to person. The best advice is therefore still to limit alcohol intake and drink water along the way.
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