Good news for festive revellers - a full Irish breakfast and the 'hair of the dog' are two of the most effective hangover cures.
That's according to leading scientist Prof Luke O'Neill, who believes the dreaded after-effects that follow a heavy night on the booze can be softened by a fry-up the following morning or even another tipple.
The Trinity College Dublin biochemistry professor said: "The hair of the dog works. We're not encouraging you to drink in the morning, but it turns out your liver breaks down the alcohol into a thing called formaldehyde, which is quite toxic.
"But if you drink more alcohol, it slows down that process. So the formaldehyde levels fall and you feel less symptoms, I guess. So it's a very clever thing to do. It delays the pain. The pain has to happen, of course, but it slows it down and it's less intense."
Prof O'Neill also backed long-held theories that a hearty fry-up is as good a hangover remedy as any, insisting: "The best food the next day is the full Irish."
And in an interview on Virgin Media's Six O'Clock Show, he continued: "The reason is that the eggs are very good for you the next day, as they help your liver metabolise all the toxins.
"A good feed will help your stomach along and slows down absorption, so a good, full Irish breakfast will help you feel better aswell."
The leading scientist, whose new children's science book ,'The Great Irish Science Book', was released in recent weeks, also identified bananas and avocados as good morning-after foods.
And although he said abstinence is the best method to avoid a hangover, he advised boozers to drink plenty of water between alcoholic drinks and recommended revellers to stick to clear-coloured alcohol.
He added: "Th evidence is compelling - drink something clear, then you'll have much less of a hangover. Brandy's terrible, tequila's pretty bad and red wine is much worse than white wine.
"Every alcohol will give you some kind of hangover sadly, but the dark stuff is much worse. Avoid the dark drinks."
