The act of drinking alcohol is surrounded by myths.

Someone around you tells you abouttheir sure-fire way to get sober.

Unfortunately, none of these things work.

This reduces communication between neurons, alters their structure and causes some of the impairment associated with intoxication.

It does not kill off entire cells, however.

So, too much alcohol can impair brain function (including memory).

Which is to say, if you start with beer, stick with beer.

If you start with whiskey, stick to whiskey.

Unfortunately, mixing liquor types doesn’t affect how drunk you get over the course of the evening.

It is the total quantity of alcohol consumed, not combined, that influences intoxication and sickness.

When you think about it, it’s common sense.

Your mouth may not know the difference in the alcohol concentration, but your body will.

Of course, no seal exists.

The pituitary gland in the brain releases ADH, which regulates water in your kidneys.

If you have this blocked, the water goes into the body," Zacny adds.

And once the drinking starts, the body goes through a vicious cycle…. Of course, this one’s tough to quantify because we all process alcohol at different speeds.

The math is pretty simple.

For a typical 160-pound man, this would translate into 7 grams of alcohol in an hour.

The myth assumes that breathalyzers detect alcohol by the smell, but that’s not how they work.

This chemical reaction in the breathalyzer can measure your blood alcohol level (BAC) using just your breath.

We couldn’t find any formal studies on the subject, but shows likeMythbustersandManswershave tackled the topic before.

Both found that these strategies don’t work, and you might’t trick a breathalyzer.

All that said,one studysuggests that breathing patterns might influence the results.

For example, hyperventilating could produce a lower BAC level.

However, the best you’ll get from hyperventilating is around a 10% decrease in your BAC.

It’ll also make you light headed, which any observant police officer is sure to notice.

People love to claim that certain types of alcohol turn them into certain types of people.

Essentially, drunk is drunk, and it doesn’t matter how you get there.

Alcohol is a simple molecule that is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream.

It’s more likely that the myth is psychosocial.

Moreover, this same relationship is observed in response to placebo.

But your brain might.

Myth Eight: Shrimp, Green Tea, Coffee, More Alcohol, Etc.

Will Cure a Hangover

Everyone has their own hangover cure.

Speaking of headaches, you’re free to lessen those symptoms with non-steroidal anti-inflammatories like aspirin or ibuprofen.

That said,The Smithsonian points outthat stomach relief medication like Tums or Pepto-Bismol might do just as well.

The liver releases this enzyme to convert alcohol into another chemical acetaldehyde.

Researchers found that if they reduced the time that acetaldehyde was in the body, the hangover subsided.

Plus, if you’re drinking booze, you’re probably not drinking water.

So, where does that leave this myth?

Still undecided, it seems.

The science is pretty confused about what works for hangovers.

And if you want to avoid it next time, just go a little easier on the booze.

Photos byJasleen Kaur,bachmont,zhao!,Marnie Joyce,SharonaGott, andKtoine.