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[Definitie:] "An ergogenic aid is any substance or phenomenon that enhances performance."
(Wilmore and Costill) 
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0 2 - 0 1 - 2 0 0 5 Buyer beware with hangover cures
By BRUCE HOROVITZ
There's no cure for the common cold, but just in time for New Year's, marketers are peddling new twists on over-the-counter remedies for the common hangover.
Some 32 hangover remedy products - from Chaser to Rebound - have flooded the U.S. market in the past five years, reports Mintel Group, which tracks new products. One is evolving from pill to liquid form and will be sold at bars in shot glasses. "Consumers are looking for a magic bullet to offset the effects of overindulging," says Lynn Dornblaser, director of consulting services at Mintel.
Most hangover remedies are made from mineral supplements touted for their ability to help metabolize toxins from excess alcohol consumption. Some can help lessen nausea or headaches common to hangovers, but none can reduce intoxication levels.
Some might be more hype than help.
These supplements do not receive the same level of scrutiny as prescription drugs by the Food and Drug Administration, says Daniel Buffington, who teaches pharmacology at the University of South Florida College of Medicine, who is familiar with the supplement category. "It's definitely buyer beware," Buffington says.
Chaser. It's the big kahuna of the category. Unlike most rivals, Chaser is sold everywhere from Wal-Mart to CVS. It just introduced a day-after hangover relief version called Chaser Plus.
Chaser will tally 20 percent of annual sales in December, says Tom Morse, president of Living Essentials, manufacturer of the supplement. A box of 10 caplets retails for about $5.99.
Rebound. The maker is about to market a liquid hangover remedy sold at bars in shot glasses. It will typically sell for about $1.50 a glass.
Alcodol. The Australian-made supplement was introduced domestically this year. A box of eight capsules is $7.99.
Hangover Helper. The British-made product, sold in the United States, is an aromatherapy inhaler made to reduce hangover side effects.
Even a bottled water is trying to get into the act. Fiji Water is not sold as a hangover remedy. But executives say it can help prevent hangovers by flushing out toxins.
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