The present invention provides a food composition or pharmaceutical composition which includes, as an active ingredient, citric acid or a salt thereof. Ingestion or administration of the food composition or pharmaceutical composition leads to suppression of alcohol sickness or hangover due to alcoholic beverage ingestion; suppression of an increase in blood alcohol level, an increase in blood acetaldehyde level, or an increase in blood acetic acid level due to alcoholic beverage ingestion; suppression of a decrease in blood pyruvic acid level due to alcoholic beverage ingestion; suppression of an abnormal blood lactic acid/pyruvic acid ratio due to alcoholic beverage ingestion; suppression of an increase in blood alcohol level immediately after alcohol ingestion; suppression of alcohol absorption; promotion of alcohol metabolism; or an increase in blood ornithine level, blood serotonin level, blood taurine level, blood cystine level, or blood nicotine amide level.
