Supplements have various benefits for different demands. Today, this article will focus on the situation of a hangover or after drinking too much in other words. What kind of supplements can help with hangovers, and how do they work? Some new and creative products with supplements are made by many companies. What are they? How to choose them? Let’s know it all!
About Hangover
Hangover generally refers to the state of drinking, such as the various physical and unpleasant psychological effects of drinking wine, beer, and distilled spirits. A hangover can last for hours or more than 24 hours.
Typical hangover symptoms may include as below:
- headache
- drowsiness
- problems concentrating
- dry mouth
- dizziness
- fatigue
- gastrointestinal distress, such as vomiting, diarrhea
- lack of hunger
- light sensitivity
- depression
- night sweats
- nausea
- hyperexcitability
- irritability
- anxiety
While the causes of hangovers are currently poorly understood, several factors have been linked, including acetaldehyde accumulation, changes both in the immune system and glucose metabolism. And it also has the following factors: dehydration, metabolic acidosis, disturbances in prostaglandin synthesis, increased cardiac output, vasodilation, lack of sleep, and malnutrition.
The specific effects of food additives or by-products, which is also can call congeners (beverages), in alcoholic beverages on drinks also play an essential role. These symptoms usually occur when the effects of alcohol intoxication begin to wear off in the morning after a night of heavy drinking.
Although there are many remedies and folk remedies, there is no convincing evidence that any of them are effective in preventing or treating hangovers. Avoiding alcohol, or drinking in moderation, is the most effective way to prevent a hangover.
How to Define Drink Too Much?
In America, a standard beverage contains 0.6 ounces (14.0 grams or 1.2 tablespoons) of pure alcohol. Usually, this amount of pure alcohol is present in:
- 12 oz beer (5% alcohol content).
- 8 oz malt liquor (7% alcohol).
- 5 ounces of wine (12% alcohol).
- 1.5 oz 80 proof (40% alcohol) distilled spirits or spirits (e.g., gin, rum, vodka, whiskey).
Excessive drinking includes overeating, heavy drinking, and any drinking by pregnant women or people under the age of 21.
Of these, binge eating is the most common form of excessive drinking, defined as the consumption of:
- For women, drink 4 or more drinks at a time.
- For men, drink 5 or more drinks at a time.
Heavy drinking is defined as consuming:
- For women, drink 8 or more glasses per week.
- For men, drink 15 glasses or more per week.
Most of them who drink excessively are not alcoholics or alcohol-dependent.
Drink Too Much? Best Supplements help!
The following natural compounds have scientific backing as natural hangover remedies:
N-Acetyl Cysteine
N-Acetyl Cysteine, NAC shortly, is an amino acid supplement that acts as a precursor to glutathione, the body’s most abundant antioxidant. NAC also scavenges free radicals and helps reduce hangover-related inflammation.
NAC is usually taken with vitamin E and vitamin A to minimize the effects of free radicals. NAC is considered a general detox aid supplement. Animal studies show that NAC has the potential to reduce hangover symptoms. Early clinical trials in humans have yet to confirm these results.
NAC may help directly reduce symptoms associated with inflammation, but its real contribution is to support detoxification in general. It’s like a swiss army knife of detox support.
Alternatively, reduced glutathione supplements can also provide hangover support similar to NAC. My personal experience favors glutathione supplements over NAC.
Milk Thistle
Milk thistle is sold as a liver support aid. This herb contains the active compound silibinin (aka silybin). In Europe, it has been registered as a clinically approved drug for treating hepatotoxicity due to poisoning. Alcohol may be fun, but it’s poison.
Milk thistle has an obvious benefit that is so effective at supporting the liver. So clinical trials are underway to investigate its ability to treat certain deadly mushroom poisonings.
Milk thistle is available in many different ways. For example, it can be used as a liquid tincture, capsule, and even as tea. The dose of milk thistle has not been established. Human studies typically report a range of 10-50 mg/kg body weight per day. That’s up to 3,100 mg for someone weighing 150 pounds. Many milk thistle supplements are available in 150 mg capsules.
B Vitamins
B12 is one of the essential nutrients in B vitamins, and it has several benefits for the human body:
- Supports new cell formation
- DNA Health
- Brain health and normal neurological function
It also helps the body detoxify by removing homocysteine - a biomarker used to predict a higher risk of certain diseases, especially alcoholism.
Higher vitamin B12 levels were associated with lower homocysteine levels in alcoholics, although other studies failed to observe this link in non-alcoholics.
Homocysteine can rapidly convert into other compounds in the human body. And these conversions all rely on vitamins B12, B6, and B9 – one of which may lead to elevated homocysteine levels.
Research has also shown that vitamin B3, such as niacin, can help reduce the severity of hangovers. When higher levels of B3 are observed before drinking alcohol, it suggests that people take B3 supplements before drinking to help avoid a hangover.
Dihydromyricetin (DHM)
This compound can be difficult to pronounce, but it’s one of the best natural hangover remedies. DHM is a natural compound and is extracted from the raisin tree, which is a Japanese plant. In the long river of human history, DHM has been used for treating hangovers.
Animal studies have shown that DHM can reduce the effects of alcohol and hangover symptoms such as anxiety and brain fog.
Other studies in animal and human models have demonstrated that DHM can provide the following benefits:
- free radical scavenger
- reduce inflammation
- learning and memory support
- improve collagen production
- stable blood sugar levels
Vitamin C
Vitamin C can use as an antioxidant, and it has shown tremendous benefits in reducing inflammation, improving collagen synthesis, supporting normal energy levels, and even killing certain cancers in high doses.
Vitamin C also helps metabolize alcohol, which may help reduce alcohol intoxication and the resulting negative symptoms of a hangover. A small study found that taking vitamin C with alcohol increase significantly the rate of alcohol metabolism.
The same study also found that vitamin C helped improve motor function and coordination during drinking but not cognitive performance. In other words, vitamin C might help you walk a straight line, but it won’t help you memorize the alphabet backward.
Probiotics
Certain probiotics may help detox the nasty things left over after a night of drinking. Research suggests that Lactobacillus Rhamnosus may help reduce levels of certain alcohol-intoxicating chemicals in the digestive tract and liver and reduce the negative effects of the leaky gut syndrome.
This last point may seem a bit random, but human studies suggest that alcohol abuse can temporarily lead to the leaky gut syndrome. Leaky gut syndrome, characterized by entering larger-than-normal compounds into the digestive tract, can cause symptoms ranging from brain fog to arthritis.
Probiotics such as Lactobacillus Rhamnosus GG have been found to be effective in helping treat symptoms of leaky gut in chronic conditions. It is reasonable to consider it effective in treating temporary leaky gut problems caused by heavy drinking. I haven’t seen any research devoted to this use.
Hangover Relief Products: New & Creative!
Behind the considerable alcohol market, the global hangover boom has not stopped. The following mainly introduces several related products from the United States:
- 82Labs Morning Recovery: Morning Recovery Drink
FBIF has previously reported that the American start-up company 82Labs has launched a morning recovery drink – Morning Recovery. This recovery drink uses dihydromyricetin, cactus extract, milk thistle, and other ingredients to improve the liver’s natural ability to decompose alcohol and enhance the body’s natural response to alcohol.
- Sober Up: Hangover Drink
The former Red Bull CEO also launched the hangover drink Sober Up.
Sober Up is made from a blend of 14 patented herbs and extracts, such as Polygonatum, Astragalus, Tarragon, Poria, Chinese Salvia, Atractylodes Root, Rehmannia Glutinosa, Peppermint, Turmeric, Pueraria, Honey, Coconut, Asian Red Ginseng, etc., clinically proven to strengthen the liver and accelerate the reduction of blood alcohol levels.
- Before drinking: It can help reduce the side effects of drinking and keep the mind clear;
- When drinking: It prevents getting too drunk and maintains psychological stability;
- After drinking: It helps speed up the body’s detoxification for faster recovery from a hangover.
- DrinkAde: Liver detox drink with only 5 calories
DrinkAde is a healthy vitamin blend formerly called “Never Too Hungover.”
DrinkAde helps the body neutralize toxins and restore vital nutrients so people can celebrate and feel good. Also known as “the official drink before drinking.”
The fast-absorbing liquid formula makes it easier for the body to return to full function after a night out.
DrinkAde consists of a proprietary blend of natural vitamins, amino acids, nutrients, and minerals.
Natural ingredients include:
- Aloe Vera: It helps with digestion and supports liver detoxification.
- B Vitamins: From avocado and okra, they help boost energy levels and help restore mental alertness when tired.
- Gotu Kola: Native to Asia, it helps to improve mental clarity by helping to remove mental fog.
- Green Tea Extract: It helps support the liver to neutralize toxins, relieve occasional nausea and maintain the flow of blood and oxygen.
- Milk Thistle: It supports overall liver health, helps detoxify the body, and relieves occasional indigestion.
- Potassium: Balances body water and support normal nerve and muscle function.
DrinkAde is vegetarian, sugar-free, gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, lactose-free, and only 5 calories per bottle.
The product is divided into red, lime soda flavored “prevention” drunk before drinking. And blue, you can drink it before and after drinking, and the berry flavor “boosts” that promotes the body’s recovery.
From the ingredients list, there is no apparent difference between the two products. Because “prevention” and “promoting” both use the following ingredients: aloe vera whole leaf extract, acetylcysteine, L-glutamine, L-phenylalanine, Green Tea Extract, Siberian Ginseng, Milk Thistle, Root Extract, Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract, Collapsible Big Bowl Extract, etc. Only the taste is different, and you can choose according to your personal preference.
Drink 1-2 bottles before or while drinking, have fun and wake up feeling great.
Author Talking
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