A couple years ago, I wrote about a supplement that helped my occasional drinking. I have what’s called “Asian flush,” meaning I’m not able to break down acetaldehyde (a toxic byproduct from alcohol) as well. The supplement worked really well for me for a while, but after a year or so, I realized those same old symptoms were creeping up again. Ultimately, I ended up drinking much less (if at all) and switched over to nonalcoholic beverages.
This whole experience — at first finding a “cure” for my inability to break down alcohol and then its affects weaning — made me question these supplements currently on the market. There’s activated charcoal pills, gut-supportive probiotics, and even stick-on patches, all promising similar things: allowing you to drink more with fewer of the nasty side effects that come with it. To get a better understanding, I spoke to three experts — Dr. David Kahana, a board-certified gastroenterologist and 1MD nutrition Scientific Medical Advisory board member; Dr. Erin Barrett, a nutritional scientist with a Ph.D. in nutritional biochemistry; and Dr. Susan Kais, a board-certified physician and gastroenterologist — about if they actually work and what methods they do recommend.
Before we get into the supplements, it’s important to understand exactly what a hangover is. Alcohol does a number of things to the body: increases oxidative stress and inflammation, can potentially irritate the gastrointestinal tract, and suppresses a hormone that normally tells your kidneys to retain water. Essentially, you pee more — not just because of fluid intake, but because your body is actively losing water. Plus you lose electrolytes like sodium and potassium. “If you’re excreting all of those electrolytes with the water, you’re manipulating that balance of water inside and outside of your cells, which causes your cells to become dehydrated and not function as well,” says Dr. Barrett.
These supplements claim to do things ranging from breaking down acetaldehyde (an unwanted alcohol byproduct) to replenishing vitamins that are lost while drinking. Some lesser-known popular ingredients you’ll see: N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an antioxidant used in medical settings for liver protection; milk thistle has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that helps reduce liver enzymes (ALT/AST); DHM (dihydromyricetin) claims to help metabolize alcohol; probiotics or enzymes that claim to break down alcohol in the gut before absorption. Then there are the more known ingredients like vitamin C, turmeric, ginger, which offer anti-inflammatory and antioxidant support; and B vitamins and electrolytes, which are both depleted when you’re drinking.
The experts I spoke to were largely skeptical about most of the hangover-cure supplements on the market, especially ones that claim to offer liver support. There are studies out there supporting claims for ingredients like NAC, milk thistle, and DHM, but Dr. Kais says it’s not strong enough to convince her. “There is no large human evidence-based data. The only studies we have are animal-based and low quality. Benefits are modest, inconsistent, and often placebo-driven.” The different delivery methods could also affect bioavailability. (Liquids and jellies do generally enter the bloodstream faster than a pill, and my experts were even more hesitant to believe the efficacy of patches.) On top of all that, these products aren’t FDA approved. Dr. Kais broke it down simply: “If you see bold claims on social media, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be wary.”
Instead, both Dr. Barrett and Dr. Kais said it’s best to focus on the old tried-and-true methods. “If you’re trying to target symptoms, focus on hydration. For every alcoholic beverage, have water. Ensure electrolytes,” says Dr. Kais. On top of that, they mentioned eating a large meal before drinking and eating ginger for nausea. For liver support, turmeric, milk thistle, or simple things like water with lemon can help, says Dr. Kais. “These are natural and accessible,” she says. “But ultimately, to avoid side effects, drink less.”
Generally, there’s no harm in taking extra vitamins or botanical ingredients that are in these supplements. But, Dr. Kahana made a point that the biggest “danger” is a false sense of security. “These supplements are designed to support the body and reduce damage, but they do not make the liver ‘invincible’ to the effects of excessive, chronic alcohol consumption,” he says.
What could be potentially risky: fillers. Dr. Kais says to be especially wary of any “proprietary” blends since “we can’t even know what’s in it. That’s very concerning,” she says. “Even though you’re taking these pills to protect your liver, a lot of these pills, since they’re not FDA approved, we don’t know what kind of fillers are in them. It can actually lead to what’s called drug-induced liver injury.” And even if it doesn’t lead to injury, Dr. Kahana says low-quality fillers can add further stress to your liver.
Bad news: There isn’t a miracle supplement that can totally take away the ailments that come with alcohol. The good news: Electrolytes are very accessible, inexpensive, and at the very least help with your hydration levels if you drink them before, during, and after drinking alcohol. “If people want to try something, stick to safer basics like hydration and avoid mixing multiple supplements,” says Dr. Kais. “What works better than supplements is drinking less, staying hydrated, eating, sleeping well, and using moderation.”
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