We all know the feeling of a hangover. You wake up with a pounding headache, dry mouth and nausea. No one wants to get to work or do anything when this happens, so we end up under our desks or in the bathroom.
The pain makes you realize that you're paying the price of too many drinks. So here are 4 vitamins to help hangover - if you haven't already, start taking these vitamins to prevent hangover.
Whether you're looking for how to get rid of a wine hangover, how to get rid of hangover anxiety, or just generally looking for a hangover prevention formula -- these 4 hangover vitamins have you covered!
Glutathione is an antioxidant naturally produced by your body as part of its defense system.
The importance of glutathione can’t be overstated. It helps remove toxins from your body, which is why it’s used to treat so many different problems.
It’s also important for your liver, which is where alcohol is broken down. The more you drink, the more stress you put on your liver – but also the more glutathione you need to avoid damage.
A study in 1986 at the University of Milan found that that glutathione helps break down acetaldehyde, which is shown to be responsible for a hangover.¹ Essentially, glutathione helps with alcohol detoxification.
Other research shows that glutathione levels drop after drinking alcohol, proving that alcohol depletes glutathione in your body.²
Supplementing glutathione is critical for alcohol detoxification and one the most important vitamins to help a hangover.
Dihydromyricetin for hangovers has been gaining more popularity due to modern studies.
Dihydromyricetin (DHM), that's derived from Hovenia Dulcis tree, is the ingredient that has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for centuries to treat alcohol intoxication and hangover. Dihydromyricetin benefits are numerous, multiple studies have shown it to increase alcohol elimination and prevent hangover symptoms.
In one study, rats were given DHM along with ethanol (alcohol), and their blood acetaldehyde levels were tested over time.⁶ Acetaldehyde is a toxic byproduct of alcohol metabolism that makes hangovers worse and can cause nausea, headaches, vomiting and other symptoms during an acute episode of drinking. The rats that received DHM had significantly lower acetaldehyde levels than those that didn’t receive it, suggesting it may be effective at preventing hangovers.⁶
A study out of South Korea showed that taking hovenia dulcis (DHM) versus a placebo significantly reduced hangover symptoms.⁴
Evidence shows Dihydromyricetin (DHM) is another one of the vitamins to help hangover.
Glutamine, another one of the vitamins to help hangovers, acts as an amino acid that helps replace nutrients lost when you are hungover, enhances hydration via water retention and replenishes any depleted glycogen stores. Glycogen is the body's main source of energy.
Research shows that alcohol consumption can inhibit the body's ability to produce glutamine.⁸ Your body then starts producing more glutamate after you stop drinking in order to make up for the loss, known as "glutamine rebound". Which might lead to fatigue, restlessness and anxiety (hangxiety) the following day.⁸
Replacing glutamine, another vitamin to help hangovers, by supplementation will help your body recover faster.
It's a cactus, but don't let that scare you away. Prickly pear is rich in antioxidants, electrolytes and vitamins to aid the body with alcohol.
It contains fiber, magnesium and vitamin C, all of which aid the digestive system and help your body recover better.
Prickly pear has been used for years as a traditional Mexican hangover remedy because it's believed to help reduce inflammation effects of alcohol. A prickly pear cactus hangover remedy may also help relieve nausea, a common side effect of drinking too much alcohol.
According to a study published at Tulane Health Sciences Center, by inhibiting inflammation mediators, prickly pear helped reduced hangover symptoms.⁹ In fact, risk of hangover was decreased by half!⁹
Prickly Pear Cactus Hangover Remedy shows to be one of the very important vitamins to help hangover.
Rather than spending hours at the store or searching on Amazon to mix up these vitamins, fortunately Zaca created a supplement combining these 4 ingredients. Our hydration + liver aid chewables uses a proprietary formula to help you rehydrate, replenish, and recover after drinks. Simply take 2-4 chewables before bed so you can feel better faster and conquer the next day.
Try Zaca's chewables today!
