Unlocking the Truth: Do These Popular Hangover Cures Actually Deliver or Just Drain Your Wallet?

Ever woken up after an epic night out, only to wonder if the wild fun was really worth the pounding headache and queasy stomach awaiting you the next morning? Yep, those dreaded morning-after regrets sneak in no matter how unforgettable the party was. We’ve all tried the classic remedies—from downing gallons of water to indulging in greasy diner staples—but what if there’s a smarter, science-backed way to tackle that hangover misery? Recently, a few savvy health brands like WTHN, ZBiotics, and iBlush have stepped up with newfangled hangover cures designed to help your body process alcohol’s nasty byproducts a bit faster. Intrigued? Let’s dive into the facts, myths, and expert takes on whether these trendy remedies can truly save your mornings (and maybe your sanity). LEARN MORE

No matter how fun an epic night out can be, the headache and nausea that comes the morning after can still lead to regrets. From chugging water to eating greasy foods, traditional hangover cures run the gamut.

Recently, several health brands like WTHN, ZBiotics, and iBlush have entered the mix by dropping products made for treating hangovers. When your body processes alcohol, it creates byproducts, like acetaldehyde, and the body is unable to break it down.

Meet the experts: Ehsan Ali, MD, is an internal medicine physician and the founder and CEO of Beverly Hills Concierge Doctor. Emily Stone, RDN, is the founder of her online private practice, CLEARMOUNTAIN Integrative Nutrition. Toby Amidor, RD, is the founder of nutrition consulting business Toby Amidor Nutrition, PC and author of Health Shots.

“These byproducts trigger inflammation and what we call ‘oxidative stress,’ which is basically cellular wear-and-tear,” says Ehsan Ali, MD, an internal medicine physician and the founder and CEO of Beverly Hills Concierge Doctor. “That stress shows up as fatigue, brain fog, nausea, dull skin, all the things we associate with a hangover.”

But the goal of these hangover products is to help your body process alcohol through different ingredients—like probiotics or herbal supplements, for instance—to help you wake up feeling good as new the next day. Ahead, find out how these hangover cures supposedly work their magic and whether you should take them, according to experts.

How These Hangover Product Ingredients Supposedly Work

Probiotics

ZBiotics’ Pre-Alcohol is a liquid that you take before you start drinking. This product contains a genetically-engineered probiotic, Bacillus subtilis ZB183™, which is designed to help break down acetaldehyde by producing the enzyme acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) in your stomach, according to ZBiotics’ website. When acetaldehyde is broken down, it becomes two harmless compounds, acetate and NADH, which helps you feel better the day after.

There is some research behind the product. In a 2024 study in PLOS One, researchers tested Bacillus subtilis ZB183™ against the original B. subtilis strain in Petri dish environments. The study compared how fast acetaldehyde was broken down by both strains and found that ZB183™ took 165 minutes to completely deplete the acetaldehyde in its environment, which was 41 times faster than the non-modified probiotic strain. Big caveat: This study was funded and conducted by ZBiotics.

With such limited data, it’s tough to know whether ZBiotics’ Pre-Alcohol is effective. The product “can be helpful in theory, but we’re still waiting on robust clinical data to fully back those claims,” says Dr. Ali.

Antioxidants

iBlush, a company aimed towards preventing alcohol-induced facial redness, nausea, and headaches, offers patches, tablets, drops, juices, and a gel that you take before drinking. These products contain antioxidants, which may help decrease oxidative stress, says Emily Stone, RDN, founder of her online private practice, CLEARMOUNTAIN Integrative Nutrition.

Such antioxidants found in iBlush products include:

In theory, when you take these supplements, ideally your hangover symptoms will decrease because the antioxidants will protect your cells and from damaging molecules called free radicals, allowing the liver to break down and filter out the acetaldehyde, says Toby Amidor, RD, founder of nutrition consulting business Toby Amidor Nutrition, PC and author of Health Shots.

But again, this product may be too good to be true. Just because antioxidants may reduce oxidative stress “doesn’t necessarily prevent the main causes of hangovers, [such as] accumulation of acetaldehyde, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and inflammation,” Stone says.

Herbal Supplements

Another approach to hangover treatment is to take a mix of herbal supplements, such as WTHN Indulgence Relief pills and de-liver-ance liquid doses. There are a few common ingredients you’ll see on their labels, such as milk thistle and turmeric, which “are known to support liver [function] and reduce oxidative stress,” says Dr. Ali. “They might help, but they’re not magic.” So in theory, when you take them, your hangover symptoms—like headaches, fatigue, and overall malaise—won’t be as bad.

A Combination Of These Ingredients

Other products, such as AWKN liquid doses and Cheers Health capsules, combine all three of these methods: They contain plant extracts, such as milk thistle and ginger, alongside antioxidant ingredients and probiotics.

“By combining different approaches, supporting the gut with probiotics, fighting oxidative stress with antioxidants, and nudging liver enzymes with herbs, you’re covering more bases,” says Dr. Ali. “Whether that translates to feeling dramatically better the next morning varies person to person, but it’s an interesting ‘stacked’ approach.”

Stone isn’t as convinced. “More ingredients doesn’t automatically mean more effectiveness,” she says. “What matters is whether the ingredients are clinically tested together in meaningful doses—and for most of these products, that research just doesn’t exist.”

Whether You Should Use Hangover Products

“Most of them are generally safe in moderation,” says Dr. Ali. “But ‘natural’ doesn’t always mean harmless.” So, using them occasionally is probably low risk for most healthy adults. Still, “these products are not designed for long-term daily use,” says Stone.

But there need to be more studies before saying for sure whether these products are useful. “Research is needed [regarding] how these ingredients work as a whole,” says Amidor, who questions whether certain ingredients might enhance or decrease others’ functionality. “There are just too many unanswered questions for me as a registered dietitian to give them a green light.”

Medication Interactions: Plus, you should be especially careful about taking these if you’re on other medications or have liver or kidney issues. “Some herbal supplements can interact with prescriptions or put extra strain on your liver, which is already working hard after a night of drinking,” says Dr. Ali. For example, fenugreek (found in WTHN Indulgence Relief) may interact with medications for diabetes, blood thinners, and certain antidepressants, while ginseng (found in WTHN de-liver-ance products) interacts with some blood thinners, antidepressants, and beta blockers, Amidor adds. When in doubt, chat with your doctor before trying one of these products.

Best Practices When Drinking

Alongside using a hangover product in moderation, make sure your other habits around drinking are solid too. “Hydration, sleep, and not drinking on an empty stomach are still your best allies,” Dr. Ali says. (Electrolytes may be a good way to stay hydrated!)

You can also take:

• B vitamins the night before or morning after drinking, since alcohol depletes your B vitamins, which play a big part in producing energy in our cell. “Replacing them can help you feel a bit less drained and support your body in bouncing back,” Dr. Ali adds. He recommends brands are third-party tested and reliable, such as Thorne, Pure Encapsulations, or Integrative Therapeutics.
• Activated charcoal before drinking (either as a capsule or a powder mixed in with a beverage), which may help settle your stomach by acting like a sponge in your gut to catch toxins before they’re absorbed, Dr. Ali says. He recommends charcoal sourced from coconut shells, from brands that have been tested for purity, like Bulletproof or Nature’s Way, and that have short ingredients lists. He also warns not to take charcoal too closely with prescriptions or other supplements, as the charcoal can diminish their effects.
• A meal with protein and complex carbs (like whole grains) before drinking to slow alcohol absorption, plus a consistent diet “with protein, fiber, and healthy fats to keep the liver resilient over time,” says Stone.

Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier Variety Pack

Nuun Zero Sugar Hydration Electrolyte Tablets

Cure Hydration Electrolyte Drink Mix

But if you find yourself regularly hungover every weekend, it may be time to think about why it’s become a habit. “I’d encourage a bigger conversation about why you’re drinking that often and how it’s impacting your health overall,” Dr. Ali adds. And if you struggle with frequent hangovers even after just a couple of drinks, that may be a sign of a problem with liver function or your gut microbiome, so you may want to also talk to your doctor.

In all, hangover “cures” and preventatives may ease the discomfort that often comes after a night of drinking. While there’s some research to back the ingredients in these products, there’s no guarantee any one product will work for you. If you do find a product that works for you (lucky!), just be sure to use it like our experts suggest. Even better, make sure your body has what it needs to recover by staying hydrated, nourished, and well-rested.

Lauren Perez Silva is a Brooklyn-based freelance health writer specializing in supplements, nutrition, mental health, and holistic medicine. She also covers mental health in her personal essays, as well as bi-ethnic and millennial girlhood and culture. You can find her work in Forbes Health, Oh Reader magazine, and her Substack, Just a Mix of Things. When she’s not working, she’s probably reading, embroidering, or hanging out with her tortie cat.