Pounding head, queasy stomach, feeling like you need to sleep for 24 hours. If you’ve ever had a few too many drinks, you know the hangover feeling. Let’s face it. You’re not 21 anymore and too many drinks hits you a lot harder than it used to!
The good news is that if you prepare a little, you can have hangover vitamins on hand to alleviate those symptoms and get you feeling normal quicker. Check out these 5 vitamins you can take to cure a hangover.
Hangover Vitamins: The Miracle Cure
Anyone who’s ever had a hangover knows that you want to do whatever you can to feel better quicker. If you know you’re going to be having a few drinks this upcoming holiday season, have these vitamins on hand.
1. Dihydromyricetin
Dihydromyricetin comes from a Japanese raising tree that is used often by Eastern medicine practitioners.
The Dihydromyricetin is believed to help your liver metabolize alcohol faster. It can also block alcohol from reaching your brain’s GABA receptors.These receptors give you the feeling of intoxication and hangover.
Take dihydromyricetin before and after drinking alcohol. Experts suggest taking 300-600 milligrams for every 3 drinks to minimize those hangover effects.
2. B Vitamins
B vitamins, such as B-1, B-6, and B-12 help with your metabolism. Alcohol is a diuretic, so you quickly lose water and vitamins due to frequent urination when drinking.
If you take vitamin B supplements the night before you drink, it can reduce your loss of B vitamins while you’re drinking. There’s even something called Morning Recovery that combines B vitamins, electrolytes, and the dihydromyricetin described above.
3. N-acetylcysteine (NAC)
NAC is a dietary supplement that helps support your liver and increases your production of glutathione, which is an antioxidant that reduces acetaldehyde toxicity. This is what causes many of your hangover symptoms.
You should take NAC prior to drinking, as it can actually be harmful to take it after you drink.
Milk thistle for liver protection is another way you can protect your liver from alcohol’s effects.
4. Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA)
ALA is a natural antioxidant that is found in our body. It aids with our production of glutathione. The glutathione helps with reducing acetaldehyde toxicity. This is what makes us feel hungover and causes liver damage.
5. Water
This is a no-brainer, but drinking water can help reduce the effects of a hangover. Drinking more water can help with many different conditions. Keeping yourself hydrated is important to help you feel better the next morning.
Water is best used as a preventative measure for reducing hangovers, so drink before you go out, alternate drinks with water, and drink before you go to bed.
The Bottom Line
No one likes a hangover. Feeling terrible the next day takes some of the luster out of the fun you had the night before. To make sure you aren’t feeling the effects of too much fun, check out these hangover vitamins to keep you feeling 100%.
For other natural remedies and things you can do to make yourself feel better, check out some of our other blog posts.