Had a few too many cocktails at happy hour last night and woken up with a hangover?

We’ve all been there. 

If you’re looking for a way to prevent it from happening in the future, anti hangover pills may be the solution. 

Anti hangover pills are  are a relatively new type of supplement on the market that are designed to mitigate some of the negative effects of alcohol.

With that said, they aren’t miracle hangover cures and if you drink way over your limits, you’re going to wake up with a hangover regardless.

How do anti hangover pills work?

So-called ‘anti hangover pills’ are supplements that contain plant extracts and other ingredients such as vitamins and minerals, each of which may have potential benefits for hangovers.

Most of us know that dehydration is one of the main causes of a hangover. But it’s not the only cause.

When alcohol is broken down by your liver, compounds such as acetaldehyde are formed. During periods of overindulgence, acetaldehyde levels build up and react with your cells causing inflammation. 

And that’s where anti hangover supplement pills come into the picture.

They are designed to support liver function by providing the raw materials your liver needs to metabolise alcohol efficiently. As well as boosting antioxidant levels to deal neutralize the toxins produced from the break down of alcohol. 

How do you take anti hangover pills?

anti hangover supplement pills are somewhat different to what you may already be used to. That being you take them before, during or straight after drinking alcohol.Every brand has a slightly different dosing regimen. But the key factor is that they are designed to be taken while alcohol is still in your system.That’s why it’s very different to a daily multivitamin because it’s meant to be taken only when drinking.

5 Best anti hangover pills

Now that we’ve gone through how anti hangover pills work, it’s time to get straight into the best anti hangover pills on the market right now. 

1) AfterDrink

AfterDrink is one of the top anti hangover pills on the market. It contains a range of ingredients including herbal extracts, vitamins, minerals and amino acids. 

Some of the main ingredients are:

Prickly pear extract:
This ingredient has been shown in studies to reduce hangover symptoms. It’s thought to do so by reducing inflammation. That’s because it has high amounts of antioxidants called polyphenols.(1)

Dihydromyricetin:

Also known as DHM, this ingredient has been shown in studies to speed up alcohol metabolism. It’s actually been used in Asia for centuries as a hangover remedy and it’s only recently that scientists have looked at how it works.(2) 

Ginger:

Ginger is one of the only proven natural anti-nausea remedies around. It’s a great ingredient to have if nausea is a real problem when hungover.(3)

Ginseng:

In a controlled trial, ginseng was shown to reduce hangover symptoms. It’s thought that it did so by speeding up alcohol metabolism.(4)

Aside from the top selection of ingredients, AfterDrink also contains a properly dosed formulation. That means, every ingredient is included to serve  a purpose and the doses are high enough to work. 

The drawback with this anti hangover pill is that it’s premium priced at $35. So it’s at the more expensive end of the spectrum. Despite this, we’d still consider AfterDrink as value for money given the high-quality formulation and reputation.

You can purchase AfterDrink from their website.

2) DHM Detox

As you’ve probably guessed from the name, the key ingredient in this anti hangover pill is DHM. With so much hype around the benefits of DHM, there’s no wonder why manufactures build their formulation around it.

Aside from DHM, it also contains B vitamins, and electrolytes to help restore the balance after a night out. It comes in small discreet packets which you take with you on your night out and take while drinking.

3) Cheers

Cheers anti hangover pills are one of the best known brands around. They actually appeared on the popular US TV show Shark Tank a few years back. It contains one of the highest amounts of DHM compared to other anti hangover pills on the market.

You take a couple of Cheers capsules at the end of your night and they claim you’ll wake up feeling at least 50% better

4) Over EZ

Over EZ is an anti hangover pill that’s been around for years. With that, it’s got a strong reputation in this category.

Most products on the market require you to take 2-3 pills, before and after drinking alcohol. So that means up to 6 pills on a night out which is quite a lot.

However, with Over EZ you only have to take 1 pill. With that said, the ingredients it contains are similar to the others mentioned in this article so it could mean that it’s a little underdosed. 

5) DHM Depot

DHM depot may be one of the first supplements in the US to contain DHM. In fact, it’s the only ingredient it contains. So, if you’re only looking for this ingredient, it could the right choice for you. 

Anti hangover pill side effects

The anti hangover pills mentioned in this article are all made from natural ingredients. There are no medicines or banned substances in the formulation. Therefore, side effect profiles are low.

But as with anything we eat or drink, adverse reactions can happen. After all, we are all different and could have intolerances to certain ingredients.  So, always check the ingredients label and if you’re taking any other medication, speak to your doctor first. 

Best anti hangover pills: The verdict

Anti hangover pills are no magic cure.That means, you still need to reduce your alcohol intake to prevent getting a hangover.

Other than this, making sure you keep well hydrated and avoiding drinking on an empty stomach is also very important.

Anti hangover pills are a natural way to support liver health and increase the chances of you waking up with less of a hangover. 

With all that said, the top spot goes to AfterDrink anti hangover pills.