Do Hangover Pills Work? What Systematic Reviews and the FDA Say

There's no good evidence that any hangover pill works: a 2022 systematic review of 21 placebo-controlled trials rated every remedy's evidence very low quality, and a 2025 study of the US hangover-product market found no product with demonstrated efficacy.1, 2 FDA also treats claims that a supplement prevents or treats hangovers as unapproved drug claims.3 So when people ask whether hangover pills work, the honest answer is that none has been shown to: only time ends a hangover, and drinking less is the only reliable way to prevent one.

Key takeaways

  • The 2022 Addiction review found 21 placebo-controlled trials with 386 participants, no two testing the same remedy, and rated all the efficacy evidence very low quality.1
  • In 2024, efficacy hadn't been demonstrated for any of 46 US hangover products on Amazon, and 41.3% made illegal disease claims.2
  • FDA sent warning letters to seven hangover-product sellers on July 23, 2020 (announced July 29), treating claims to cure, treat, mitigate or prevent hangovers as drug claims.3
  • No published randomized trial has tested DHM, one of the most common hangover-supplement ingredients, by itself for hangover as of October 2026.4

Do hangover pills work? The short answer

Hangover pills haven't been shown to work. The best reviews find only small, single, low-quality trials, and the products on shelves haven't been tested at all in most cases.

A 2005 BMJ review of eight trials found "no compelling evidence" that any conventional or complementary remedy prevents or treats hangover.5 Seventeen years later, the evidence was no stronger.1 NIAAA's summary: there is no cure for a hangover other than time.6 For a practical plan, see how to cure a hangover.

What the 2022 Addiction review found

Researchers at King's College London found 21 placebo-controlled trials, all small, and rated every result very low quality.1

  • Scope. 386 participants; searches ran to August 1, 2021. No two studies tested the same remedy, so results couldn't be pooled.
  • Single positive results. Clove extract, tolfenamic acid, pyritinol, Hovenia dulcis fruit extract (P = 0.029), L-cysteine (P = 0.043), red ginseng and Korean pear juice each beat placebo in one study.
  • Conclusion. "Only very low quality evidence of efficacy is available to recommend any pharmacologically active intervention."
  • Gaps. Common painkillers such as paracetamol (acetaminophen) and aspirin had never been tested in placebo-controlled hangover trials, and 8 of the 21 studies included only men.7

DHM didn't appear as a tested remedy, because no trial of DHM alone has been published; the Hovenia result came from an extract that contains little DHM.4 The DHM research tracker follows every study.

What the 2025 US market study found

Hangover products are still sold on evidence that doesn't exist, and many still make illegal claims.

Researchers searched Amazon.com for "hangover treatment" in March 2023 (38 products) and November 2024 (46 products). DHM was the most common ingredient in 2023 (52.6%); in 2024, vitamins led and DHM and milk thistle were each in 47.8%. Illegal disease claims appeared on 50.0% and 41.3% of products. Their conclusion: "the efficacy to prevent or reduce alcohol hangover has not been demonstrated for any product."2 An earlier survey of 82 products found no peer-reviewed human safety or efficacy data for any of them, and 59% of DHM products didn't state their DHM dose.8

Why the FDA warned hangover-supplement sellers in 2020

To FDA, a hangover is a symptom of alcohol intoxication, which it treats as a disease. Supplements can't claim to prevent or treat a disease, so hangover claims turn them into unapproved drugs.3, 9

The letters, dated July 23, 2020, gave companies 15 working days to respond and warned of seizure or injunction.3 FDA built its case from websites, Amazon listings and customer testimonials.10, 15, 16 News coverage quoted FDA's Steven Tave: "Dietary supplements are not a substitute for responsibly limiting one's alcohol consumption."11, 12

Examples of claims FDA cited in its July 23, 2020 hangover warning letters
Product type Claim FDA quoted
DHM and electrolyte product "PREVENT HANGOVERS - No product is more proven or effective at preventing hangover symptoms"
DHM, Hovenia and prickly pear product "GUARANTEED RELIEF … a true hangover cure."
NAC product "Helps prevent hangover symptoms*" (asterisk and disclaimer included)
Activated charcoal product "PUT YOUR HANGOVER TO BED"
NAC, DHM and milk thistle product "…has been used for centuries as an anti-alcohol herb and hangover cure in Asia."

Sources: FDA warning letters.10, 13, 14, 15, 16 A 2021 letter went further, citing a DHM product page that said DHM "is taken commonly to help reduce the symptoms of hangover."17 Since January 2025, South Korea has required human study data for "hangover relief" claims on foods.18

Pills vs. patches vs. drinks vs. IV drips

Changing the format doesn't change the evidence: none of these has been shown to prevent or cure a hangover.

Hangover products by format: what the evidence shows (as of October 2026)
Format What's known
Pills and capsules Single small trials of a few ingredients, all very low quality; most products untested
Patches No placebo-controlled hangover trial found in PubMed; in gastric-bypass patients, 82% of vitamin-patch users had a deficiency vs. 41% of pill users
Drinks and shots Small, often industry-run Korean trials of Hovenia beverages with mixed results; electrolytes don't track hangover severity
IV drips No randomized trial found; an invasive procedure with reported serious reactions

Sources: pills1; patches19; drinks4, 6; IV drips20. In 2018 the FTC brought its first case against an IV "cocktail" business over unsupported disease claims.21 More in hangover IV drips.

Why some people swear by them: expectations and behavior

Hangovers vary a lot from night to night, and a pill gets credit for whatever went right. That's why only placebo-controlled trials count.

  • The amount you drink drives the hangover. In a 90-person trial, perceived drunkenness and vomiting predicted hangover intensity; drink order didn't.22 A night with a pill may also be a night with fewer drinks.
  • Habits travel together. People who plan a pill often also eat, pace and drink water. Eating before or while drinking slows alcohol absorption.23
  • Age changes things. In 51,645 Danes, severe hangovers were far more common in younger adults.24
  • Uncontrolled studies can't separate the pill from expectations. The one published study of a DHM-based product had no placebo group, and its authors call for a randomized trial.25

If you still want to try one: a safety checklist

Treat any hangover pill as an unproven supplement and screen it the way you would any other.

  1. Read the label. Every ingredient should have an amount; see how to read a supplement label.
  2. Skip disease claims. "Prevents hangovers," "hangover cure" and "detox" are claims FDA has acted on.3
  3. Compare doses with research. Human DHM studies used 300 to 970 mg a day; some products sell servings several times higher, where safety hasn't been studied.26, 27
  4. Check your medicines. DHM inhibited three drug-processing enzymes in lab tests, and NAC interacts with nitroglycerin and carbamazepine.28, 29
  5. Know the plant. Hovenia has been linked to three cases of toxic hepatitis in Korea.30
  6. Skip them if you're pregnant or breastfeeding; they're untested there.
  7. Never use one as permission to drink more or to drive.

For a label-by-label comparison with no rankings, see our 2026 hangover-supplement label guide.

What actually helps

Time is the only cure. Rest, fluids for thirst and bland food make the day easier, and drinking less is the only proven prevention.6

Eat before or while you drink, alternate with water to pace yourself, and stop earlier. Current US guidance is "Consume less alcohol for better overall health."23, 31 Hangovers impair attention and coordination even after blood alcohol is back to zero, so don't drive.6 If you take a pain reliever, read our guide to pain relievers and alcohol first.

What we don't know yet

  • Whether any of the single positive trials, such as clove extract or pyritinol, would hold up in larger studies.1
  • Whether DHM alone does anything for hangover in people.4
  • Whether common painkillers ease hangovers overall; they haven't been tested against placebo, though one NSAID trial found relief for headache only.7, 33

Frequently asked questions

Does the FDA approve hangover pills?

No. FDA doesn't approve dietary supplements for safety or effectiveness before they're sold, and a supplement that claims to prevent or treat hangovers is, in FDA's view, an unapproved drug.36, 3

Do hangover patches work?

There's no evidence they do. We found no placebo-controlled hangover trial of a patch in PubMed, and in one study of gastric-bypass patients, vitamin-patch users were twice as likely as pill users to have a deficiency (82% vs. 41%).19

Is any brand-name hangover product proven to work?

No. A 2025 study found efficacy hadn't been demonstrated for any US hangover product.2 The only published study of a DHM-based product was company-funded, observational and had no placebo group.25

Are hangover pills safe?

Most are lightly studied rather than known to be unsafe. Risks include drug interactions (DHM inhibited liver enzymes in lab tests), doses above any studied range, and rare liver injury linked to Hovenia.28, 30 Ask a pharmacist before combining one with medicines.

Why can't supplements claim to prevent hangovers?

FDA treats a hangover as a symptom of alcohol intoxication, which it classifies as a disease, and supplements may not claim to prevent or treat disease.9, 37 In 2020 FDA cited even an asterisked "Helps prevent hangover symptoms*" claim.14

Sources

  1. Roberts E, et al. The efficacy and tolerability of pharmacologically active interventions for alcohol-induced hangover symptomatology: a systematic review of the evidence from randomised placebo-controlled trials. Addiction 117(8):2157-2167. 2022. PubMed
  2. Verster JC, et al. The alcohol hangover product market of the United States of America. Drug Science, Policy and Law. 2025. journals.sagepub.com
  3. FDA Sends Warning Letters to Seven Companies Illegally Selling Hangover Products (Constituent Update, July 29, 2020). FDA, 2020. fda.gov
  4. Skinner SG, et al. Therapeutic Effects of Dihydromyricetin on Wholly Alcohol-Attributed Conditions: A Systematic Review. Nutrients 18(14). 2026. PubMed
  5. Pittler MH, et al. Interventions for preventing or treating alcohol hangover: systematic review of randomised controlled trials. BMJ 331(7531):1515-8. 2005. PubMed
  6. Hangovers (updated December 2025). NIAAA / NIH, 2025. niaaa.nih.gov
  7. No convincing scientific evidence that hangover cures work. King's College London (press release, Jan 5, 2022), 2022. kcl.ac.uk
  8. Verster JC, et al. Unknown safety and efficacy of alcohol hangover treatments puts consumers at risk. Addict Behav 122:107029. 2021. PubMed
  9. Regulations on Statements Made for Dietary Supplements Concerning the Effect of the Product on the Structure or Function of the Body; Final Rule. Federal Register 65 FR 1000 (Jan 6, 2000), 2000. govinfo.gov
  10. FDA warning letter MARCS-CMS 593766, July 23, 2020 (DHM hangover product). FDA, 2020. fda.gov
  11. Hangover Pills Aren't Worth the Hype. Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials (Mar 13, 2024), 2024. health.clevelandclinic.org
  12. FDA Warns 7 Companies About Illegally Selling Hangover Cures. Food Manufacturing (Jul 30, 2020), 2020. foodmanufacturing.com
  13. FDA warning letter MARCS-CMS 593771, July 23, 2020 (DHM and Hovenia hangover product). FDA, 2020. fda.gov
  14. FDA warning letter MARCS-CMS 593764, July 23, 2020 (cites an asterisked hangover claim). FDA, 2020. fda.gov
  15. FDA warning letter MARCS-CMS 593774, July 23, 2020 (activated-charcoal hangover product). FDA, 2020. fda.gov
  16. FDA warning letter MARCS-CMS 593772, July 23, 2020 (NAC, DHM and milk thistle hangover product). FDA, 2020. fda.gov
  17. Warning Letter to Synaptent, LLC (MARCS-CMS 610683, November 9, 2021). FDA, 2021. fda.gov
  18. Hangover relief products must be backed by human tests – South Korea's MFDS. NutraIngredients (Jan 21, 2025), 2025. nutraingredients.com
  19. Saurabh S, et al. Is Transdermal Multivitamin Patch Effective in Gastric Bypass Patients?. Obes Surg. 2019;29(12):3818-3823. PubMed
  20. Johnson JS, et al. Intravenous Glutathione and Vitamin Supplementation Causing Stevens-Johnson Syndrome: A Case Report. J Burn Care Res 46(3):652-655. 2025. PubMed
  21. FTC Brings First-Ever Action Targeting 'IV Cocktail' Therapy. FTC (press release, Sep 20, 2018), 2018. ftc.gov
  22. Köchling J, et al. Grape or grain but never the twain? A randomized controlled multiarm matched-triplet crossover trial of beer and wine. Am J Clin Nutr 109(2):345-352. 2019. PubMed
  23. Cederbaum AI. Alcohol metabolism. Clin Liver Dis 16(4):667-85. 2012. PubMed
  24. Tolstrup JS, et al. Does the severity of hangovers decline with age? Survey of the incidence of hangover in different age groups. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 38(2):466-70. 2014. PubMed
  25. Song S, et al. Decentralized Assessment of a Dihydromyricetin- and L-Cysteine-Based Multi-Ingredient Dietary Supplement on Post-Alcohol Recovery: An Observational Cohort Study. Nutrients 18(15). 2026. PubMed
  26. Ran L, et al. Ampelopsis grossedentata supplementation effectively ameliorates the glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Eur J Clin Nutr 73(5):776-782. 2019. PubMed
  27. LiverTox: Dihydromyricetin (updated Aug 16, 2023). NIDDK / NCBI Bookshelf (LiverTox), 2023. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  28. Liu L, et al. In vitro inhibitory effects of dihydromyricetin on human liver cytochrome P450 enzymes. Pharm Biol 55(1):1868-1874. 2017. PubMed
  29. N-Acetylcysteine. StatPearls [Internet], NCBI Bookshelf (updated February 29, 2024), 2024. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  30. Sferrazza G, et al. Hovenia dulcis Thumberg: Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Toxicology and Regulatory Framework for Its Use in the European Union. Molecules 26(4). 2021. PubMed
  31. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030 (released Jan 7, 2026). USDA / HHS, 2026. cdn.realfood.gov
  32. 21 CFR 201.326 OTC drug products containing internal analgesic/antipyretic active ingredients; required warnings. eCFR, 2009. ecfr.gov
  33. Hara M, et al. A nationwide randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled physicians' trial of loxoprofen for the treatment of fatigue, headache, and nausea after hangovers. Alcohol 84:21-25. 2020. PubMed
  34. Understanding the Dangers of Alcohol Overdose (updated December 2025). NIAAA / NIH, 2025. niaaa.nih.gov
  35. SAMHSA's National Helpline. SAMHSA / HHS, 2026. samhsa.gov
  36. FDA 101: Dietary Supplements (content current as of June 2, 2022). FDA Consumer Updates, 2022. fda.gov
  37. 21 CFR 101.93 Certain types of statements for dietary supplements. eCFR, 2026. ecfr.gov

Published by Fuller Health, which makes After Party. This article is general information, not medical advice: talk to a doctor or pharmacist about your own health, medicines and drinking. Last reviewed October 9, 2026. How we research and write.

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