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Is Liquid IV good for hangovers? It’s a common question because this rehydration product has gained notoriety in recent years as a hangover cure.
Although Liquid IV isn’t specifically marketed as a hangover remedy, there are tons of people that use it for this purpose. Seeing as dehydration is one of the main causes of a hangover, it makes sense why people do.
Better still, some people take it to the next level by combining Liquid IV with a hangover prevention pill to cover all angles!
But can drinking Liquid IV by itself really cure a hangover?
In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at what Liquid IV is made of and whether it works for hangovers. With so many different so-called “hangover cure products” out there, it can be hard to tell what does and doesn’t work.
So, with the introductions out the way, let’s get straight into our liquid IV for hangovers review.
What is liquid IV?
Liquid IV is a sachet that contains minerals and vitamins that you mix with water and drink.
It utilizes “Cellular Transport Technology (CTT)” which is based on an optimal ratio of ingredients designed to enhance rapid absorption of water and other nutrients into your bloodstream.
As the name suggests, it’s designed to be the next best thing compared to an IV drip. And good for all things hydration related.
That’s why people use liquid IV for hangovers. Alcohol is a diuretic which means it makes your kidneys produce more diluted urine. As a result, this can cause dehydration.
With the basics out the way, let’s take a closer look at exactly what liquid IV is made of and whether it’s actually good for hangovers.
Liquid IV ingredients
The best place to start is with the ingredients formula below:
Minerals / Glucose
Liquid IV uses a precise ratio of sodium, glucose, and potassium to create an osmotic force that allows water to be delivered to the bloodstream faster.
What does osmotic force mean?
Well, in simple terms, water naturally flows from highly concentrated solutions to lower concentration solutions. Therefore, if the mineral, sugar, and salt content of the water in your gut is higher than that in your blood, it pushed water toward your bloodstream (i.e to the lower concentration solution).
The formula for Liquid I.V is based on the World Health Organization’s guidelines for Oral Rehydration Solution, a rigorously-tested combination of sodium, glucose, and water known to combat dehydration.
B vitamins
Liquid IV also contains a selection of B vitamins. These include B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6, and B12.
Some of these B complex vitamins are essential for the metabolism of the food and drink we consume. That includes alcohol. In fact, the body’s requirement for B vitamins increases during periods of overindulgence.
You can read more about this in our article on B vitamins for hangovers.
Vitamin C
Lots of people take vitamin C for hangovers. Either by drinking a glass of orange juice or dropping an effervescent vitamin C tablet in water.
Although there are no studies that show vitamin C helps hangovers, it’s a powerful antioxidant that supports the body’s natural antioxidant systems.
What’s missing?
It’s true that dehydration is one of the main causes of a hangover. But it’s not the only cause.
Scientists still aren’t sure what the exact causes of a hangover are. However, inflammation is agreed to be one of the most important causes alongside dehydration.
When alcohol is broken down in your liver, by-products such as acetaldehyde are formed which are toxic. They react with your cells causing inflammation and damage.
Antioxidants neutralize toxic by-products. That’s why we like to see antioxidant ingredients in hangover remedies. Liquid IV has a few included in their formula such as vitamin C.
However, we would like to use antioxidant herbs such as milk thistle, ginseng, and prickly pear extract. In addition, antioxidant amino acids such as alpha-lipoic acid can also help.
To be fair, Liquid IV is not designed specifically as a hangover prevention remedy, so, of course, we wouldn’t expect to see these ingredients. Follow the link below for products that contain these.
RELATED: The Five Best Hangover Pills On The Market
Is Liquid IV good for hangovers?
As a rehydration remedy, absolutely. Liquid IV is a great addition to your hangover prevention routine. Dehydration is one of the main causes of a hangover, and there’s no doubt that Liquid IV will help combat this.
With that said, it’s important not to see Liquid IV as a hangover cure. Because a hangover “cures” doesn’t exist. At the end of the day, alcohol is a toxin, and drinking too much is going to leave you feeling rough.
How to use Liquid IV for hangovers
If you’re planning on using Liquid IV for hangovers, the most important thing to consider is timing. Most people wait until they wake up with a terrible hangover before drinking Liquid IV. By this stage, the damage from dehydration is already done.
The best time to use Liquid IV for a hangover is straight after your last drink. Getting in front of dehydration before it’s a problem is key. Remember, prevention is always better than cure.
That’s not to say that using Liquid IV when you’re already hungover is not beneficial. It’s always a good option. However, the most benefit is seen if you drink it before you’re actually dehydrated.
Liquid IV vs Pedialyte
In essence, Liquid IV and Pedialyte are the same things in terms of minerals, salts, and sugars. They are both based on the WHO rehydration formula.
With that said, Liquid IV contains B vitamins, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C that Pedialyte does not.
So overall, Liquid IV has more to offer.
Liquid IV reviews for hangovers
Here are a couple of real reviews from Amazon in response to the question “does Liquid IV good for hangovers”:
Yes- it helps with hydration. Doesn’t cure a hangover exactly but certainly helps a lot.
Yes, works best if you drink it before you pass out the night of drinking, that way, no hangover to begin with ☺️
Are there any side effects?
Not really. It’s just minerals and vitamins. Some people can experience abdominal discomfort with higher dose B vitamins, However, it shouldn’t be a problem with the Liquid IV dose.
Liquid IV for hangovers – Final verdict
That brings us to the end of our look into Liquid IV for hangovers. It’s a great rehydration product and a perfect addition to your hangover prevention rituals.
Combining Liquid IV with a hangover prevention pill is the best combination and covers all bases.
With all that said, you’ll still need to be sensible when drinking alcohol. Getting absolutely wasted and expecting to wake up hangover free with Liquid IV or any other product is totally unrealistic.
Eating before going out, getting a good night’s sleep and slowing down how fast you drink is equally as important.
