Do Hangover Pills Work? Examining the Efficacy of Hangover Remedies

Updated April 10, 2025

Hangovers are an all-too-common consequence of both social drinking and binge drinking, and no definitive remedy exists to cure them. Do hangover pills work? Although several products claim to cure hangovers, there is no substantial evidence for their efficacy. 

Glutathione is a ‘master antioxidant’ that strengthens immune function, helps maintain a normal inflammatory response, and enables the body to compensate for cellular stress.* Glutathione also plays a key role in detoxification processes in the liver,  the organ that works overtime during a hangover. Glutathione’s pharmacological properties make it a potent supplement to address a hangover. 

This post discusses the anatomy of a hangover, how glutathione can address a hangover, and why you should include an advanced glutathione supplement in your diet if you do drink. Use the links below to jump ahead to different topics on the page. 

The Anatomy of a Hangover

Let’s understand the physiological basis of a hangover. Although a hangover is commonly thought of as simply the body’s reaction to excessive alcohol consumption, the medical basis of a hangover is more nuanced because of the multiple ways in which drinking alcohol affects the body. 

The symptoms of hangovers are diverse and can include:

• Low mood
• Thirst
• Fatigue
• Muscle cramping
• Generalized pain
• Headache
• Nausea
• Anxiety
• Diarrhea
• Inflammation

The spectrum of hangover symptoms spans different organ systems. Hangovers have at least four separate pathologies:

• Disruption of sleep
• A buildup of toxic metabolic byproducts, such as acetaldehyde
• Dehydration
• Immune function activation and suppression

A review of hangover research concluded that alcohol’s effect on immune function is the largest contributor to hangover severity and incidence.¹ However, that doesn’t mean treating immune function alone is sufficient to minimize a hangover; each pathology produces a different subset of hangover symptoms, and there is no simple way to address all of them at once. 

Do Hangover Pills Work?

Do hangover pills work? There is no definite answer. The best way to prevent a hangover is to consume alcohol in moderation and ensure adequate hydration when drinking. As people age, their ability to process alcohol decreases, leading to an uptick in unexpected hangovers and individuals seeking hangover remedies, including hangover pills. The following table highlights various hangover remedies. 

Addressing Hangovers by Targeting Oxidative Stress

The most promising hangover therapies seek to augment the body’s ability to compensate for cellular stress. Rather than simply providing pain relief or restoring lost nutrients, these therapies improve the ability of the immune system to function in the wake of overindulgence in alcohol. Strengthening the immune system is critical because hangover-associated inflammation is a result of immune dysregulation caused by oxidative stress.Significantly, oxidative stress has recently been implicated as one of the primary mechanisms of the immunologic pathology of hangovers.² In general terms, oxidative stress is a process by which free radicals bond to critical enzymes and cellular molecules, thus preventing them from performing their intended purpose and causing damage. New therapies, such as glutathione supplementation, address hangover pathology by limiting oxidative stress.

How Does Glutathione Address Hangover?

Glutathione is a molecule produced by the body that protects cells from oxidative stress by bonding to free radicals with great efficiency, thus preventing damage to cellular machinery.* 

In a study evaluating the physiopathological state of alcohol hangovers in the brain cortex of animal models, it was found that glutathione-related enzymes were most affected in nerve terminals.³ When mice were artificially induced to have the conditions of a hangover, the researchers found that 17.5 percent more free radicals were present in their blood than in healthy controls, indicating high levels of oxidative stress. In contrast, glutathione concentrations were found to be 43 percent lower than in controls, and the activity of certain critical enzymes was 40 percent lower. 

As oxidative stress increased with the severity of the hangover, the glutathione level of the mice became further depleted. As glutathione levels decreased, the free radicals more easily damaged enzymes, reducing their activity and causing harm to the mice. This harm included a 57-percent increase in the incidence of enzymes responsible for recycling neurotransmitters, suggesting broadly detrimental and wide-ranging mood disturbances. The results of the study imply that a glutathione shortage is a large part of the problem when it comes to the molecular basis of a hangover.

There has also been a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled crossover clinical trial that demonstrated that glutathione supplementation significantly lowered serum acetaldehyde concentrations after alcohol consumption.⁴ Although it did not significantly affect serum alcohol levels, the reduction in acetaldehyde is crucial, as it is a major contributor to hangover symptoms.⁴

The following table highlights several studies exploring the effects of glutathione on alcohol metabolism. 

Research indicates that glutathione could be an effective hangover therapy by: 

• Limiting oxidative stress caused by excessive consumption of alcohol.* A glutathione supplement could improve the body’s ability to cope with oxidative stress at a minimum.* 

• Limiting gastrointestinal distress involved in a hangover.* Limiting the oxidative stress caused by a hangover could also limit inflammation.* This could potentially address some of the gastrointestinal distress associated with hangover, allowing intestinal cells to function optimally, which in turn, could simultaneously enhance mood.* 

A glutathione supplement can act as a safe, effective, and easily accessible alternative to traditional hangover pills. For acute hangovers, glutathione administered intravenously acts faster compared to oral glutathione supplements. 

Recently, glutathione supplements have been formulated using nutrient delivery nanotechnology that addresses the metabolic challenges that impact the efficacy of the ‘master antioxidant’. Such formulations enhance the bioavailability of glutathione to better address hangover symptoms and achieve positive outcomes. 

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions About Glutathione Supplements

Is it safe to take a glutathione supplement for a prolonged period?

Limited data exist on the safety and efficacy of prolonged glutathione supplementation. Because glutathione supplementation in high doses might cause toxicity, consult a healthcare provider before including a glutathione supplement in your diet for long periods.   

Can I take a glutathione supplement with a prescription medicine?

Limited data exists on the potential contraindications of glutathione with prescription medicines. Consult your healthcare provider before taking a glutathione supplement with a prescription medicine.   

How do you determine the efficacy of a glutathione supplement formulation?

Enhanced bioavailability and absorption of glutathione are critical indicators of a supplement formulation’s efficacy. 

Tesseract Medical Research’s SafeCell® is an innovative, hypoallergenic S-Acetyl-Glutathione complex formulated for optimal bioavailability and absorption. Tesseract’s proprietary CyLoc® – DexKey® nutrient delivery nanotechnology encases each glutathione molecule, protecting it from early degradation during transit through the stomach. The accompanying DexKey® reactors enable targeted delivery of the active ingredient molecules for enhanced absorption. The result is unprecedented absorption of glutathione in lesser amounts than previously required to support liver health.*

Finally, answering the question, do hangover pills work? There is no definite answer. While glutathione is sometimes included in hangover remedies due to its role in supporting liver detoxification, it should not be considered merely a “hangover pill”. Glutatione plays a much broader role as the body’s “master antioxidant” by supporting liver function, cellular health,and overall physiological balance. 

References: 

¹Penning R, et al. The pathology of alcohol hangover. Current Drug Abuse Reviews vol. 3,2 (2010): 68-75. doi:10.2174/1874473711003020068

²van de Loo, AJAE, et al. The inflammatory fesponse to alcohol consumption and its role in the pathology of alcohol hangover.” Journal of Clinical Medicine vol. 9,7 2081. 2 Jul. 2020, doi:10.3390/jcm9072081

³Karadayian AG, et al. Free radical production and antioxidant status in brain cortex non-synaptic mitochondria and synaptosomes at alcohol hangover onset. Free Radical Biology & Medicine vol. 108 (2017):692-703. doi:10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2017.04.344

⁴Song G, et al. Effects of GSH on Alcohol Metabolism and Hangover Improvement in Humans: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Crossover Clinical Trial. Nutrients. 2024;16(19):3262. Published 2024 Sep 26. doi:10.3390/nu16193262

⁵Kim H, et al. Combination of cysteine and glutathione prevents ethanol-induced hangover and liver damage by modulation of Nrf2 signaling in HepG2 cells and mice. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 12,10 1885. 20 Oct. 2023, doi:10.3390/antiox12101885

⁶Lee H-Y, et al. Glutathione’s role in liver metabolism and hangover symptom relief: Dysregulation of protein S-slutathionylation and antioxidant enzymes. Biomolecules & Therapeutics vol. 33,1 (2025):117-128. doi:10.4062/biomolther.2024.182