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Treatment of hangovers with pills

Medical expert of the article

Psychiatrist, psychotherapist
, medical expert
Last reviewed: 07.07.2025

A hangover is an extremely unpleasant condition that occurs as a result of intoxication of the body some time after drinking a sufficient amount of alcoholic beverages. And the more varied the drinks, the more severe the hangover. Hangover pills in combination with various folk remedies that alleviate the patient's condition will help bring the body back to normal after a stormy feast.

A hangover is characterized by the following symptoms: heaviness and constant splitting pain in the head, constant nausea with frequent bouts of vomiting, loss of strength, constant thirst and dry mouth due to dehydration, irritability or apathy to everything. With a severe hangover, other symptoms are added to these: trembling hands, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, etc. Hangover pills are designed to relieve a person of all these unpleasant symptoms.

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Hangover pills that reduce the symptoms of intoxication

Hangover intoxication is the poisoning of the body by the breakdown products of alcohol, which is the main component of alcoholic beverages. Acetaldehyde is a toxic substance released during the breakdown of ethanol. That is, no matter what the alcohol-containing drink is, it ultimately turns out to be poison for the body.

Indications for the use of this type of drug: food poisoning, including alcohol intoxication.

Anti-intoxication tablets are sorbents that can absorb and remove harmful substances from the body, in this case acetaldehyde.

When treating a hangover, doctors recommend turning to them first, and then using other methods to combat the symptoms of a hangover syndrome. You need to take hangover pills against intoxication an hour before eating, chewing or whole.

The pharmacodynamics of anti-intoxication drugs is that the active ingredients of these drugs, or more precisely biologically active additives (BAA), bind and remove toxic substances released during the process of digestion and decomposition of substances entering the human body from the outside. They help transport toxins from the blood and lymph to the gastrointestinal tract with their subsequent removal from the body, stabilize and facilitate the work of the liver and kidneys, cleanse the intestinal mucosa and eliminate congestion in it.

Activated carbon, which is a permanent resident of most home medicine cabinets, should be considered one of such dietary supplements. Practically harmless and effective, it has long won the trust of many as a reliable protector of the body.

Its only drawback is the large number of tablets that must be taken to achieve the expected result. A single dose of the drug is 1 tablet per 10 kg of body weight.

Contraindications to the use of activated carbon are ulcerative diseases of the digestive tract, gastric bleeding. Frequent use of the drug can provoke constipation or diarrhea, disrupt the absorption of nutrients in the intestine, and also cause hypovitaminosis (lack of vitamins in the human body).

An analogue of activated carbon with a lower recommended dosage (3 tablets three times a day with plenty of liquid) is white carbon. These tablets have a more familiar appearance to us, without causing aversion. Unlike activated carbon, it does not cause intestinal disorders.

However, the drug has certain contraindications for use. White coal is not allowed for use by children under 14 years of age, pregnant and lactating women, patients with gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, intestinal obstruction and gastrointestinal bleeding. Patients with diabetes can use the drug only after consultation with a specialist doctor.

Along with cheap hangover pills, pharmacies offer many more expensive analogues of these drugs that are highly effective and have a relatively wide range of action: Polyphepan, Sorbex, Atoxil, Enterosgel, Polysorb and others.

An unpleasant and painful symptom of intoxication is nausea, which very often remains even after gastric lavage and the effects of sorbent drugs. In this case, it is worth resorting to the help of effective antiemetic drugs, such as Motilium, Metoclopromide, Cerucal, etc., or using mint tablets, which also help with nausea during a hangover.

Popular Analgesic Drugs for Hangovers

All the above mentioned drugs help to relieve most of the symptoms that accompany a hangover. However, they are not an antidote for a hangover. Even after using sorbents, symptoms such as headaches and stomach pain, hand tremors, tachycardia, etc. may remain and continue to paint your life in black colors for a long time.

It is for such situations that broad-spectrum painkillers, vitamin and mineral complexes, drugs that stimulate cardiac activity and the work of other body systems have been developed. The names of hangover pills are so varied that it is simply impossible to mention them all in detail in one article. Let's consider only the most popular and effective hangover pills.

When faced with a painful headache that accompanies a hangover, your hand just reaches for the well-known "Aspirin" (acetylsalicylic acid, or simply "acetyl"). But "Aspirin" is contraindicated for people with gastrointestinal diseases due to the adverse effects of the acid on the gastric mucosa. Are there any analogues of the drug with a milder effect?

Painkillers (analgesics), especially those intended to treat hangover symptoms, are often produced in the form of effervescent tablets for hangovers based on acetylsalicylic acid. Effervescent tablets are considered the most effective among hangover tablets, the main purpose of which is to relieve pain. Their effectiveness is due to the following properties: rapid dissolution and absorption in the stomach, rapid entry into the blood, which determines the rapid action of the drug, significantly less irritating effect on the gastric mucosa compared to "Aspirin".

Bright representatives of this type of medicine are the German effervescent tablets for hangovers "Alka-Seltzer" and a similar drug from the Ukrainian manufacturer "Alka-Prim".

In addition to acetylsalicylic acid, which is an excellent analgesic, these tablets contain soda, which neutralizes hydrochloric acid in aspirin, protecting the gastric mucosa, and ensures the drug's rapid action due to carbonation of water. Citric acid in these drugs is used for reactions that reduce the toxic effects of alcohol on the body. Glycine in Alka-Prim protects the liver, converting harmful components of alcohol into low-toxic substances, and activates metabolic processes in the organs and tissues of the body.

"Alka-Seltzer" is a drug indicated for use from the age of 15 when pain sensations of various localizations occur. The drug is taken by dissolving a tablet in a glass of water. Up to 6 doses per day at intervals of 4 hours, but not more than 5 days. In case of an overdose of the drug, hangover symptoms intensify, tinnitus and confusion appear.

Despite its attractiveness, the drug has side effects such as digestive disorders, manifested in the form of heartburn, nausea, changes in the quality of stool, abdominal pain, gastrointestinal bleeding, slight dizziness, and allergic reactions.

There are also a number of contraindications to the use of the drug. These are age under 15, pregnancy, erosions and ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract in the acute stage, increased bleeding and sensitivity to the components of Alka-Seltzer.

"Alka-Prim" is a combined analgesic that also dissolves in water when taken. It begins to act in half an hour, the maximum effect is detected 1-4 hours after taking. It is excreted almost completely in the urine within 1-3 days. The usual single dose is 1-2 tablets, the maximum is 3 tablets. It is taken 2 to 4 times a day at intervals of at least 4 hours for no more than a week.

Overdose symptoms are similar to those of Alka-Seltzer. Treatment is only possible in hospital, not at home.

The drugs also have similar side effects, which require refusing to take the drug and contacting a doctor. Contraindications to the use of the drug can be supplemented by significant abnormalities in the functioning of the liver and kidneys. You need to be careful with bronchial asthma and other diseases of an allergic nature.

Effective broad spectrum hangover pills

A hangover is not a common ailment, but a result of stress received by the human body due to the consumption of alcohol in large doses. If everything is left to chance, unpleasant and sometimes dangerous consequences cannot be avoided. Therefore, it is not enough to simply relieve headaches and nausea. Under the influence of alcohol, the body loses water, vitamins and minerals necessary for normal functioning, which is why many human tissues and organs suffer.

Complex drugs with a wide range of action have been created specifically to support the body's organs and systems. These hangover pills stimulate the body's work, saturating it with vitamins and minerals, reduce the effects of intoxication, restore impaired metabolism, and strengthen the immune system. Such drugs include "Amber acid", "Glycine", "Medichronal", "Metadoxil", "Zorex", as well as homeopathic medicines "Rekitsen", "Proproten-100", etc.

"Amber acid" is a drug that allows both to prevent a hangover and to treat it. This is probably the most accessible and simple means of combating a hangover. Tablets with succinic acid are not exactly a medicine, but rather a dietary supplement that allows you to replenish the body with a substance that is not alien to it, but obtained (in insufficient quantities for treatment) from the outside with food.

The effect of succinic acid on alcohol cannot be overestimated. It accelerates the breakdown and elimination of alcohol from the body, while protecting the liver from the negative effects of acetaldehyde.

In sufficient doses, succinic acid is an indispensable assistant in the fight against a hangover, has virtually no side effects and does not accumulate in the body. However, there are some contraindications to its use, so as not to complicate existing conditions associated with certain diseases. People with ulcerative diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, hypertensive patients, and kidney stones should not use the drug. You should not resort to these tablets before going to bed, so as not to provoke insomnia.

To treat a hangover, succinic acid is taken every hour, 1 tablet of 100 mg, but no more than 6 per day. Try to do this with food to avoid negative effects on the gastric mucosa. An overdose of the drug manifests itself in the form of heartburn and acute abdominal pain, since succinic acid significantly increases the acidity of the stomach.

To prevent a hangover, take 2 tablets of succinic acid 40-50 minutes before the party, again not on an empty stomach. This will help avoid unpleasant consequences, but on condition that this method is not used often, since the remedy is addictive.

"Zorex" - this is a real antidote for a hangover. This drug was specially created to combat any consequences of drinking a significant amount of alcohol. It is a must have in your medicine cabinet on the eve of major holidays, such as New Year's.

Pharmacodynamics. The drug has a pronounced antitoxic, hepatoprotective (supporting liver function) and antioxidant (protective in relation to body cells) effect. The active substance of the drug is unitol. Its interaction with alcohol breakdown products leads to the formation of non-toxic compounds that are eliminated from the body with urine. Once in the body, unitol penetrates the liver with the bloodstream and, having reacted with acetaldehyde, promotes the elimination of the latter from all organs and tissues. The additional component calcium pantothenate promotes the restoration of carbohydrate and fat balance and rapid regeneration of body tissues.

Pharmacokinetics. The highest concentration of the drug in the blood is observed after 1.5 hours. The total duration of action is from 9 to 11 hours. Approximately 60% of the active substances are excreted from the body with urine, and another percentage with feces.

Indications for use: alcohol intoxication and poisoning with volatile chemical elements, severe hangover syndrome, various stages of alcoholism, withdrawal syndrome.

Method of administration and dosage of Zorex hangover tablets. The drug is available in capsule form, which are taken half an hour before meals, with a sufficient amount of water. The drug is intended both for the prevention of a hangover and for the treatment of its symptoms. Preventive dose: 1 capsule before bedtime on the day of the feast. Treatment of a hangover and related chronic conditions involves increasing the frequency of taking tablets to 2-3 per day. The duration of such treatment is from 3 to 10 days.

Side effects of these hangover pills are extremely rare and are presented in the form of allergic reactions: itching and rash in various places of the skin and mucous membranes, including the genitals, occasionally accompanied by swelling and a sudden increase in body temperature.

If the dosage is increased by 10 or more times, a condition of drug overdose occurs, manifested in the form of shortness of breath, inhibition, lethargy, short-term convulsions. In such a situation, you should immediately wash out the stomach with a large amount of slightly warm boiled water and drink the recommended amount of activated carbon or its analogues. If necessary, resort to laxatives.

Contraindications: age under 18, acute forms of severe kidney and liver diseases, intolerance to the components of the drug. In case of low blood pressure, a doctor's consultation is required regarding the possibility of taking the drug and its dosage.

Interactions with other drugs: incompatible with alkalis and drugs containing heavy metal salts. These drugs reduce the effectiveness of "Zorex".

Shelf life of the drug and storage conditions. The drug can be used for 3 years from the date of manufacture, provided that it is stored correctly in a room with an air temperature of up to 25 o C and without access to sunlight.

By the way, there is a variation of this drug called "Zorex-morning", which allows you to prevent a hangover even before drinking alcohol. But really, why suffer and suffer in the morning, if you can do it in the evening so that the fun does not leave an unpleasant aftertaste from the consequences of drinking. It is for this purpose that the pharmaceutical industry produces many drugs based on succinic acid for the prevention of hangover syndrome: "Drinkoff", "Limontar", "Antipohmelin", "Zelnak", "Bison".

"Drinkoff" is a universal remedy that prevents hangovers, kills the smell of alcohol in the mouth, improves metabolism and even, according to the manufacturer, increases sexual activity. It is easy to find on sale. Natural plant components plus succinic acid and a complex of vitamins make this drug an indispensable companion at a feast.

"Drinkoff" is sold in capsules or jelly bags. It should be taken immediately after a feast in the amount of 2-3 capsules (up to 5 pieces) or 1-2 jelly bags. If you forgot to do this in the evening, you can take the medicine right in the morning.

Due to its natural composition, the drug does not cause addiction and unwanted side effects. However, taking these hangover pills is not recommended for people with persistent high blood pressure, type A gastritis with impaired immune processes, renal failure, severe liver damage, heart rhythm disturbances, ulcerative gastrointestinal lesions and thyroid diseases.

"Antipohmelin" is another common and effective remedy that helps to avoid the consequences of wild fun. This drug is a complex of several acids and glucose, does not cause side effects. Of the contraindications for use, only intolerance to individual components of the drug are known.

It should be taken according to the following scheme: 2 tablets before a feast and 1-2 tablets for every 100 g of strong alcohol. If alcoholic drinks have a small percentage of alcohol, then 1-2 tablets are taken for every 250 g of alcohol-containing drink.

"Zelnak" is a preparation of exclusively plant origin, neutralizing acetaldehyde and other poisons, and also increasing the overall tone of the body. One of the most gentle hangover remedies. Minimum side effects and contraindications, which follow only from the composition of the drug and the sensitivity of the body to individual components.

You can take Zelnak before (30 minutes before drinking alcohol), after and during a feast in the amount of 2 capsules.

As we can see, there are plenty of hangover remedies, but this is not a reason to abuse alcohol. No matter how good hangover remedies may seem, they only help for a certain time. At some point, hangover pills will simply be useless, and alcohol addiction will have to be treated in a specialized institution.

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Attention!

To simplify the perception of information, this instruction for use of the drug "Treatment of hangovers with pills" translated and presented in a special form on the basis of the official instructions for medical use of the drug. Before use read the annotation that came directly to medicines.

Description provided for informational purposes and is not a guide to self-healing. The need for this drug, the purpose of the treatment regimen, methods and dose of the drug is determined solely by the attending physician. Self-medication is dangerous for your health.

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