Drinking Pedialyte For Hangover Prevention & Treatment: Does It Work?

We've all been there before. You had a big night out with your friends, you wake up the next morning, and you are in shambles. Your head is throbbing, you are nauseous, and you just want it to go away - you might be wondering, is it worth heading to the store to grab a bottle of Pedialyte?

First off: if you haven't heard of Pedialyte, what is it? And why does this name come up when discussing hangovers?

Pedialyte is a drink that's available over-the-counter to reduce dehydration. While it's typically marketed for dehydrated children, it has recently come up in the debate about fighting hangovers. College-aged people in particular boast this magic concoction's ability to fight off hangovers better than any other remedy out there.

But is it true? Can I drink Pedialyte for a hangover? And if so, how much Pedialyte should I drink for a hangover? And, when should I drink Pedialyte for a hangover?

Don't worry - today, we're going to answer all these questions and more. Let's not beat around the bush any longer - is drinking Pedialyte for hangover remedy worth it?

Drinking Pedialyte For Hangovers: Does It Help?

To answer the question of whether or not you should consider drinking Pedialyte for a hangover, we have to talk a bit more about what a hangover is.

A big component of hangovers comes from being dehydrated by drinking alcohol. Since alcohol is a diuretic, it causes the body to remove liquids much quicker than other liquids. This can be from sweating, but more importantly, from peeing.

After a night of drinking, you might experience some dehydration symptoms which include:

• confusion
• feeling tired
• feeling thirsty
• a dry mouth, lips and eyes
• feeling dizzy or lightheaded
• dark yellow and strong-smelling pee

Of course, dehydration doesn't only happen when you drink alcoholic beverages, but can occur in a variety of situations

So how can Pedialyte help hangovers? The ingredients are targeted for dehydration and can minimise these symptoms after alcohol. In the classic version of Pedialute, the ingredients include:

• water (always needed when you're drinking alcohol)
• electrolytes (sodium, chloride, and potassium)
• dextrose (a form of the sugar glucose which helps balance your sugar levels)
• zinc ( a mineral involved in many body functions such as proper functioning of enzymes and the immune system)

If you've ever done research in minimising hangover symptoms, it's likely you've also come across "Electrolytes." These are minerals that fight to maintain a proper balance of things in your body, like the body’s water balance, pH, and nerve function.

But did you know that according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), there’s no correlation between the severity of electrolyte imbalance and the severity of a hangover?

It's obvious that Pedialyte can reduce your dehydration (even when it's caused by alcohol). However, there are other reasons for hangover symptoms that Pedialyte won't address, such as alcohol flushing, an upset stomach, rapid heart rate, or poor sleep from alcohol.

Another even bigger cause of hangovers is toxic acetaldehyde. In short, alcohol enters the body when we're drinking. The alcohol is broken down into acetaldehyde which is quite harmful to the body and causes a whole assortment of negative symptoms. Eventually the body breaks down acetaldehyde fully (although this process is interrupted if you have Asian Flush).

If acetaldehyde build-up is bad, and you suffer from Asian Flush, you might even experience a 2-day hangover.

Having acetaldehyde accumulating in your body can cause some really awful hangover symptoms the next day. Pedialyte does nothing to reduce acetaldehyde.

So what can we do instead?

Are There Alternatives To Drinking Pedialyte For Hangovers?

As you now know, drinking Pedialyte for a hangover will help with minor dehydration in adults - but it will only do so much for an alcohol hangover. That's because it doesn't address the root cause of your hangover symptoms: toxic acetaldehyde build up.

Looking for a supplement is one option for finding a Pedialyte alternative for hangovers. Since this drink isn't created with hangovers in mind, it leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to hangover prevention or reduction.

A product that helps the body metabolise alcohol quickly can help greatly reduce hangover symptoms, so looking at product ingredients is the first step.

Supplements like the Asian glow pill work at fighting the internal process when drinking alcohol and breaking down alcohol quickly to avoid negative symptoms. Sunset ingredients like NAC, Quercetin, Bromelain and L-Theanine (among others) are really strong contenders for fighting hangover symptoms.

So - Is Pedialyte A Hangover Cure?

Definitely not! It's important to remember that very little research has gone into the correlation between Pedialyte and hangovers. No matter what stories you've heard from friends, Pedialyte is definitely not a hangover cure. While some people swear by Pedialyte for their hangovers, there is much better alternatives out there.

When Should I Drink Pedialyte For A Hangover?

While Pedialyte may not be a hangover cure, it can certainly help to some extent. This begs the question - when should I drink Pedialyte for a hangover? And the answer may surprise you. While you can drink it the morning after to try and restore hydration, you'll see better results by drinking it the night before - either before your alcoholic drink, during the night, or before bed. This will help prevent dehydration before it even has the chance to take hold of your body.

How Much Pedialyte To Drink For Hangover

Along with "when should I drink Pedialyte for a hangover?", another very common question we get is "how much Pedialyte to drink for hangover remedy?". The answer to this question depends on a few factors - how much alcohol you drank, how big you are, etc.

But with that said, you should aim to finish a 1-liter bottle over the course of a few hours. Take your time, as drinking it too fast will be overkill.

Final Verdict On Drinking Pedialyte For Hangovers

Well, there you have it - everything you need to know about drinking Pedialyte for hangover prevention or treatment. You know when to drink Pedialyte for hangover, how much pedialyte to drink for hangover, and the limitations this treatment approach has.

Remember - this is not a cure for your hangover. It will simply aid in rehydrating. It is best used before bed to restore hydration you've lost throughout the night and help you wake up slightly less hungover. With that said, there are better approaches to hangover prevention out there - such as supplements marketed for hangover prevention. Leave the Pedialyte for the kids!

While Pedialyte does help with dehydration, it doesn't actively fight hangovers. There are a lot other symptoms and causes like acetaldehyde that Pedialyte does not address, making it a poor choice for hangover prevention. Instead, supplements with proper ingredients to break down acetaldehyde can help reduce hangover symptoms much more effectively.