New pill marketed as 'anti-hangover' remedy, taken before drinking

A study on the pill titled "Chronic Uptake of A Probiotic Nutritional Supplement (AB001) Inhibits Absorption of Ethylalcohol in the Intestine Tract - Results from a Randomized Double-blind Crossover Study" has been published in the journal Nutrition and Metabolic Insights.

Myrkl's "pre-drinking pill that works" is a probiotic supplement containing two bacteria; Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus coagulans. The bacteria naturally break down alcohol to produce carbon dioxide and water, and the pill delivers them in an acid-resistant capsule, so they make their way past the stomach and to the intestine to break down alcohol, as this is where the majority of alcohol makes its way into your bloodstream.

Myrkl claims the pill allows someone to break down 70% of consumed alcohol after one hour. However, reducing the amount of alcohol absorbed by the body comes with the trade-off of preventing the sought-after effects of alcohol, such as enjoyment and disinhibition. Dehydration is the main driving factor of a hangover, which is lessened by absorbing less alcohol. Nevertheless, direct effects of alcohol on the stomach, such as nausea, can still be an issue.

Only one study has been done so far involving the pill, with just over half of the study participants having their results reported, after ingesting the pills on a different pre-drinking schedule to what Myrkl recommends for consumers. The probiotic pills are safe, and the two bacteria included are gut-friendly, but the most cost-effective way of reducing a hangover still seems to be drinking less in the first place.

You can read more from the study here.