This Beverage Claims to Lower Blood Alcohol Levels in 30 Minutes—How Effective Is It Really?

We’ve all been there. You are out in town and one drink turns to 2. Two drinks flip into one other spherical with pals. Earlier than you understand it, you have had far more alcohol than you deliberate, and also you may be trying to sober up. Decreasing your blood alcohol ranges naturally takes time, however may there be an answer to make the method sooner?

Coming into the wellness area is Positive Shot—a purposeful beverage designed to decrease blood alcohol focus (or BAC) in as little as half-hour. We requested a physician and meals scientists how efficient a product like this may be. Right here’s what they needed to say.

What’s Positive Shot?

Positive Shot is a drink formulated to assist folks successfully handle alcohol consumption, Jarrett Boon, CEO of Positive Shot, tells Nicely+Good.

“Positive Shot offers a revolutionary answer for individuals who wish to get pleasure from social consuming whereas sustaining management over their alcohol consumption,” Boon says. “By aiding within the speedy discount of blood alcohol ranges, Positive Shot helps folks really feel higher sooner, permitting them to proceed their day or evening with out the lingering results of alcohol.”

The corporate does wish to make one factor clear: The beverage ought to completely not be used with a view to function a automobile whereas below the affect. “We envision Positive Shot to play a vital function within the bigger dialog of alcohol misuse and selling moderation, encouraging extra accountable consuming behaviors,” Boon says.

How precisely does it work?

Based on Positive Shot reps, the drink is available in a 4-ounce serving and is made with 28 elements—together with nutritional vitamins, minerals, and nootropics¹ (i.e., compounds that declare to reinforce mind operate). The corporate claims you may really feel the consequences of the drink (particularly, a “sharper thoughts and physique”) in simply half-hour.

“You’ll begin by noticing your consciousness, focus, focus, and psychological alertness improve,” David Sandler, COO and co-inventor of Positive Shot, tells Nicely+Good.

He continues: “Positive Shot creates a protecting barrier within the intestine that helps cut back the continued construct of alcohol within the blood. Moreover, Positive Shot helps quickly cut back alcohol by means of the metabolism and assists within the discount of acetaldehyde buildup (the toxins that trigger the nasty next-day feeling of a hangover). Lastly, Positive Shot replenishes the physique with key electrolytes and nutritional vitamins which are sometimes misplaced throughout alcohol consumption.”

A breakdown of the elements

We tapped meals scientists to clarify the operate of key elements in Positive Shot and the way they may contribute to its effectiveness.

“Alcohol has a number of detrimental results on the physique when consumed in extra, together with dehydration, psychological fatigue, and liver irritation,” says Makenzie Jackson, MS, a meals scientist. “This product is a cocktail of assorted dietary supplements that appear to handle widespread unintended effects of consuming alcohol. General, the formulation seems to be like it’s designed to focus on power ranges, assist metabolism, assist hydration, and reduce irritation.”

Right here’s a bit about every key ingredient and their operate:

• N-acetyl cysteine (NAC): NAC is a precursor to glutathione, a robust antioxidant that helps the liver detoxify dangerous substances, together with alcohol. Whereas it doesn’t straight cut back BAC, it might probably support within the metabolism of alcohol and defend liver cells from injury, per Mount Sinai.

• Milk thistle: This herb is thought for supporting liver well being and will assist defend liver cells from injury, particularly after alcohol consumption, per the Mayo Clinic.

• Dandelion extract: Dandelion has historically been used to assist liver and digestive well being, in accordance with Mount Sinai. It would support in detoxifying the physique and decreasing hangover signs.

• Caffeine and theobromine: These stimulants may help with alertness and will struggle the sedative results of alcohol, however they don’t cut back BAC. However they may give a short lived sense of being extra awake, Jackson says.

• Citicoline: Citicoline helps cognitive operate, so it could assist with psychological power, Jackson says. Nevertheless it doesn’t decrease BAC.

• Panax ginseng: Also called “Asian ginseng,” it is a root that is stated to have attainable energy-boosting properties and assist psychological efficiency, per Mount Sinai. However its impact on BAC is proscribed.

• Nutritional vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and B12: Supplementing with B nutritional vitamins may help with metabolism and power manufacturing to restore what’s misplaced attributable to alcohol consumption, although it doesn’t decrease BAC, Jackson says.

Meals scientists Ella Marshall and Natalie Alibrandi, each with Nali Consulting, say these elements can assist liver well being, cleansing, and cut back a number of the unfavorable results of alcohol like mind fog, cognitive impairment, and liver stress. “None of them straight cut back blood alcohol focus. Solely time permits BAC to lower as your physique metabolizes alcohol at a continuing price,” Marshall and Alibrandi say.

Has Positive Shot been examined?

Earlier than hitting the market, Positive Shot spent over a decade in analysis and growth.

“The workforce intently targeted on the exact method, together with discovering the right dose and mixture of elements, that may efficiently cut back blood alcohol content material and the toxins related to the metabolism of alcohol,” Sandler says.

In an effort to take a look at its effectiveness, the Positive Shot workforce led double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled medical trials on quite a lot of individuals throughout completely different age teams, genders, and weights. Outcomes confirmed alcohol was cleared at a 30 to 50 % sooner price in individuals ages 24 by means of 46 who drank Positive Shot in comparison with the placebo. Contributors additionally famous that they felt bodily higher sooner.

However with a view to confirm these outcomes, it is vital to have research printed in respected journals, too, says Joseph Volpicelli, MD, PhD, govt director of the Institute of Habit Medication. “The corporate refers to knowledge from a medical analysis group, however with out a peer-reviewed examine, it is tough to evaluate the accuracy of those claims,” he provides.

“It’s unclear if any of those elements considerably velocity up alcohol metabolism or assist an individual sober up extra shortly,” Dr. Volpicelli says. “Alcohol metabolism depends on enzymes reminiscent of aldehyde dehydrogenase, and it is not evident how or if this drink influences these enzymes. Sure medicines, like metadoxine, are identified to reinforce alcohol metabolism, partly attributable to its B6 part—one of many elements on this drink. Nonetheless, there is not any clear proof that Positive Shot has any significant impact on sobering up sooner.”

How will you decrease blood alcohol ranges naturally?

Dr. Volpicelli says one of the simplest ways to decrease your BAC is to scale back the quantity you drink. “Whereas consuming much less concentrated drinks like beer, moderately than distilled spirits, can sluggish alcohol absorption, the simplest and healthiest method is to drink reasonably and handle your alcohol consumption,” he provides.

Should you’ve had a tough time decreasing the quantity you drink, some docs could suggest sure prescription medicines to assist. Dr. Volpicelli recommends naltrexone to individuals who need assistance managing their consuming. “This drugs works by blocking the pleasurable results of alcohol, making it simpler to restrict consuming,” he says. “Just lately, there was rising curiosity in utilizing naltrexone for people who find themselves not hooked on alcohol, however who have interaction in occasional binge consuming.”

When taken an hour or two earlier than consuming, naltrexone could assist folks higher management the variety of drinks they’ve, finally decreasing BAC and selling more healthy consuming habits, Dr. Volpicelli says.

After all, treatment will not be proper for everybody. In case you are involved about your alcohol or substance misuse, attain out to your physician who can provide some steerage and assist assets.

The underside line

There isn’t any concrete proof that Positive Shot can decrease your your BAC ranges in half-hour; the one tried-and-true method to decrease BAC is with time. (Whereas within the meantime, doing different issues like consuming loads of water, consuming some meals, and sleeping it off.)

That stated, this product is probably going secure sufficient to strive when you’re trying to handle your hangover signs. Simply make sure to ask your physician about it first, particularly you probably have any underlying well being circumstances or take medicines that would negatively work together with the natural elements in Positive Shot.

And lastly, as the corporate states, Positive Shot shouldn’t be used to get behind the wheel after consuming. It is by no means secure to drink and drive.

Should you’re coping with alcohol or substance misuse dysfunction, assist is obtainable. Name the Substance Abuse and Psychological Well being Companies Administration’s (SAMHSA) Nationwide Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 or go to samhsa.gov for extra info and assets.