We tried the pre-party products that claim to prevent a hangover before you start drinking

Looking for ways to feel better? Read our list of the 10 most hydrating foods and find out more about the latest functional ingredients in your drink. There are also a host of natural energy boosters for you to try.

I absolutely cannot hack a hangover. In my early twenties, I could stay out until closing time, inhale a kebab and still be at my desk by 9am. Now? If I haven’t adequately prepared myself, I’m out of action for two full days afterwards.

And while I doff my hat to the many now embracing sobriety, it isn’t something that quite aligns with my life. After all, an espresso martini with the girls or a great glass of wine with my husband is one of my favourite pastimes. It also doesn’t help that said husband is a restaurant and pub operator, meaning we’re enthusiastic supporters of the hospitality industry, and genuinely believe that popping in for a drink counts as doing our civic duty.

This means I’ve entered my strategic drinking era: a bit of prep in the hope of waking up without a splitting headache. But does any of it actually work? Can what you eat, or take, beforehand really make a difference?

The hangover preventions everyone’s talking about

1. Korean pear juice

This naturally sweet drink has had a full marketing makeover, now packaged and promoted as a sleek, pre-drinking hangover solution. Korean pear juice, made from nashi pears, claims to support alcohol metabolism, based on a small Korean study which found that participants who consumed pear juice before drinking around 540ml of spirits reported reduced hangover severity, alongside improvements in concentration, memory impairment and sensitivity to light and sound, compared with a placebo.

Another Australian study suggested that compounds in Korean pears may influence the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase, the two key enzymes involved in alcohol metabolism – helping the body process alcohol more efficiently. This has fuelled a wave of products like PrePear, Nashi Recovery Pear Juice and Seoul Tonic all claiming that drinking pear juice before alcohol may lead to a fresher morning after.

But moderation still matters. “It’s one of the few hangover-related claims with some physiological backing, but it’s not a miracle fix,” explains registered nutritionist Zara Hiridjee. “Timing also seems to matter. It appears more effective when consumed before drinking rather than after.”

Different brands vary a little in texture and taste, but they come in handy and portable single-serve packaging and are long-life. As they’re recommended to be drunk 20 mins in advance, I slipped a pack in my handbag to drink on my way to a friend’s celebration. From £2.60 per drink, they’re comparable to other ‘functional’ drinks on the market – and certainly cheaper than a lost day’s freelance work. What’s more, whether it was the magic pear juice or mixing a couple of alcohol-free drinks into my evening, I felt absolutely fine the next morning!

2. Milk thistle

Milk thistle is often marketed as a 'liver detox' supplement, but the science is a little more nuanced. While some studies indicate that its active compound, silymarin, has antioxidant effects on liver cells, the British Liver Trust says there isn’t enough evidence to confidently claim it works. And it’s certainly not a case of popping a capsule before a prosecco-fuelled Christmas party and expecting your liver to feel grateful the next morning. Nevertheless, I have added milk thistle to my daily supplement intake for what’s a very sociable December this year.

Crucially, there’s no evidence that milk thistle can prevent or reduce hangovers. Hiridjee agrees: “Using milk thistle specifically as a hangover prevention is very limited,” she says. “There’s no convincing research showing it reduces hangover symptoms or protects the liver from the effects of a single night of drinking.”

3. Hangover food supplements

So-called hangover pills – food supplements promising to reduce next-day misery by supporting alcohol metabolism or limiting alcohol’s impact on the body – seem to be everywhere right now. Products like LVDY, Rebound Recovery and Drink Defendly typically use blends of probiotics, amino acids, antioxidants and vitamins, designed to be taken before or during drinking rather than the morning after.

But do they actually work? While these products boast glowing reviews and reference science-backed research, experts urge caution. Much of the evidence comes from small, often brand-funded studies, and independent data remains limited. At best, they may offer marginal support around hydration or inflammation, but they’re no substitute for eating properly, staying hydrated or drinking within your limits. In short: try them if you’re curious, but don’t mistake them for a miracle cure.

Always willing to trial something that might help, I took the recommended dose of two LVDY capsules before a Christmas party. Let’s just say I put them through their paces, with a very late night and some enthusiastic celebrating. I certainly didn’t feel in peak condition the following day, but could have felt a lot worse.

4. Electrolytes

Electrolytes are one of the few genuinely useful hangover-adjacent tools. Alcohol is a diuretic, so replacing sodium, potassium and magnesium helps counter dehydration-related symptoms like headaches and dizziness. That said, products claiming to 'break down' alcohol itself remain controversial. While some small, manufacturer-funded studies suggest potential benefits, independent experts remain sceptical.

“Electrolyte drinks work by alleviating dehydration-related symptoms like thirst, dizziness and light-headedness by restoring fluid and sodium-potassium balance,” explains registered nutritionist Jemma Joel. “However, they’re largely symptomatic; they don’t counteract alcohol metabolites or inflammation, which drive many hangover symptoms. Expect mild relief rather than a full hangover cure.”

“They’re most helpful when consumed alongside water during or shortly after drinking,” adds Hiridjee, “rather than the next morning, when the damage is already done.”

I find it much easier to drink electrolytes – often a salty flavoured glassful that separates to make it even more off-putting – before rather than after drinking, and hope that pre-hydrating has some effect. One of the less salty ones I’ve tried, with the added benefit of liver-supporting ingredients, is this lemon and ginger-flavoured number.

5. Magnesium supplements

Magnesium has become a quiet favourite in hangover circles, and there’s some biological logic behind it. Alcohol increases urinary excretion of magnesium, meaning levels can drop after drinking. Magnesium plays a role in nerve function, muscle relaxation and energy metabolism, and deficiency has been linked to headaches, fatigue and muscle tension – all classic hangover symptoms. Research shows that alcohol-related magnesium loss is well documented, particularly after heavier drinking. While there’s no direct evidence that taking magnesium prevents hangovers, supplementation may help ease symptoms, especially in people who are already low in magnesium. It’s best viewed as supportive rather than corrective though.

How does lining your stomach work?

'Lining your stomach' is one of those pieces of drinking advice that sounds like folklore, but there’s some solid bones behind it. Alcohol is absorbed in the stomach and, more efficiently, in the small intestine. When your stomach is empty, alcohol passes through quicker, creating a faster, sharper rise in blood alcohol concentration, the kind that hits hard and often results in feeling much worse the next morning. Eating beforehand slows gastric emptying, meaning alcohol lingers in the stomach longer and enters the bloodstream more gradually.

“Meals that contain protein, fat and fibre – like roasted salmon with avocado, roasted veg and brown rice – are especially effective,” says Hiridjee. “Eating before drinking also reduces build-up of acetaldehyde [a toxic compound created when ethanol is converted by alcohol dehydrogenase in the liver] and can lessen nausea and dizziness later on.”

Should you be pre-hydrating?

Hydration won’t stop you getting drunk – nothing overrides basic human physiology. But being well hydrated before you drink can reduce the intensity of several classic hangover symptoms.

Alcohol is a diuretic, increasing urine output and pulling water (along with electrolytes like sodium and potassium) from your system. If you start the night already on the dehydrated side, after a busy work day, exercise or simply not drinking enough, alcohol accelerates that deficit, making headaches, dizziness, fatigue and nausea significantly worse.

Studies consistently link dehydration to increased hangover severity, and while pre-hydrating won’t prevent acetaldehyde build-up, it improves your baseline. This means your circulation, digestion and temperature regulation start from a healthier place before alcohol begins disrupting them.

“Urine colour is a good way to personally test this as it will vary between people. If urine is looking anything less than clear, have a glass of water,” advises Joel. “Always have water before you start drinking alcohol (at least 200-250ml) and have another full glass shortly before bed. This can help prevent dehydration and some hangover symptoms – even if it does mean needing to go to the loo in the night!”

A nutritionist’s top tips if you are going to drink alcohol:

• Stop drinking alcohol 2-3 hours before going to sleep as this will help with REM sleep
• Alternate alcoholic and soft drinks
• Dilute alcoholic drinks with ice cubes or soda water
• Have a single shot instead of a double shot
• Sleep for longer the next day/nap in the afternoon. Sleeping hours and quality of sleep can make a hangover better

Of course, the most reliable way to avoid a hangover is not to drink at all. And for many people, that is the right choice. But for those of us who still want to enjoy a glass of wine, a cocktail with friends, or the occasional “just one” that turns into two, a little intention goes a long way. No supplement will outsmart biology, and no juice or pill can cancel out alcohol entirely. But eating a proper meal beforehand, starting the night well hydrated, pacing your drinks and choosing them thoughtfully can soften the blow. It’s not about hacking your body or chasing miracle cures, it’s about stacking the odds in your favour.

Think of it less as hangover prevention and more as harm reduction for grown-ups. Drink mindfully, prepare sensibly, and you’re far more likely to wake up feeling human the next day than to wake up swearing off alcohol forever (again).

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