Do IV drips help with hangovers?

Hangover IV drips are quite common in Russia. They are offered both to alleviate the condition of ethanol intoxication and to help get out of a binge.Below we will analyze what is included in the composition of droppers and whether they are worth using.

What do hangover drips consist of?

Hangover IV drips may include the following substances.

Isotonic sodium chloride solution

This is a regular saline solution. A hangover is most often accompanied by dehydration, and the introduction of additional fluid helps to correct this condition. Although by itself it will not sober up or reduce intoxication .

Potassium, magnesium solution

These minerals are involved in maintaining water balance and pH of fluids, affect heart function and blood pressure. People who chronically consume alcohol often suffer from magnesium deficiency, and its administration is indicated for electrolyte imbalance, arrhythmia and a history of seizures from withdrawal syndrome. If none of the above is present, magnesium intake is not recommended, since there is no evidence that it helps treat withdrawal syndrome or can be a good preventative for this condition

Sodium thiosulfate

A remedy used for cyanide poisoning and to reduce the side effects of anti-cancer drugs. It has many contraindications: from asthma and excess potassium and sodium to cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, kidney and liver problems.

B vitamins

Excessive alcohol consumption often causes a deficiency of thiamine, or vitamin B1, which is necessary for normal cell function and carbohydrate metabolism . This, in turn, increases the risk of Wernicke’s encephalopathy, a brain disorder characterized by problems with vision and balance.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C deficiency is common in people with alcohol withdrawal, which can cause fatigue. It is added to IVs as an antioxidant to protect the body from oxidative stress and inflammation . However, it is not known whether it can help with this.

Glucose

Drinking alcohol can lower your blood sugar levels, which can lead to fatigue, weakness, tremors, mood swings, and even seizures. Glucose may be added to your IV to support your body

Diuretics

These drugs stimulate the removal of fluid from the body. Narcologist Igor Lazarev says that they are added to IV drips to reduce blood pressure, which is often elevated during a hangover. Diuretics can also be used for forced diuresis during intoxication to quickly remove ethanol and its decay products from the body.

However, neither foreign nor Russian recommendations mention diuretics for the treatment of withdrawal syndrome. Moreover, these drugs can reduce sodium and potassium levels, cause headaches, dehydration, muscle spasms and dizziness.

Hepatoprotectors

The IV drip may contain metadoxine, an antioxidant that participates in the production of the amino acid glutathione and suppresses fatty liver disease. There is evidence that it can have a positive effect on the condition of the organ in acute and chronic alcohol consumption.

Also, drugs with ademithioneine can be added to the infusion solution to protect liver cells from oxidative stress. There is some evidence that this substance helps improve the condition in alcoholism and liver cirrhosis.

At the same time, such drugs are contraindicated in anxiety and bipolar disorders, are not compatible with some antidepressants and can cause a number of side effects.

Painkillers

To relieve headaches, metamizole, known under the trade name analgin , is often added to IV drips . Despite the popularity of this drug in Russia, it is banned in some countries due to the risk of agranulocytosis, a life-threatening condition in which the number of white blood cells (granulocytes) in the blood drops sharply.

Tranquilizers and antidepressants

These can be diazepam or phenazepam. Such drugs are designed to improve a person’s mental state: to muffle anxiety, to improve sleep. They are subject to strict control, and can only be prescribed by a narcologist.

Nootropics

Such as glycine and piracetam. They are added to IVs to support brain function. There is some evidence that piracetam can protect brain cells from alcohol-induced damage, but the experiments were conducted on rats and in a test tube, so there is no evidence to suggest that it is beneficial for humans.

As for glycine, there are a few studies showing liver benefits, but most of these were also done on rats or test-tube cells. There is also scant evidence for its ability to improve memory.

But none of glycine’s benefits are backed by good scientific evidence, and in high doses, the amino acid can be toxic . That’s why glycine is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or listed in official recommendations abroad.

What types of hangover drips are there?

There are no strict rules indicating what exactly needs to be added to the IV. Its composition is selected individually.

Igor Lazarev explains that people call both the feeling of being unwell after drinking ethanol — intoxication — and withdrawal syndrome a hangover. The latter is a complex psychopathological condition in which a person experiences anxiety and a strong craving for alcohol.

Withdrawal syndrome occurs approximately 6–12 hours after stopping drinking alcohol , and includes tremors, profuse sweating, increased blood pressure and heart rate, and nausea and vomiting may occur.

After 12–24 hours, auditory, visual, or tactile hallucinations may appear, after one or two days – convulsions, and then alcoholic delirium, or delirium tremens. The latter is a psychosis with clouded consciousness, hallucinations , and convulsions.

Of course, withdrawal syndrome does not always end in delirium. How severe the condition will be depends on many factors, including the characteristics of the body and the duration of the binge. At the same time, it is difficult to predict the outcome, since the reaction can begin with mild symptoms, and after a few days turn into full-blown delirium.

In addition to psychotropic drugs for withdrawal syndrome, a narcologist can also select medications for somatic manifestations. For example, if a person has increased blood pressure or arrhythmia, include cardiovascular medications in the IV.

Are IV drips effective against hangovers?

Since hangover IVs, especially at home, are not used abroad, there are no high-quality international scientific studies on this topic.

For example, official American recommendations for withdrawal syndrome include taking benzodiazepines – psychoactive drugs to reduce anxiety and restore sleep. Beta blockers are used to reduce tachycardia and hypertension. In case of poor diet and problems with absorption of nutrients, patients may be prescribed thiamine, and in case of magnesium deficiency , arrhythmia or electrolyte imbalance – magnesium.

There are significantly more possible drugs in Russian clinical guidelines . In addition to the above, nootropics, antioxidants, and hepatoprotectors are also recommended.

There is no single template for infusion therapy solution. So, a familiar nurse can “drip” a patient with saline solution with glucose and ascorbic acid, and a narcologist can make a cocktail of diazepam and droperidol. The difference in effect will be huge.

Therefore, it is impossible to declare hangover drips as an effective therapy for any problem. Everything depends on the person’s condition and the composition of the infusion solution.

Is it worth taking IV drips for a hangover?

If the hangover is mild and there is no craving for alcohol, you can do without an IV. Moreover, no infusion therapy will help you feel as if you had not drunk at all, and certainly not get behind the wheel that same day .

If the condition is severe and you cannot control yourself , a drip with saline and vitamins will not help you. Contact a psychiatrist-narcologist so that the doctor can select a therapy and determine whether you need intravenous infusion of drugs at all.

Igor Lazarev claims that even with severe withdrawal syndrome, infusion therapy is not always necessary. Sometimes a properly selected sedative and tranquilizer is enough.

If you still want to get a drip, contact a doctor who can assess your condition, and not a nurse you know who gives standard IVs to everyone.

Russian clinical guidelines indicate that the introduction of large volumes of fluid during detoxification can lead to complications: a sharp change in blood flow in different parts of the brain and an increase in the risk of developing seizures.

In addition, when performing infusion therapy, it is prescribed to take into account the volume of internal fluid loss , conduct an ECG in advance to make sure that everything is okay with the heart, and also monitor blood pressure, heart rate and acid-base balance during therapy. If the health worker performing the IV does not follow these instructions, detox may end badly.

When to call an ambulance

There are conditions in which a drip at home will no longer help, and you need to call the doctors:

• fever;
• convulsions;
• severe confusion;
• hallucinations;
• irregular heart rhythm;
• gastrointestinal bleeding.

These conditions can be life-threatening, so do not try to stay at home or “get a drip” – call 103 or 112.