Lifeline-hangover defence

nettranny · 06-03-2007 12:25AM #1

YO! What's the story with this drug? It supposedly prevents hangovers by preventing absorption of the alcohol (i may have that slightly wrong). Does it actually prevent you from getting drunker? Cause obviously that's pretty pointless, unless you want people to think that you're not a lightweight and im sure that there are people like that. Also, does it worsen the long-term damaging effects of heavy drinking or are the effects neutralized?

PoleStar · 06-03-2007 03:05PM

I have read the product info and sorry to say, there is nothing in it that really will work.

They have some "evidence" on there website that it works, however it is from a small study of 36 individuals, self reporting there hangover symptoms. I would say if they did a randomised controlled trail no difference would be seen.

As for the exact details of the products?

Activated carbon: they suggest that this will absorb the alcohol and thus reduce alcohol similar to the way activated charcoal is used for some people with drug overdoses. However the amount in 2 tiny capsules would be so tiny that the effect would be negligible.

Vitamins B and C: unless you are malnourished these are not gonna have any effect acutely.

Calcium carbonate: hay have indeed a specific effect to reduce indigestion from alcohol induced gastritis.

Conclusion? product doesnt really contain much that I can see would prevent a hangover any better than a few glasses of water before you go to sleep or interspersed with your drinks.

The only sure fire way to prevent a hangover? Sorry to say it but drink in moderation!

turbot · 06-03-2007 03:16PM

PoleStar,

Are you a chemist or nutritionist?

IMO, lifeline is better than nothing, because the calcium carbonate and especially the charcoal is very alkaline, meaning they will neutralise some of the excesss acid in alcohol in your gut, which is likely to moderate your hangover, in a way that is worthwhile.

BTW, it's cheaper to buy the ingredients in somewhere like Holland & Barrett.

PoleStar · 06-03-2007 04:35PM

I am in the medical field to answer your question.

And if you read my post you ould see that yes I agree that the ingredients will lessen the indigestion.

However the manufacturer suggests that the carbon in th preparation will act in the way that activated charcoal does when used for people who have taken for example paracetomol overdoses. his is untrue as the amount in the tablets would be insignificant for this effect.

And when you say lifeline would be better than nothing: I am not suggesting nothing, I am suggesting water which will be jsut as good.

nettranny · 06-03-2007 10:36PM

right, thanks. I was actually just wondering. I wasn't thinking of using it. I usually don't drink much anyway............except when i binge drink (which is never)

DrIndy · 07-03-2007 08:17PM

Its all a load of crap.

the cure to a hangover is to drink less!

mogul · 22-02-2010 11:00PM

I felt compelled to join this site as I was going to try the Lifeline hangover cure, searched google, and found this site. So I didn't based on this advice......

....then i got another really bad hangover (i'm one of those who gets really bad hangovers from two glasses of wine!). So I thought why not try it, and it actually helped me ALOT. I never drink to excess, but I do enjoy a glass or two of wine. ANway, it felt like 90/95% of the hangover never appeared. I have tried it since and think it is fantastic.

I recommend it for any one who suffers like I do, but not for those who drink waaayy too much

locum-motion · 23-02-2010 12:11AM

mogul wrote: »

I felt compelled to join this site as I was going to try the Lifeline hangover cure, searched google, and found this site. So I didn't based on this advice......

....then i got another really bad hangover (i'm one of those who gets really bad hangovers from two glasses of wine!). So I thought why not try it, and it actually helped me ALOT. I never drink to excess, but I do enjoy a glass or two of wine. ANway, it felt like 90/95% of the hangover never appeared. I have tried it since and think it is fantastic.

I recommend it for any one who suffers like I do, but not for those who drink waaayy too much

And as we always say here, personal experience and anecdote are the best type of scientific evidence! Waaaaaay better than those pesky randomised controlled trials!

Oh wait! Have I got that backwards?

Mogul, welcome to the site. But please read the charter before you post again. Thank you.

mogul · 23-02-2010 10:34AM

Apologies for my complete lack of science, especially with my medical degree (shame on me!). I'll try a little better!

The main reason I wanted to try it was because I read about the filtering properties of activated charcoal (I have since done some research) - Pharmaceutical grade activated charcoal effectively absorbs (adsorbs?) the toxins, which are produced in the fermentation process of beers, wines etc. Thats why people don't tend to get hangovers from vodka - all toxins/impurities have already been flushed out during filtering. The charcoal doesn't absorb the alcohol itself, but its not actually the alcohol iteself that causes the hangover.

The other main ingredient, Aquamin is pretty cool. If you google search it, it has millions of uses, one being a very strong antacid (stronger than rennie etc.). I always get terrible nausea after a drink or two, so i'm sure this is what helps me out here.

The thing i found it doesn't help is dehydration, which is said to be caused by the diuretic effect of the alcohol on you. I woke up with a slightly fuzzy mouth, but a glass of water and a cup of tea, and problem solved!

I would love to see some randomised trials of this product - I suppose this random persons word is not really is good as the science is it!!

P.s whilst snooping around, I found some great papers written about hangovers - there is one suggesting that hangovers account for $85bn in lost wages worldwide per year. That is just insane!

imported_guy · 24-02-2010 08:56PM

DrIndy wrote: »

Its all a load of crap.

the cure to a hangover is to stay drunk

fixed

Ann22 · 10-03-2010 07:44PM

I'm one of those people who suffer horrendous hangovers, even at times when I haven't had that much to drink. I've used Lifelines for quite a while now. I never go out without 4 capsules in my bag. You take two an hour after the first drink and if you happen to be still drinking 7 drinks later, take another two (I rarely need another two:o).

It also helps to drink lots of water...oh and another thing I noticed-I don't mean to be gross but for them to work properly you need to do a number two the next morning. I've felt unwell the next morning a few times but felt much better after passing something really toxic:o.

Anthropology · 26-03-2010 09:04AM

Hey guys; I do have a science background and I am quite well versed in biochemistry.

I have been doing quite a lot of research into drinking and hangovers so i thought i would share!
Lifeline as a product does have some bad research behind it...sure it will neutralize the ethanol in your stomach/intestines, but it will also neutralize the vitamins and minerals too.

People usually drink to get a sense of release (provided by ethanol in their blood) and Activated Carbon would make you drink more to get the same effect.
The ideal product would be one that gave you optimum liver/body support whilst nullifying any headache...I have heard rumors of such a product in Japan.

Obviously you need to hydrate (water) but there are better ingredients that will ease the path to feeling 100% again.
A few people i know are doing some research on it; take a poll to help out the project. http://bit.ly/dD1x2n

Thanks!:)

JuliusCaesar · 26-03-2010 11:06PM

Ann22 wrote: »

after the first drink and if you happen to be still drinking 7 drinks later

:eek:

After 7 drinks I'd probably be dead....unless they're non-alcoholic.

drzhivago · 09-04-2010 11:03AM

DrIndy wrote: »

Its all a load of crap.

the cure to a hangover is to drink less!

Ironically Indy the cure is to drink more

Not get drunk but the hangover is caused by metabolites of the metabolites when there is no ethanol to process

So there is some truth to the hair of the dog although public health people will not like to hear that

RobFowl · 09-04-2010 03:17PM

drzhivago wrote: »

Ironically Indy the cure is to drink more

Not get drunk but the hangover is caused by metabolites of the metabolites when there is no ethanol to process

So there is some truth to the hair of the dog although public health people will not like to hear that. Hic..

FYP

Graces7 · 09-04-2010 09:20PM

Remembering the first days of January in the far north of Scotland, when several of the men stayed one drink ahead of a hangover for days... They had it down to a fine art.

Lifeline-hangover defence

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