Condition
Alcohol Use Disorder
Alcohol use disorder is a medical condition where people can't stop or control drinking despite harm, while long-term alcohol use damages the liver and brain and depletes nutrients. B vitamins and NAC have the strongest evidence ratings among supplements, and a small trial found acetyl-L-carnitine improved alcohol dependence symptoms. That carnitine result came from one pilot study of 64 people, so the evidence is limited.
Sources: PMID 20595193
- Supplements studied
- 5
- Graded outcomes
- 8
- Trials
- 4
- People studied
- 211
Evidence by supplement
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood Alcohol Level Reduction In small human crossover trials, Hovenia dulcis extract combinations significantly reduced blood alcohol concentrations at early timepoints (0.25h and 0.5h) and blood acetaldehyde levels at 6h post-drinking. Animal studies in rats and mice show enhanced ADH and ALDH enzyme activity, though one study (Mahesh et al. 2021) found DHM did not impact ADH activity, suggesting the mechanism may be more complex. | Changes; see studies | Small effect | 4 studies | 51 people | ||
Studies that measured blood alcohol level reduction | ||||||
| Hangover Symptom Reduction In small randomized crossover trials (n=26 and n=25), Hovenia dulcis extract significantly reduced hangover symptom scores, gastrointestinal symptoms, and improved inflammatory markers (IL-6, IL-10) compared to placebo. However, one double-blind placebo-controlled trial (Verster et al. 2021) found DHM did not significantly reduce overall hangover severity, indicating mixed results. | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 3 studies | 76 people | ||
Studies that measured hangover symptom reduction
| ||||||
| Anti-Alcohol Intoxication Effects In a landmark rat study (Shen et al. 2012), DHM (1 mg/kg i.p.) counteracted acute alcohol intoxication, withdrawal signs, tolerance, increased anxiety, and seizure susceptibility. DHM antagonized alcohol-induced potentiation of GABA-A receptors and inhibited benzodiazepine-site binding. These intoxication-reducing effects have not yet been directly replicated in human trials. | Changes; see studies | Moderate effect | 2 studies | |||
Studies that measured anti-alcohol intoxication effects | ||||||
| Voluntary Alcohol Consumption In rodent models, DHM greatly reduced voluntary alcohol consumption in rats through GABA-A receptor modulation (Shen et al. 2012). This effect has not been studied in human trials and remains purely preclinical. | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 1 study | |||
Studies that measured voluntary alcohol consumption | ||||||
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol Dependence Symptoms Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 1 study | 64 people | ||
Studies that measured alcohol dependence symptoms | ||||||
| Subjective Well-Being | Improves (the measure goes up) | 2 studies | 64 people | |||
Yohimbine
- Alcohol Dependence Symptoms: worsens
- Cortisol: changes; see studies
- Anxiety Symptoms: worsens
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol Dependence Symptoms ADVERSE: Small worsening of symptoms | Worsens (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 35 people | |||
| Cortisol | Changes; see studies | 1 study | 35 people | |||
| Anxiety Symptoms | Worsens (the measure goes up) | 35 people | ||||
Curcumin
- Anti-Oxidant Enzyme Profile: improves
- Oxidative Stress Biomarkers: improves
- Liver Enzymes: changes; see studies
L-Cysteine
- Alcohol-Induced Oxidative Damage: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol-Induced Oxidative Damage In rodent models, L-cysteine (often combined with ascorbate and L-methionine) reduced alcohol-induced oxidative stress in the brain, stomach, testes, ovary, kidney, and lung of chronically alcohol-treated rats. | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 3 studies | |||
Studies that measured alcohol-induced oxidative damage
| ||||||
Key findings
- Blood Alcohol Level ReductionChanges; see studies
- Hangover Symptom ReductionImproves (the measure goes down)
- Alcohol Dependence SymptomsImproves (the measure goes down)
Safety notes in the studies
- ADVERSE: Small worsening of symptoms
The Alcohol Use Disorder Recovery Support protocol
2 primary supplements · 7 supporting supplements
- N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC)1,200–2,400 mg daily in divided doses
- B Vitamins (High-Dose Complex)B-complex with thiamine 100 mg, B6 50 mg, B12 1,000 mcg, folate 800 mcg daily
Studies cited
23 studies from PubMed
- Effects of Hovenia dulcis fruit and peduncle extract on alcohol metabolism
- Efficacy of Hovenia dulcis Fruit Extract in Hangover Mitigation: Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Evaluation
- Clinical Evaluation of Hovenia dulcis Extract Combinations for Effective Hangover Relief in Humans
- Does Dihydromyricetin Impact on Alcohol Metabolism
- A standardized extract of the fruit of Hovenia dulcis alleviated alcohol-induced hangover in healthy subjects with heterozygous ALDH2: A randomized, controlled, crossover trial
- Dihydromyricetin As a Novel Anti-Alcohol Intoxication Medication
- Protective effects of cysteine, methionine and vitamin C on the stomach in chronically alcohol treated rats.
- Does ascorbate/L-Cys/L-Met mixture protect different parts of the rat brain against chronic alcohol toxicity?
- Alcohol-induced oxidative stress and reduction in oxidation by ascorbate/L-cys/L-met in the testis, ovary, kidney, and lung of rat.
- Pharmacologically induced alcohol craving in treatment seeking alcoholics correlates with alcoholism severity, but is insensitive to acamprosate
- Efficacy of antioxidant intervention and exercise intervention for lipid peroxidation in dialysis patients: a meta-analysis.
- Six-month randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, pilot clinical trial of curcumin in patients with Alzheimer disease
- Improvement in oxidative stress and antioxidant parameters in beta-thalassemia/Hb E patients treated with curcuminoids
- Curcumin protects DNA damage in a chronically arsenic-exposed population of West Bengal
- A Novel Curcumin-Galactomannoside Complex Delivery System Improves Hepatic Function Markers in Chronic Alcoholics: A Double-Blinded, randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study
- Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of curcuminoid-piperine combination in subjects with metabolic syndrome: A randomized controlled trial and an updated meta-analysis
- Effects of curcumin/turmeric supplementation on liver function in adults: A GRADE-assessed systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
- The effects of curcumin-containing supplements on biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
- Turmeric Supplementation Improves Serum Glucose Indices and Leptin Levels in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Diseases
- Curcumin as adjuvant treatment in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD) disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis
- A double-blind, randomised, controlled clinical trial of acetyl-L-carnitine vs. amisulpride in the treatment of dysthymia
- Acetyl-L-carnitine for alcohol craving and relapse prevention in anhedonic alcoholics: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial
- Acetyl-l-Carnitine in the treatment of anhedonia, melancholic and negative symptoms in alcohol dependent subjects