There are certain mushrooms and micronutrients you can take after drinking alcohol to reduce the adverse effects. Ideally, these nutritional tips should be implemented before (and even during) alcohol consumption for best results. This will help your body prepare for alcohol and the toxins that come with it. That said, we don't always remember or have time to be proactive. Fortunately, you can still lessen the negative results of alcohol after drinking or getting a hangover. Whether you have several drinks or just one, it’s important to get your body and mind back to an optimal state as quickly as possible. Max Lowenstein, Registered Dietitian with a Masters Degree in Clinical Nutrition, shares science-backed tips for dealing with alcohol-induced challenges and hangovers.
After Drinking Anxiety
Alcohol is a “depressant” that can result in serious psychological discomfort. Many drinkers report feeling anxious or depressed after drinking. This is due to an interference in our neural pathways, immunity and gut. Consumption of alcohol can also lead to chemical imbalances and medication interference. Here are great ways to reduce post-alcohol anxiety and depression:
Reduce Alcohol-Induced Anxiety & Depression
- Lion’s Mane is a functional mushroom and nootropic that supports cognition. This well-researched mushroom helps you produce NGF (nerve growth factor) to repair and build neural pathways. The bioactive properties of this mushroom have great therapeutic potential for depressive disorders [1].
- Reishi is commonly used for its calming effects and immune-boosting properties [2].
- Turkey Tail supports the gut microbiome and digestion. Gut and brain connection is one of the most up-and-coming topics in scientific research [3]. Many of the neurological transmitters we need are actually produced in the gut.
- When immunity dips, it can cause anxiety or stress. Boosting our immunity with mushrooms, such as Chaga [4] or Maitake [5], can reduce anxiety and depression.
- Micronutrients, like vitamin c, have been shown to rebalance neurochemistry.
After Drinking Stomach Pain
One of the most common side effects of drinking alcohol is diarrhea and stomach issues. Here are 4 ways that alcohol can cause diarrhea or discomfort in the gut:
- Kills cells in your esophagus, stomach and brain.
- Inflammation of the mucus lining in your intestinal tract.
- Consuming and producing toxic substances that your body wants to expel, which can induce diarrhea or throwing up.
- You might have a sensitivity or allergy related to the sulfites found in alcohol.
After Drinking Diarrhea Prevention
Fortunately, you can defend against post-drinking diarrhea and stomach issues with certain medicinal mushrooms and micronutrients.
- Medicinal mushrooms, such as Turkey Tail, contain prebiotics that can feed the gut microbiome, which protects the stomach's mucosal lining [6]. In addition, adaptogens help your body react to the stress associated with stomach problems.
- Vitamin C can denature sulfites in your stomach [7]. In preliminary studies, it has been shown to help with the breakdown of acetaldehyde. This is especially important if you have a negative reaction to chemicals found in alcohol.
Dehydration
Alcohol causes dehydration on a cellular level. This leads to brain fog, mood disorders, fatigue, headaches, and a plethora of other issues. Stay ahead of your hydration! Prepare your body to combat the toxins you’re ingesting (byproducts, sulfites etc) with water and micronutrients.
Increase in Free Radicals
Drinking increases free radical damage in the body, which can make you age faster, damage your epigenome and trigger an onslaught of health issues. It's essential to consume a wide variety of antioxidants before and after drinking alcohol to combat free radicals.
Hangover Mitigator
A preventative, holistic approach is the best strategy for combating the effects of drinking. RESCUE Tincture includes six functional mushrooms, micronutrients and superfoods for the ultimate alcohol and hangover cure:
- Turkey Tail for your gut
- Reishi for your mind
- Vitamin C to break down acetaldehyde
- Powerful antioxidants to combat free radical damage
- 6 medicinal mushrooms that have synergistic properties
- Optimal extraction process for fast-acting absorption when you need it most
After Drinking Solution
There are healthy compounds that you can incorporate to lessen the unwanted side effects of drinking alcohol. Tinctures allow you to absorb the desired bioactive properties from mushrooms and micronutrients FAST. It only takes a few seconds and your body will thank you.
References
1. Chong, Pit Shan et al. “Therapeutic Potential of Hericium erinaceus for Depressive Disorder.” International journal of molecular sciences vol. 21,1 163. 25 Dec. 2019, doi:10.3390/ijms21010163
2. Batra, Priya et al. “Probing Lingzhi or Reishi medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (higher Basidiomycetes): a bitter mushroom with amazing health benefits.” International journal of medicinal mushrooms vol. 15,2 (2013): 127-43. doi:10.1615/intjmedmushr.v15.i2.20
3. Kıvrak, Ibrahim et al. “Assessment of Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Turkey Tail Medicinal Mushroom Trametes versicolor (Agaricomycetes).” International journal of medicinal mushrooms vol. 22,6 (2020): 559-571. doi:10.1615/IntJMedMushrooms.2020035027
4. Basal, Wesam Taha et al. “Chaga Medicinal Mushroom Inonotus obliquus (Agaricomycetes) Terpenoids May Interfere with SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Recognition of the Host Cell: A Molecular Docking Study.” International journal of medicinal mushrooms vol. 23,3 (2021): 1-14. doi:10.1615/IntJMedMushrooms.2021037942
5. Vetvicka, Vaclav, and Jana Vetvickova. “Immune-enhancing effects of Maitake (Grifola frondosa) and Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) extracts.” Annals of translational medicine vol. 2,2 (2014): 14. doi:10.3978/j.issn.2305-5839.2014.01.05
6. Pallav, Kumar et al. “Effects of polysaccharopeptide from Trametes versicolor and amoxicillin on the gut microbiome of healthy volunteers: a randomized clinical trial.” Gut microbes vol. 5,4 (2014): 458-67. doi:10.4161/gmic.29558
7. Butt, Ghazala et al. “Vitamin C as an Anticancer Agent: Regulation of Signaling Pathways.” Current topics in medicinal chemistry vol. 20,21 (2020): 1868-1875. doi:10.2174/1568026620666200710102841