Pedialyte is the hottest hangover cure, but does it really work?

This remedy for children's stomachs doubles as adult health care personnel.

Pedialyte, the flavored water designed to prevent dehydration in sick children, appears to be catering to adults as a back-fire aid with the recent launch of their new shower powder packages loaded with electrolytes – just in time for New Year's Eve.

Pedialyte Sparkling Rush comes in cherry or grape-flavored powder and dissolves in a bubbling sip when adding water. A six-pack is available for $ 10.99 at stores like Target and online. The creators call it a "medical grade hydration solution that fills the body with twice the electrolytes and half of the sugars of leading sports drinks," according to a press release. But while it may well keep you hydrated, Pedialyte admits on its website that it's not a hangover ̵[ads1]1; everyone – and doctors agree.

"Pedialyte contains added sodium, potassium and sugar, which can help replenish your body with lost electrolytes. When you become dehydrated, your body needs water, but it also needs sugar to help reabsorb water, "Dr. Robert Glatter, a doctor at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, told Moneyish. "These products [Pedialyte] will make you feel better, but they will not completely remove your backlash; it is a gradual process when you start to rehydrate. People lock it as a quick fix. … It is not a "cure" though. "

Those who adhere to too much often experience dehydration when the body loses more water than it takes, resulting in a nasty headache, fatigue, sensitivity to light or even with dizziness – telltale symptoms of hangover. That's because the body loses electrolytes – critical minerals like sodium and potassium that help maintain healthy fluid levels in our body – drinking too much. So Glatter suggests preventing these painful symptoms before they even start, if you can.

"The key is hydration while drinking with water, alternating alcoholic beverages with non-alcoholic drinks – preferably water – and eating all night. This lowers the absorption of alcohol," he said, adding that those who drink alcohol should try to remember to hydrate before bedtime.

Nevertheless, adults have been breeding about Pedialyte as a remedy for overhang and dehydration for many years. Musician Pharrell Williams told us weekly in 2014 that he drinks Pedialyte almost every day, although he did not specify why. And in 2015, the brand – produced by Columbus, Ohio-based medical firm Abbott Labs – promoted a powdered "just add water" version of its electrolyte drink at music festivals and sporting events around the country, tweeting that it was For when "too much sun or a few drinks makes you feel dehydrated." Positioning as an adult product seems to have paid off: Nielsen tracking showed that the Pedialyte retail trade increased by 22% between 2012 and 2015 to $ 102 million. The company reported to Instagram in 2017, flooding pages with hashtag #TeamPedialyte that marketed their products on social media.

Nevertheless, despite all the Pedialyte hype, if you wake up in 2019 with a hangover, the research suggests that there is no real cure. According to a Smithsonian survey, it is not "a super food / drink / ritual that can magically remove the aftermath of a night-sought binge-drinking."

But Glatter can afford to soften the bladder. He recommends avoiding greasy foods and sticking with simple pieces like bread, rice or banana to absorb the alcohol so your body doesn't have to work so hard to treat it. He also recommends popping coffee as caffeine worsens dehydration and headaches. "Focus on drinking water," he said.

At the end of the day, it's just a painful waiting game, Glatter explains.

"All hangers go away with time. If you don't do anything and just drink liquids, your hangover will go away within 10 to 12 hours," he said.

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