Innovations That Reduce Hangovers, Drunkenness, and Now, BAC

Getting drunk is less trendy. It’s not cool to be belligerent, and it’s kind of lame to not remember what happened last night. At least that’s how young adults feel; young adults aged 18-34 drink nearly as little as the elderly do. 

Now, the industry has responded to lower alcohol consumption. Want to not feel left out when everyone else is drinking? You can sip on alcohol-free beer or a low percentage wine. Want to drink alcohol and reduce your blood alcohol content by 50% in 30 minutes? Apparently, we can now also do that with an innovation called the “Safety Shot”.

According to the company that makes this product, the Safety Shot is “a nutraceutical functional beverage that accelerates the body’s reduction and breakdown of alcohol while aiding in recovery and rehydration”. We have a few solutions on the market for helping reduce drunkenness and hangovers – but nothing for breaking down alcohol that quickly in your body.

Does it work? I hope so, but I have my doubts.

Drunkenness & hangover reduction options

Before the Safety Shot was announced, we’ve already had a few innovations on the market that provide solutions to not wanting to drink, drinking less, or preventing drunkenness and hangovers.

• No-alcohol options – This includes everything from alcohol-removed wine, 0% beer, mocktails, nootropic beverages, and even just normal beverages like kombucha or sparkling water.
• Low alcohol options – This category typically include alcohol with low percentages ranging from 1-5%.
• Personal breathalyzers and apps – If you need help staying accountable something like a handheld breathalyzer or app can help you keep track of your consumption and your level or drunkenness.
• Hangover pills and supplements – There are plenty of options on the market now – some are pills you take before, during, and after drinking. Some are patches you wear, others are powders you mix into water.
• Home Remedies – Whatever you or your grandma swears by. Taking milk thistle extract. Eating plenty of eggs and fibrous vegetables earlier in the day. Etc….

And now..

• The Safety Shot – a nutraceutical functional beverage that accelerates the body’s break-down of alcohol while aiding in recovery and rehydration.

Situations where something like is hypothetically a great idea:

• The designated driver wants to have 1-2 glasses of wine at dinner and will drive a few hours later, but drinks a Safety Shot in addition to their preventative measures.
• You’re going wine tasting or brewery hopping, you pace yourself and drink plenty of water, but have a Safety Shot to also provide your body with vitamins and minerals and extra hydration.
• You have both a fun night planned, but also a big event the next day and want to ensure there is no hangover.
• You’re at an multi-day event that involves a lot of alcohol, like weddings or a bachelor/bachelorette party, and want to be apart of the fun, but not feel terrible for the next few days. 
• You enjoy sampling wine, beer, or spirits, but the feeling of being drunk and/or hungover makes you feel uncomfortable.

Notice how in all of these situations, responsible drinking is still encouraged? Drinking irresponsibly, despite whatever alcohol reduction drink or hangover cure you have, is honestly never a good idea. 

Concerns about alcohol reduction tech

The first concern that comes to mind is that depending on something like the Safety Shot will be an excuse to binge drink or engage in irresponsible drinking. If I have something that will reduce my blood alcohol content, why would I worry about monitoring how much I have to drink? That should never be the mentality – step one should be monitoring your alcohol intake and balancing with proper nutrition and water, while step two can be supplementing with something like the Safety Shot.

Second concern – what if it doesn’t actually work? The company is currently conducting clinical trials with 36 participants to test the product’s efficiency, so this is “to be determined” for now.

Maybe I’m overthinking here, but what if someone’s body metabolizes alcohol and the Safety Shot differently than the 36 participants in the trial? Or, what if the Safety Shot is inefficient when other substances are also present in the body? If the person has not eaten or drank enough water, will it still be effective?

It would be tragic for a drunk person to drink a Safety Shot, and in their impaired state of mind, not wait enough time, or realize that they actually are still drunk.

Innovation is cool, but so is being responsible

If you’re sick with a cold, taking over-the-counter cold medicine will help reduce symptoms and help you rest, but it won’t magically take away your cold. You should still be taking preventative measures to not get sick in the first place, and if you do, rest, drink plenty of water, and have proper nutrition. The same goes for being drunk and hungover – the idea should be to prevent this in the first place, and balance your drinking with health conscious steps for the safety of yourself and others. At the end of the day, despite how enjoyable your favorite alcoholic beverage is, it is a toxin – and it should be treated as so.

While I might sound like a pessimist, I truly do hope the Safety Shot, and other innovations that follow, work as they claim.