Cocktails tonight? Suntheanine may help you feel better tomorrow.

Do you know why some people feel badly even after only one drink? It’s because alcohol increases harmful free radical activity in the body. Once consumed, alcohol is converted to a toxic chemical called acetaldehyde, which is similar to formaldehyde and more damaging than alcohol. All of this causes three of the worst post-imbibing symptoms: dehydration, headache and queasy stomach. Suntheanine, a patented pure form of L-theanine, may help to offset the negative effects of alcohol. It works better after cocktails than a cold shower, or a greasy burger and fries.

People searching the Internet for help reducing the side effects of alcohol will find nearly a million results or more. These include everything from drinking pickle juice to using acetaminophen-based products that, when mixed with alcohol, can be harmful to your liver.

The good news is that there are nutrients that help to neutralize alcohol’s byproducts and protect cells against the damaging effects of alcohol. These include vitamin C, vitamin B1 and L-theanine. Research conducted in Japan has shown that L-theanine modulates alcohol’s chemistry. When it is given to mice before or after they drink alcohol, it significantly lowers blood levels of alcohol.

The study demonstrated that L-theanine helps the body process alcohol better by blocking alcohol’s toxic free radicals, suppressing them to below-normal levels for up to five hours. It also helps to accelerate the breakdown of acetaldehyde, and to counteract the alcohol-induced loss of glutathione, which is the all-purpose antioxidant produced by your liver, your body’s primary detox organ. “It was indicated that theanine was effective against alcoholic liver injury,” the researchers concluded.
To sidestep your next hangover, pace yourself. One way to slow down and help to prevent dehydration is to drink a glass of water after each alcoholic beverage. But especially if you’re someone whose body is particularly sensitive to alcohol’s effects, try taking Suntheanine either at the same time as your first drink, or right before bedtime.