Sure Shot Claims to Lower Blood Alcohol Levels, but Is It Legit?

We’ve all been there. You are out in town and one drink turns to 2. Two drinks flip into one other spherical with pals. Earlier than you realize it, you have had far more alcohol than you deliberate, and also you is perhaps seeking to sober up. Reducing your blood alcohol ranges naturally takes time, however may there be an answer to make the method sooner?

Getting into the wellness house is Sure Shot—a useful beverage designed to decrease blood alcohol focus (or BAC) in as little as half-hour. That is a fairly large declare. And since Positive Shot is taken into account a complement, it does not need to show these claims to be true earlier than it is bought, nor does the FDA approve them.

So we determined to do our personal analysis: We requested a health care provider and three meals scientists to weigh in on whether or not the drink can truly do what it claims primarily based on its components. Right here’s what they needed to say.

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What’s Positive Shot?

Positive Shot is a drink formulated to assist individuals successfully handle alcohol consumption, Jarrett Boon, CEO of Positive Shot, tells Properly+Good.

“Positive Shot supplies a revolutionary answer for individuals who wish to take pleasure in social drinking whereas sustaining management over their alcohol consumption,” Boon says. “By aiding within the fast discount of blood alcohol ranges, Positive Shot helps individuals really feel higher sooner, permitting them to proceed their day or night time with out the lingering results of alcohol.”

The corporate does wish to make one factor clear: The beverage ought to completely not be used so as to function a automobile whereas underneath the affect. “We envision Positive Shot to play a vital function within the bigger dialog of alcohol misuse and selling moderation, encouraging extra accountable consuming behaviors,” Boon says.

How precisely does it work?

In keeping with Positive Shot reps, the drink is available in a 4-ounce serving and is made with 28 components—together with nutritional vitamins, minerals, and nootropics¹ (i.e., compounds that declare to boost mind operate). The corporate claims you may really feel the results of the drink (specifically, a “sharper thoughts and physique”) in simply half-hour.

“You’ll begin by noticing your consciousness, focus, focus, and psychological alertness improve,” David Sandler, COO and co-inventor of Positive Shot, tells Properly+Good.

He continues: “Positive Shot creates a protecting barrier within the intestine that helps cut back the continued construct of alcohol within the blood. Moreover, Positive Shot helps quickly cut back alcohol via the metabolism and assists within the discount of acetaldehyde buildup (the toxins that trigger the nasty next-day feeling of a hangover). Lastly, Positive Shot replenishes the physique with key electrolytes and nutritional vitamins which are usually misplaced throughout alcohol consumption.”

A breakdown of the components

We tapped meals scientists to clarify the operate of key components in Positive Shot and the way they could contribute to its effectiveness (or not).

“Alcohol has a number of detrimental results on the physique when consumed in extra, together with dehydration, psychological fatigue, and liver irritation,” says Makenzie Jackson, MS, a meals scientist. “This product is a cocktail of varied dietary supplements that appear to deal with frequent negative effects of consuming alcohol. Total, the formulation appears to be like like it’s designed to focus on vitality ranges, help metabolism, help hydration, and reduce irritation.”

Right here’s a bit about every key ingredient and their operate:

• N-acetyl cysteine (NAC): NAC is a precursor to glutathione, a strong antioxidant that helps the liver detoxify dangerous substances, together with alcohol. Whereas it doesn’t straight cut back BAC, it could help within the metabolism of alcohol and shield liver cells from harm, per Mount Sinai.

• Milk thistle: This herb is thought for supporting liver well being and will assist shield liver cells from harm, particularly after alcohol consumption, per the Mayo Clinic.

• Dandelion extract: Dandelion has historically been used to help liver and digestive well being, in response to Mount Sinai. It’d help in detoxifying the physique and reducing hangover symptoms.

• Caffeine and theobromine: These stimulants can assist with alertness and will battle the sedative results of alcohol, however they don’t cut back BAC. However they can provide a short lived sense of being extra awake, Jackson says.

• Citicoline: Citicoline helps cognitive operate, so it might assist with psychological vitality, Jackson says. Nevertheless it doesn’t decrease BAC.

• Panax ginseng: Often known as “Asian ginseng,” it is a root that is stated to have potential energy-boosting properties and assist psychological efficiency, per Mount Sinai. However its impact on BAC is restricted.

• Nutritional vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and B12: Supplementing with B nutritional vitamins can assist with metabolism and vitality manufacturing to restore what’s misplaced attributable to alcohol consumption, although it doesn’t decrease BAC, Jackson says.

Meals scientists Ella Marshall and Natalie Alibrandi, each with Nali Consulting, say these components can help liver well being, cleansing, and cut back a number of the unfavorable results of alcohol like mind fog, cognitive impairment, and liver stress. “None of them straight cut back blood alcohol focus. Solely time permits BAC to lower as your physique metabolizes alcohol at a relentless fee,” Marshall and Alibrandi say.

“It’s unclear if any of those components considerably pace up alcohol metabolism or assist an individual sober up extra rapidly.” —Joseph Volpicelli, MD, PhD, neuropsychopharmacologist

Has Positive Shot been examined?

Earlier than hitting the market, Positive Shot spent over a decade in analysis and growth.

“The staff intently targeted on the exact formulation, together with discovering the proper dose and mixture of components, that will efficiently cut back blood alcohol content material and the toxins related to the metabolism of alcohol,” Sandler says.

With a purpose to check its effectiveness, the Positive Shot staff led double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials on a wide range of individuals throughout totally different age teams, genders, and weights. Outcomes confirmed alcohol was cleared at a 30 to 50 % sooner fee in individuals ages 24 via 46 who drank Positive Shot in comparison with the placebo. Contributors additionally famous that they felt bodily higher sooner.

However so as to confirm these outcomes, it is vital to have research printed in respected journals, too, says Joseph Volpicelli, MD, PhD, neuropsychopharmacologist and govt director of the Institute of Dependancy Medication. “The corporate refers to information from a medical analysis group, however and not using a peer-reviewed examine, it is troublesome to evaluate the accuracy of those claims,” he provides.

“It’s unclear if any of those components considerably pace up alcohol metabolism or assist an individual sober up extra rapidly,” Dr. Volpicelli says. “Alcohol metabolism depends on enzymes resembling aldehyde dehydrogenase, and it isn’t evident how or if this drink influences these enzymes. Sure drugs, like metadoxine, are identified to boost alcohol metabolism, partly attributable to its B6 part—one of many components on this drink. Nonetheless, there is not any clear proof that Positive Shot has any significant impact on sobering up sooner.”

How will you decrease blood alcohol ranges naturally?

Dr. Volpicelli says the easiest way to decrease your BAC is to cut back the quantity you drink. “Whereas consuming much less concentrated drinks like beer, fairly than distilled spirits, can sluggish alcohol absorption, the simplest and healthiest strategy is to drink reasonably and handle your alcohol consumption,” he provides.

In the event you’ve had a tough time reducing the quantity you drink, some docs might suggest sure prescription drugs to assist. Dr. Volpicelli recommends naltrexone to individuals who need assistance managing their consuming. “This drugs works by blocking the pleasurable results of alcohol, making it simpler to restrict consuming,” he says. “Just lately, there was rising curiosity in utilizing naltrexone for people who find themselves not hooked on alcohol, however who interact in occasional binge consuming.”

When taken an hour or two earlier than consuming, naltrexone might assist individuals higher management the variety of drinks they’ve, finally reducing BAC and selling more healthy consuming habits, Dr. Volpicelli says.

After all, remedy isn’t proper for everybody. In case you are involved about your alcohol or substance misuse, attain out to your physician who can supply some steerage and help sources.

The underside line

There is not any concrete proof that Positive Shot can decrease your BAC ranges in half-hour; the one tried-and-true solution to decrease BAC is with time. (Whereas within the meantime, doing different issues like consuming loads of water, consuming some meals, and sleeping it off might assist cut back hangover signs.)

That stated, this product is probably going protected sufficient to strive when you’re seeking to handle your hangover signs. Simply remember to ask your physician about it first, particularly you probably have any underlying well being circumstances or take drugs that would negatively work together with the natural components in Positive Shot.

And lastly, as the corporate states, Positive Shot shouldn’t be used to get behind the wheel after consuming. It is by no means, ever protected to drink and drive.

In the event you’re coping with alcohol or substance misuse dysfunction, assist is on the market. Name the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Nationwide Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 or go to samhsa.gov for extra data and sources.

—medically reviewed by Jennifer Logan, MD, MPH