Preventive effects of standardized krill oil on alcohol hangovers in a clinical trial

Abstract

• Intake of krill oil alleviated hangover symptoms including thirst and nausea. • Intake of krill oil decreased alcohol and acetaldehyde concentrations in blood. • The effects of krill oil on alcohol hangover might be due to its antioxidant capacity. • It is a potential ingredient as alleviation of alcohol hangover. In this study, we investigated the effect of standardized krill oil on alcohol hangover through a placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind, and crossover clinical trial. Hangover symptoms including thirst and nausea were alleviated by krill oil at 3 and 4 h, and at 0.5 and 1 h after the alcohol consumption, respectively (p < 0.05). The breath and blood alcohol concentrations, and Acetaldehyde levels in plasma from the krill oil group were significantly lower than those from the placebo at 1, 3, and 5 h, and at 1, 4, and 5 h, and at 0.5 h after the alcohol consumption, respectively (p < 0.05). Also, krill oil relatively increased alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity, and relatively lowered malondialdehyde (MDA) levels compared to placebo and positive control. Trolox equivalent antioxidant activity of krill oil was higher than the positive control. These results suggest that krill oil can be used as a potential anti-hangover ingredient.