Michelle ManettiHangovers are not pretty. They happen whether you’ve consumed a lot of alcohol or even just a little, depending on what your body can handle. And while most of us reach for a tall glass of water and some Aspirin when are heads are pounding, other people are reaching for… a children’s product as the ultimate hangover cure.
According to NBC News, people are using Pedialyte, a drink that usually helps children avoid dehydration after a bout of vomiting or diarrhea. In fact, a third of the drink’s sales come from adults according to date from Nielsen.
The brand has started to advertise its products for that specific reason, but does it actually act a hangover cure? Sure, consuming fluids after a hangover is necessary, but is it better than water? “I think believing that Gatorade is going to help you or believing that Pedialyte will help you will probably help you as much as the sugar and salt would help,” Dr. Jeanmarie Perrone told TODAY. “There’s a good solid placebo effect to anything that anyone takes in this regard.”
A dietitian, Andrea Giancoli, also noted that you might be consuming more calories when reaching for Pedialyte. However, it could really help if you’re too sick to eat. “They stimulate you to take in more fluid because they taste good and a little bit of sodium enhances that and wanting to drink more,” she said.
Okay, so the verdict? Who knows? We suggest passing on that last drink at night to try to avoid a major hangover. We also suggest that you put an end to that binge drinking… it’s not cute!