You may have heard all kinds of suggestions to help stave off hangovers, including taking vitamin B12. And if you’re thinking, is vitamin B12 actually good for a hangover, you’re not alone.

Whether you’re an occasional drinker or you’ve just had too much at the bachelorette party last night, a natural hangover remedy may be all that you need to wake up feeling OK.

Hangover myths are passed down from generation to generation. And it’s hard to separate the health fads from the facts.

In this article, we’re going to take a close look at whether vitamin B12 has any benefit for a hangover. We’ll use the data from published research papers to give you a scientifically accurate answer.

So, with the introductions out of the way, it’s time to start looking at B12 for hangovers.

What does Vitamin B12 do?

There are eight different B vitamins, and B12 is found in high concentrations in a variety of animal products. You get B12 naturally from your diet by eating food like red meat, fish, milk, or eggs. It’s quite difficult to get B12 from plant sources, however, there are many fortified vegan products on the market nowadays.

This essential vitamin is stored in the cells of your liver. A healthy person with normal levels of vitamin B12 should have approximately three to five years’ worth of stores. It can take quite a long time for most people to become deficient in B12.(1)

You need vitamin B12 in order for certain enzymes within your body to work. Vitamin B12 is absolutely crucial to the synthesis of DNA as well as the healthy functioning of your nervous system and red blood cells.

If you’re vitamin B12 deficient, you develop a specific type of anemia known as “megaloblastic” anemia. In cases of severe deficiency, people can develop problems with their nervous system.

In summary, vitamin B12’s main functions include DNA synthesis, maintaining the normal function of your nervous system, and some aspects of metabolism.

So, does this mean that B12 will be good for hangovers? That’s what we’ll dive into next.

Causes of a hangover

Before we get into whether B12 is good for hangovers, we first need to go over how alcohol affects your body in the first place:

1. Dehydration

One of the main causes of a hangover is dehydration. Alcohol is a diuretic which means it makes your kidneys flush out excess water. In fact, every glass of wine will make you lose approximately 120mls of excess water.(2)

2. Inflammation

Another major cause of hangovers is inflammation. When your liver metabolizes alcohol, toxic by-products such as acetaldehyde are produced. During periods of over-indulgence, these toxic by-products accumulate which wreaks havoc on your insides. They react with the cells they come into contact with causing “oxidative damage”. 

3. Sleep disturbance

An overlooked cause of a hangover is sleep deprivation. Alcohol blocks your brain from reaching the REM stage. This is the deepest stage of sleep where dreams occur. Without REM sleep, you won’t be fully rested. 

Is Vitamin B12 good for Hangovers?

So for vitamin B12 to be beneficial for a hangover, it’ll need to counteract, or at least support some of the damaging effects of alcohol.

Vitamin B12 is not directly involved in alcohol metabolism and therefore does not have a role in the breakdown of alcohol. 

At the time of writing, there are no published studies that have looked at whether B12 is good for hangovers.(4)

If you eat a balanced diet, you should have many years’ worth of vitamin B12 stored in your liver. Replacing this vitamin after a night of drinking is unlikely to do much for your hangover.

In summary, there is no evidence to show that vitamin B12 will have any benefit for a hangover.

Does drinking alcohol affect vitamin B12 levels?

In order to determine if drinking alcohol can cause vitamin B12 deficiency, it’s important to distinguish between acute and chronic alcohol consumption.

When referring to acute alcohol consumption, it generally means “binge drinking”. In the UK, this is defined as 8 units (standard drinks) for men and 6 for women. This is equivalent to around 3 to 4 glasses of wine.(1)

The term chronic alcohol consumption refers to those who drink alcohol on a regular basis. This can apply to people with alcohol dependence issues. Chronic alcohol consumption can have a ripple effect on the body over time.

Binge drinking and B12 Deficiency

A study of 77 patients who came to the emergency room with alcohol intoxication had blood tests to check their vitamin levels. They found no decrease in B12 levels. Interestingly 15% had a thiamine deficiency, also known as vitamin B1. (2)

Chronic alcohol use and B12 Deficiency

Measuring the body’s B12 levels can be more complicated for those who are chronic alcohol drinkers. That’s because, over a long period of time, the vitamin B12 levels in your body can be affected by several factors including your diet.

A different study looked closely at the effects of chronic alcohol consumption in humans and found no change.(3)

That said, there are certain B vitamins such as Thiamine (B1) and Pyridoxine (B6) that  well known to become deficient in chronic alcohol consumption.(4)

Anything else to consider?

Hangovers are a sign from your body that you’ve been drinking too much for your body to handle. Trying to “cure” a hangover by taking supplements like B12 is not the best approach.

The best way to prevent a hangover is to drink less, keep well hydrated and eat before going out.

Vitamin B12 for Hangovers – Final Verdict?

B12 is important for the normal functioning of your red blood cell, nervous system, and DNA synthesis. And your liver stores enough to last for 3-5 years.

When it comes to B12 for hangovers, there are no studies that have shown that it’s beneficial. In addition, B12 isn’t involved in alcohol metabolism, nor does it have antioxidant properties.

Unfortunately, if you’re expecting to wake up from a night out with no hangover after taking B12, you’ll probably be disappointed.