"Red Ginseng Proven to Ease Hangovers"...Korea Ginseng Corporation Announces Publication in International Journal

Korea Ginseng Corporation, CHA University, and Wonkwang University joint study
Red ginseng intake promotes alcohol breakdown and improves hangover symptoms
"Accelerating in-body breakdown," not artificially inhibiting absorption

A clinical trial has found that consuming a red ginseng complex lowers blood alcohol and acetaldehyde concentrations and alleviates hangover symptoms.

Korea Ginseng Corporation announced on the 24th that "this study, jointly conducted by the R&D Division of Korea Ginseng Corporation, Professor Lee Booyong's team from the Department of Food Science and Biotechnology at CHA University, and Professor Joo Jongcheon's team from Wonkwang University Jeonju Korean Medicine Hospital, has been published in the international journal, the Journal of Ginseng Research."

A researcher from the Research and Development Division at Korea Ginseng Corporation is conducting an experiment. Provided by Korea Ginseng Corporation.

Hangovers manifest in various symptoms after drinking, such as headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, chills, cold sweats, and reduced concentration. These occur when acetaldehyde, a toxic substance produced as ethanol is broken down in the body, is not removed in time and accumulates. The key to relieving a hangover is to lower blood alcohol concentration and rapidly break down acetaldehyde.

The research team conducted a randomized, double-blind, crossover human trial on 80 adults aged 20 to 40 who usually experience hangovers after drinking. Participants were divided into a red ginseng complex group (40 people) and a placebo group (40 people). After a standard meal, they took either the red ginseng complex or the placebo 1 hour and 45 minutes later, and then consumed a fixed amount of alcohol 30 minutes after that. Blood alcohol and acetaldehyde concentrations were measured at 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, and 15 hours. Hangover symptom questionnaires (AHS and AHSS) were administered at 1, 4, 6, and 15 hours.

According to the company, the group that consumed the red ginseng complex showed significantly lower blood alcohol and acetaldehyde levels compared with the placebo group. Blood alcohol concentration began to decrease 15 minutes after drinking and was 19% lower than that of the placebo group after 15 hours. Acetaldehyde concentration also began to decrease 30 minutes after drinking and was confirmed to be 52% lower than that of the placebo group at 15 hours.

The red ginseng complex also improved hangover symptoms. At 6 and 15 hours after drinking, the total scores for major symptoms such as discomfort, thirst, fatigue, dizziness, gastrointestinal disturbances, and reduced concentration were significantly lower than in the placebo group. The improvement was particularly pronounced at the 6-hour mark.

According to guidelines from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, functional claims for hangover relief are allowed only when a human trial has verified significant improvements in blood alcohol and acetaldehyde concentrations and confirmed the objectivity of hangover questionnaire results.

Hong Soonki, head of the R&D Division at Korea Ginseng Corporation, said, "This study adhered to the guidelines of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and scientifically confirmed that consuming the red ginseng complex safely and effectively alleviates representative hangover symptoms."