Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of enzymatic porcine placenta hydrolysate (EPPH) for hangover relief: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover clinical trial

Hangovers, marked by fatigue, nausea, and cognitive impairment, frequently follow acute alcohol consumption. Enzymatic porcine placenta hydrolysate (EPPH) has been proposed as a functional ingredient to alleviate such symptoms. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of EPPH in reducing blood ethanol and acetaldehyde levels and mitigating hangover symptoms. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial, 30 healthy adults (20-39 years) were enrolled, with 24 completing the protocol. Participants received either EPPH (220 mg) or a placebo, followed by the ingestion of 90 g ethanol. Blood samples were collected up to 15 h post-ingestion for GC-MS analysis, and hangover severity was assessed 12 h later using alcohol hangover severity scale and acute hangover scale. Compared with the control group, EPPH was associated with lower hangover scores at several time points. In the subjective symptom assessment, a statistically significant improvement was observed for fatigue (p=0.035), while no significant differences were found for the other symptom items. EPPH may help relieve hangover symptoms and support its use as a functional ingredient.