Answers Book · Electrolytes
Should You Drink Electrolytes Before or After Drinking Alcohol?
No source shows that timing matters. Electrolytes before or after drinking have not been proven to prevent or cure a hangover.
The simple answer
People ask this a lot, but there is no proven "right time." Alcohol makes you lose extra water, and fluids replace water. Health agencies say the only sure way to avoid a hangover is to drink less or not at all, and that no remedy has been proven.
Myth vs Fact
Taking electrolytes at the right time heads off a hangover.
NIAAA says the only way to completely avoid a hangover is not to drink or to keep intake to a minimum. No remedy has been scientifically proven.
The science
- NIH / NIAAANIAAA says none of the popular hangover remedies have been scientifically proven effective, that research found no impact of added electrolytes on hangover severity, and that the more alcohol a person drinks the worse the hangover tends to be.
- Cleveland ClinicCleveland Clinic explains that alcohol lowers the hormone that tells kidneys to hold water, so you lose fluid, and that drinking on an empty stomach and drinking fast raise the dehydration effect.
Medical sources
- NIH / NIAAA↗Hangovers
- Cleveland Clinic↗Can Alcohol Dehydrate You?
How often people ask
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← All questions in the Answers BookThis page is general information, not medical advice. Sources are linked above. If you're worried about yourself or someone else, contact a healthcare provider or call 911.
Last checked: October 8, 2026