Is Bone Broth Good For Hangovers?

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Updated on 03 Jun, 2022

Medically reviewed by Dr Pedram Kordrostami

Is bone broth good for hangovers? If you’ve landed on this page, chances are you’ve tried every hangover remedy there is and nothing’s worked well.

With so many supposed “hangover cures”, it’s hard to separate the facts from the fads.

Bone broth is touted as a healthy food with perceived health benefits. And many people swear by it for hangovers.

So, is bone broth really good for hangovers?

In this article, we’re also going to examine bone broth as a food, and look at what it contains in terms of micronutrients and macronutrients.

We’ll then give a more detailed answer as to whether bone broth is good for hangovers.

What Is bone broth?

Bone broth has made a name for itself as a popular ‘health’ food in recent years because of its perceived health benefits. It is claimed to have a number of nutrients that are beneficial for the body.

It’s made by simmering bones and meat (chicken, lamb, beef) in water to make a broth. It is commonly used as a stock, However, bone broth has gained notoriety as a drink on its own.

Beef and chicken are two of the common types of bone broth, and vegetables such as carrots and onions are also often added to the recipe for extra flavor.

There are hardly any good research papers looking into bone broths’ potential health benefits. There are some studies that have shown it contains some minerals and protein.(1)

That said, it doesn’t stop many people from using it on a regular basis for its supposed health benefits.

In summary: Bone broth is made by simmering the bone and meat of beef or chicken. It contains some nutrients but there is very little evidence that it has any particular benefit compared to other foods.

Causes of a hangover

Before we get into whether bone broth is good for hangovers, we first need to go over how alcohol causes hangovers in the first place.

For bone broth to work as a hangover remedy, it’ll need to mitigate some of the negative effects of alcohol:

1. Dehydration

One of the main causes of a hangover is dehydration. Alcohol is a diuretic which means it makes your kidneys flush out more water than it needs to. In fact, for every glass of wine, you lose approximately 120mls of additional water. If you’ve had a few too many at happy hour, you can see how drinking alcohol can dehydrate you.

2. Inflammation

Inflammation is another cause of a hangover. When alcohol is metabolized in your liver, toxic by-products are formed which react with your cells. This process is called “free radical damage” and results in cellular inflammation.

3. Sleep disturbance

Finally, an overlooked cause of a hangover is poor sleep quality. Alcohol blocks your brain from reaching the REM stage. This stands for "Rapid Eye Movement" stage and is where dreams happen. It’s essential for your brain to reach this stage in order to feel fully rested. That’s why sleeping 8 hours after a few glasses of wine is very different from sleeping 8 hours without any alcohol in your bloodstream.

In summary: there is no single cause of a hangover, but rather a combination of damaging effects of alcohol.

Is bone broth good for hangovers?

So, is bone broth good for hangovers?

Looking at the nutritional value of bone broth, there isn’t much in it that would be particularly good for a hangover. It’s essentially water with some nutrients from the meat, marrow, and vegetables that are used to brew it.

That said, it’s mainly made of water so will help rehydrate you. It’s also tasty and easy to drink which is important if you're feeling a little worse for wear.

Is bone broth a hangover cure?

When it comes to hangovers, one thing is for sure: a cure doesn’t exist. Earlier we explained that there are several factors that cause a hangover and it is highly unlikely that anything you take will take away your symptoms.

The same applies to bone broth for a hangover. At most, it’s a palatable drink that may make you feel better in the morning. But it’s certainly no hangover "cure".

Anything else to consider?

Hangovers are a sign from your body that you’ve had too much alcohol for your body to handle. Trying to recover from a hangover by drinking bone broth is not the best approach.

Making sure you have a meal before going out, drinking plenty of water, and most importantly, reducing your alcohol intake is all that’s required to prevent hangovers.

Bone broth for hangovers – Final verdict

That brings us to the end of our look into bone broth for hangovers.

We’ve walked you through the basic things you need to know about bone broth and hangovers as well as going through the nutrients in it.

For most, it’s a tasty drink that’s easy to consume. Especially if your stomachs feeling fragile in the morning. It’s also low in calories and easy to digest.

That said, bone broth is unlikely to have any real benefit for a hangover aside from the fact it’ll rehydrate you to a certain extent.

If you’re interested in other natural hangover remedies, check out our articles on kombucha for hangovers.