What happens in your body when you drink?
Alcohol is a diuretic. It suppresses ADH — antidiuretic hormone — which normally controls how much fluid your kidneys reabsorb. When ADH is suppressed, your kidneys produce more urine than normal, sometimes up to four times more fluid than you're drinking. That's why you visit the bathroom so frequently on a night out.
But it's not just fluid. With every bathroom trip, electrolytes leave your body too — sodium, potassium, and magnesium. These minerals are critical for cells to function, nerves to fire, and muscles to contract. When they drop, you feel it as muscle cramps, fatigue, and headaches.
Meanwhile, your liver is working at full capacity. Alcohol is broken down via the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase into acetaldehyde — a toxic metabolite that is then converted further into acetate. The liver prioritises that process above everything else, including regulating blood sugar. That contributes to the low-energy sluggishness you feel the morning after.
The problem with just drinking water
The logical reaction is to drink more water. And water is absolutely necessary — but it's not enough on its own. There's a physiological reason for this.
Your body needs more than fluid
When you drink large amounts of plain water without electrolytes, plasma osmolality — the concentration of dissolved substances in the blood — can drop. Your body interprets this as a fluid surplus and compensates by increasing urine production. Paradoxically, the result can be that you excrete more fluid than you take in, making dehydration at the cellular level worse rather than better.
For water to be effective for recovery, it needs to be accompanied by electrolytes — particularly sodium, which helps the kidneys retain fluid — as well as potassium and magnesium, which are needed for normal cell and muscle function.
What your body actually needs
Recovery after a night out comes down to three things: restoring fluid balance, supporting energy metabolism, and giving your liver what it needs to do its job.
Electrolytes — more than a sports drink
Magnesium citrate contributes to electrolyte balance and normal muscle function. Potassium citrate supports the body's fluid balance. Sodium citrate helps maintain proper hydration levels. These three are the foundation — not to replace water, but to make the water you drink actually useful to your body.
B-vitamins and energy metabolism
Alcohol impairs the absorption of B-vitamins, and B1 (thiamine) is particularly sensitive. Thiamine plays a central role in how cells convert carbohydrates into energy — an EU-approved health claim (Regulation 432/2012). When levels drop after a night of drinking, it directly contributes to the mental fog and physical sluggishness you experience the next day.
Alcohol also depletes the body's vitamin C reserves, which contributes to normal immune function and protects cells from oxidative stress.
Supporting the liver overnight
Milk thistle (Silymarin) is a traditional herbal extract with a long history in herbal medicine, listed in the European Pharmacopoeia. It is included in formulations designed to support the liver — the organ working hardest while you sleep after a night out. Combined with prickly pear extract (Opuntia ficus-indica), another traditional extract, it provides natural support for the liver's overnight recovery.
Summary
- →Alcohol suppresses ADH → body loses more fluid and electrolytes than normal
- →Plain water without electrolytes can increase urination further — counterproductive
- →Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is depleted by alcohol and is critical for normal energy metabolism
- →The liver works hard all night — milk thistle extract is a traditional support for this
Frequently asked questions
Why am I still thirsty even after drinking lots of water? +
Alcohol suppresses ADH, causing the kidneys to excrete more fluid than normal. Drinking large amounts of plain water without electrolytes can also lower plasma osmolality, signalling the body to increase urination further. The fluid passes through without restoring balance at the cellular level. Your body needs sodium, potassium, and magnesium to actually retain the water you drink.
What does B-vitamin have to do with a night out? +
Alcohol impairs the absorption of B-vitamins, particularly B1 (thiamine). Thiamine plays a key role in how cells convert nutrients into energy — an EU-approved health claim. When levels drop after drinking, it directly contributes to the mental fog and sluggishness the next morning.
What is milk thistle and why is it relevant? +
Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is a traditional herbal extract listed in the European Pharmacopoeia, with a long history in herbal medicine for liver support. The liver works intensively the night after alcohol consumption to break down acetaldehyde. Milk thistle extract 200mg is included in HANGOVR GUARD's formula as part of the overnight recovery.