Another in a long line of purported hangover curatives, S-NAC is a “pre-game” supplement (taken in the form of two big, orange tablets) with just two ingredients.

Per the company, here’s what they are and what they do:

1. Sulbutiamine is a highly bioavailable, lipophilic form of thiamine that works as a cognitive enhancer by increasing glutamatergic neurotransmission (among other things). This counteracts the effects of alcohol on depressing the glutamate system. Glutamate is the brain’s principal excitatory neurotransmitter, and is required for memory formation, learning and cognition. This is why it may be difficult to recall events that happen when you’re drunk, and some people may exhibit poor coordination and cognitive skills while inebriated. Sulbutiamine counteracts this effect (to a point).

2. N-Acetyl L-Cysteine goes to work to protect your liver by increasing the levels of Glutathione. Both NAC and Glutathione bind to Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) that come about as a result of acetaldehyde metabolism (acetaldehyde is what alcohol first gets metabolized to). In addition thiamine from sulbutiamine may complex with acetaldehyde to give rise to acetyl Coenzyme A. The end result is that this formula should protect your liver and brain cells from acetaldehyde and resulting ROS toxicity. You do want to give enough time for the product to get in your system and for your liver to transform the NAC into glutathione before you start ingesting alcohol, however. This is why we stress taking S-NAC before you start drinking (at least a half hour prior).

The primary goal of S-NAC is to remove acetaldehyde from the system, which is supposed to not only give you less of a hangover the next day but also a clearer head while you’re drinking. (The company warns that you may feel more sober than you actually are, so use caution if you’re out and about.)

I tried S-NAC on three occasions and had mixed results. In general, I felt fine overall both while drinking and the next day, but on one occasion I found myself waking with a substantial headache. I hadn’t consumed much at all the night before, so the headache could have been the result of dehydration or some other cause like stress or allergies. Either way, it passed fairly quickly once I drank a glass of water. I would not say my mood or alertness while drinking changed noticeably, but that’s a highly subjective question to try to answer.

Does S-NAC work? Hard to say, but it certainly didn’t hurt — which some hangover remedies can do — and my results were interesting enough to merit giving it another whirl down the line.

B+ / $30 for 10 doses / vitalitus.com

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