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Updated on August 21, 2023
5 min read

Does Pedialyte Work for Hangovers?

What is Pedialyte?

Pedialyte has been around for over 50 years and is the top doctor-recommended brand of rehydration drinks. It contains key electrolytes that replenish your body. These include:10

  • Sodium
  • Potassium
  • Chloride

Pedialyte carries twice the electrolytes as other leading sports drinks. It also has two times less sugar. Sugar has been known to worsen dehydration symptoms.10

Pedialyte is available in:

  • Liquid form
  • Powder packets
  • Dissolvable tablets
  • Frozen popsicles
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Does Pedialyte Help With Hangovers?

Yes, Pedialyte can help with hangovers. However, Pedialyte cannot completely cure your hangover.

Most people with healthy kidneys don't need extra electrolytes unless they've had significant electrolyte loss from exercise or dehydration. Healthy kidneys and a normal diet will filter out and retain all the necessary electrolytes.

Facts About Pedialyte and Hangovers

Here are some facts about Pedialyte and hangovers:

Pedialyte is More Hydrating Than Water

Plain water does not have significant amounts of electrolytes. Drinking fluids high in electrolytes, like Pedialyte, can help you rehydrate faster.11 This is why you might rehydrate more efficiently with Pedialyte after strenuous exercise.

Pedialyte is For Everyone

People of all ages can drink Pedialyte. This includes babies and sick children. However, Pedialyte is not a substitute for water. Pedialyte is not designed for everyday use or regular hydration needs.

Pedialyte Has Many Uses

Pedialyte can be used for hydration purposes. It may also be used to prevent and treat some metabolic problems caused by kidney disease.9

Myths About Pedialyte and Hangovers

Here are some myths about Pedialyte and hangovers:

Pedialyte Will Always Make You Feel Better

Pedialyte may make you feel better in some ways. But it also has potential side effects of its own.

Pedialyte may cause:9

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea

Pedialyte is the Ultimate Hangover Cure

Pedialyte can help replenish your body with electrolytes to treat dehydration symptoms and make you feel better faster. But it cannot cure hangovers. The only cure for a hangover is time.

What Causes Hangovers? What Nutrients Are Lacking?

Hangover symptoms can happen if you drink too much alcohol. It typically happens when alcohol metabolism is complete. However, the main problem with a hangover is dehydration.

Alcohol causes dehydration by making you sweat, urinate, and even vomit.11 This causes your body to get rid of key electrolytes such as:

  • Bicarbonate
  • Potassium
  • Sodium
  • Chloride
  • Calcium
  • Phosphate

These minerals are essential in moving fluids in your body that are necessary for maintaining balance. A hangover can affect your physical and mental health. It can also affect your performance at school or work.

What Are the Symptoms of a Hangover?

Dehydration from alcohol can make you feel lightheaded. Moreover, alcohol triggers an immune system inflammatory response and causes your blood sugar to fall. This can make you feel weak.

Alcohol can irritate your stomach lining due to the increased production of stomach acid. You may also feel groggy while hungover because you get poor sleep while drunk.5

Other symptoms of hangovers include, but are not limited to:5

  • Nausea with or without vomiting
  • Stomach pain
  • Poor sleep
  • Insomnia
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Sensitivity to sound
  • Dehydration
  • Excessive thirst
  • Dry mouth
  • Muscle aches
  • Headaches
  • Dizziness
  • A sense of the room spinning
  • Liver pain
  • Shakiness
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Irritability 
  • Mood disturbances
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Memory problems
  • Decreased interest in usual activities
  • Lack of energy
  • Rapid heart rate
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When to Drink Pedialyte for Maximum Benefits

Drink Pedialyte as soon as you feel dehydrated or wake up after a night of drinking alcohol. You can also drink Pedialyte before and while drinking to prevent a hangover. Drink as much as your body needs to feel better. 

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Pedialyte vs. Gatorade vs. Coconut Water for Hangovers

Pedialyte, Gatorade, and coconut water are all great ways to hydrate during a hangover. Like Pedialyte, Hatorade also contains key electrolytes you lose when you sweat and urinate.3

But, Gatorade usually contains sugar, which is not typically good for metabolism. On the other hand, coconut water is a natural option without all the salt and high fructose corn syrup in some sports drinks.8  It’s low in sugar and calories, making it a healthy option for rehydrating.

All coconut water contains electrolytes like potassium, sodium, manganese, and phosphorus, but some may vary by brand.2 Coconut water also has more potassium than a banana and 15 times more than sports drinks.8

Time: The Only Way to Actually ‘Cure’ a Hangover

The most effective remedy for a hangover is time. You need to give your body time to process and get rid of the alcohol from your system. 

Hangovers peak when your body’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) returns to about zero.6 Most hangovers will go away within 24 hours.4 If you have an especially bad hangover, it can take a little longer before you feel better.

How to Treat a Hangover

Fortunately, there are other ways to treat hangovers. These include:1,4

  • Drink sports drinks to correct your electrolyte imbalance
  • Drink water to stay hydrated
  • Eat healthy foods to compensate for nutritional deficiencies
  • Rest
  • Take B vitamins and zinc

Taking painkillers like Asprin or ibuprofen can help manage hangovers. Other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can also help.1

How to Prevent a Hangover

There are always ways to prevent hangovers from occurring or bring severe. These include:

Lessening your alcohol intake means drinking no more than one standard drink a day for women and no more than two drinks a day for men. One standard drink refers to 12 fluid ounces of beer with about 5% alcohol, 5 fluid ounces of wine with about 12% alcohol, or 1.5 fluid ounces of 80-proof liquor.4

There are plenty of ways to manage a hangover, and drinking Pedialyte is one of them. However, if you want to avoid hangovers, consider quitting alcohol entirely.

Updated on August 21, 2023
11 sources cited
Updated on August 21, 2023
All Alcoholrehabhelp content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.

We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies.
  1. 7 Steps to Cure Your Hangover.” Harvard Health, 30 Aug. 2020.
  2. Author: Kacie Vavrek. “Is Coconut Water Healthy?Ohio State Medical Center, 27 Aug. 2019.
  3. Gatorade.com.
  4. Hangover Treatment: Medlineplus Medical Encyclopedia.” MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
  5. Hangovers.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 16 Dec. 2017.
  6. Hangovers.” National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
  7. Katherine Zeratsky, R.D. “Coconut Water: Is It Super Hydrating?Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 11 Aug. 2021.
  8. Nature's Gatorade: Effectiveness of Coconut Water on Electrolyte and Carbohydrate Replacement.” Huffines Institute for Sports Medicine & Human Performance.
  9. Pedialyte: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions & Pill Images.” RxList, RxList, 26 Aug. 2021.
  10. Prevent Dehydration in Children & Adults: Pedialyte®.” Prevent Dehydration with Pedialyte® Rehydration Drink.
  11. What Is Dehydration? Lots of Things Can Lead to Dehydration, Making You Feel Even Worse.” Dehydration Signs, Symptoms & Causes | Pedialyte®.
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All content created by Alcohol Rehab Help is sourced from current scientific research and fact-checked by an addiction counseling expert. However, the information provided by Alcohol Rehab Help is not a substitute for professional treatment advice.
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