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I get terrible, godawful hangovers. They’ve always been pretty bad but they only seem to have gotten worse with age. Now I’m in my mid 30’s, drinking even a few drinks makes me feel like I’ve been hit by a freight train the next day.
So, when someone told me about ZBiotics at a house gathering, I immediately made a quick (slightly tipsy) impulse purchase. Could ZBiotics be the answer to my prayers? Could it stop me from waking up with a hangover and allow me to get on with my life the next day like nothing happened?
I decided I’d test it to find out. In this detailed ZBiotics review I’ll break down how ZBiotics works and tell you my honest thoughts on it.
What is Zbiotics?
ZBiotics is a pre-alcohol probiotic drink. It’s meant to prevent a hangover, so it should be taken before drinking. This isn’t a hangover cure you can take the next day, so if you’re reading this with a hangover, best to chug some LiquidIV and get some sleep.
ZBiotics is designed to break down an unwanted alcohol byproduct called acetaldehyde, which is one of the main causes of a hangover. When you drink acetaldehyde builds up in your gut and since the body isn’t very good at breaking it down, you’ll usually wind up feeling pretty rough the next day.
Each little liquid bottle contains good bacteria that have been engineered to produce the same type of enzyme found in your liver. Drinking a bottle of ZBiotics adds these good bacteria to your gut and helps your body to break down the acetaldehyde.
If you’re concerned about safety, the product has been heavily tested and is fully FDA-compliant. It has been adapted to pass straight through the body, without colonizing in your gut or changing your microbiome.
How is Zbiotics Made?
ZBiotics was invented in a San Francisco lab by combining probiotic bacteria and genetic engineering. The company’s two main core scientists are Dr. Zack Abbott and Dr. John W.K. Oliver, who both have PhDs (in Microbiology, and Chemistry, respectively) and lab experience as bioengineers. They took a natural probiotic bacteria called B. subtilis and altered its DNA to produce an enzyme that breaks down acetaldehyde.
How to Use Zbiotics
ZBiotics is meant to be drunk when you’re drinking, preferably before going out, right before your first drink. The probiotics need time to wake up in your gut and work their magic, so the earlier the better. If you forget, you can still drink one after a couple of drinks or at the end of your night, right before bed. It might not be as effective but it’s better than nothing.
One ZBiotics should cover you for at least 18 hours, so it’s good for the whole day. So technically you could have a morning Bloody Mary and drink all the way to the evening and your gut would still be covered by the probiotic.
My Experience Taking ZBiotics
As you can see from the photos Zbiotics comes in little mini glass bottles. Inside each bottle is a clear-looking liquid with a dark bit of sediment at the bottom. Apparently that’s the sediment of the probiotic and flavoring that settles on the bottom. Give it a good shake and the sediment will re-suspend in the liquid.
I tested Zbiotics on four occasions before drinking. It has a bitter, slightly earthy taste. Not the best tasting thing ever but not terrible either.
The first time I took it about an hour before drinking and then went on my night out as normal. Since I thought Zbiotics might work I decided to mix my drinks and drink as much as I wanted. Unfortunately I woke up the next day with a huge headache and felt pretty ill all day.
Although it didn’t seem to work, I decided to try it again on three more occasions. The next time I consumed it right before my first drink and then drank with a bit more moderation. Still, I woke up with a hangover.
The last time I tried it I woke up incredibly nauseous and spent the entire day hugging the toilet. Since it failed to work on me, I went to a friend’s house party and gave it to two of the guests. I figured perhaps if it doesn’t work for me, it might work for someone else. Unfortunately they both messaged me the next day and said it didn’t work for them either.
Does ZBiotics Work?
Sadly, it didn’t work for me. I tried it multiple times and it had zero effect at all. In fact two of the days that I drank I threw up the next day, so it definitely didn’t work. I gave it to my two female friends and they said it didn’t work for them either. That being said, there’s a Reddit thread where people claim it works. There are also several reviews here where people claim it works.
If you’re the kind of person who drinks one or two alcoholic drinks and guzzles plenty of water then perhaps it may work for you. But then again, if you’re drinking like that then you probably won’t wake up with much of a hangover to start with. It didn’t seem to prevent a hangover for me after drinking several drinks in an evening.
If you want to try it for yourself, ZBiotics is available in packs of 3, 6 or 12. I’d suggest starting with a pack of 3 to see how you go and if it works for you!
Pricing:
3-pack: $36 or $12 a bottle
6-pack: $60 or $10 a bottle
12-pack: $108 or $9 a bottle.
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