Hangover: what drink will help you recover quickly?

Do you wake up with a throbbing headache, a dry mouth, and overwhelming fatigue after a night of partying? You're not alone. A hangover, or veisalgia in medical terms, is your body's inflammatory response to excessive alcohol consumption.

Forget salty coffee or dubious home remedies. To recover, your body needs a precise biochemical strategy. Below, you'll discover why plain water isn't enough and which beverage to prioritize.

What is the best drink for a hangover?

The most effective solution for fighting a hangover is not coffee, but a complete isotonic drink rich in electrolytes, BCAAs, and bicarbonates, such as Mulebar powdered drinks. Unlike still water, this formula acts simultaneously on the 4 causes of discomfort:

• Rehydrate massively thanks to sodium and potassium (compensating for urinary losses).
• Supports liver function and toxin elimination via BCAAs (amino acids).
• Soothes nausea and gastric acidity thanks to sodium bicarbonates.
• Restores energy without causing a sudden spike in blood sugar.

Why do we get a hangover after drinking (too much)?

To cure the ailment, you must understand the enemy. A hangover isn't just simple dehydration; it's a "metabolic storm" caused by three main factors:

Acetaldehyde poisoning

When you drink alcohol, your liver converts it into acetaldehyde, a toxic substance 30 times more harmful than alcohol itself. If you drink faster than your liver can process it, this toxin builds up, causing throbbing headaches, sweating, and nausea.

Water and electrolyte losses

Alcohol is a diuretic: it blocks the hormone that retains water. As a result, you urinate much more than you drink. But be careful: you're not just losing water, you're also losing vital minerals (sodium, potassium, magnesium). It's this mineral loss that causes muscle fatigue, cramps, and irritability the next day.

Acidosis and hypoglycemia

Alcohol irritates the stomach lining and increases acidity. Furthermore, while your liver is processing alcohol, it stops producing glucose properly, leading to an "energy starvation" for your brain (fatigue, difficulty concentrating).

Water, coffee, lemon... We separate fact from fiction

Before looking at the ideal solution, let's see why classic approaches often fail:

• ❌ Plain water: Essential, but insufficient. Drinking water alone when you lack mineral salts does not allow you to retain it well (it "passes through" the body).
• ❌ Coffee: A bad idea. Caffeine is a diuretic (it dehydrates you even more) and acidic (it irritates your already sensitive stomach).
• ❌ Orange/Lemon Juice: Too acidic for a difficult awakening, risk of immediate heartburn.
• ❌ Chemical energy drinks: Often packed with colors, caffeine and processed sugars that your tired liver will struggle to handle.

Why are Mulebar drinks scientifically superior?

Originally designed for endurance athletes subjected to extreme conditions, Mulebar drinks have an "accidentally" perfect formula for the morning after a party. Here's why science backs up this choice:

BCAAs: Your Liver's Secret Ally

This is its number one competitive advantage. Mulebar contains BCAAs (Branched-Chain Amino Acids) in a 2:1:1 ratio. While typically used for muscle repair, BCAAs here help the liver detoxify and replenish its stores. They also combat central nervous system fatigue and the morning-after fog.

Bicarbonates: the anti-nausea weapon

Mulebar contains sodium bicarbonate. This is a natural buffer that neutralizes stomach acid. This provides an almost immediate feeling of digestive relief, unlike the acidity of fruit juices or sodas.

A cocktail of B vitamins (B1, B6)

Alcohol depletes your stores of B vitamins, which are essential for metabolizing carbohydrates. Mulebar replenishes these stores to help your body properly restart its energy production.

100% Natural and easy to digest

When you're feeling nauseous, you don't want to ingest "chemicals." Mulebar powders, which you dilute, are free of colorings, harsh preservatives, and natural flavors: citrus or red berries. The taste is very low in sugar, which prevents nausea.

The final comparison

Characteristic	Mulebar	Still Water	Coffee	Energy drink
Hydration + Electrolytes	✅ Optimal (Na, K, Mg)	⚠️ Low (No minerals)	❌ Negative (Dehydrates)	⚠️ Average
Liver Support (BCAA)	✅ YES	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No
Acid neutralizer (Bicarbonates)	✅ YES	❌ No	❌ No (Acid)	❌ No
Natural Ingredients	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ Often artificial
Price per liter	💰 ~€2.00	Free	~0.60 €	~€3.00 - €4.00

The ideal recovery protocol

To save your day, leave nothing to chance:

• Before bed: Mix one scoop of Mulebar Hydration or Effort in 500ml of water. Drink it before going to sleep. This helps buffer acidity and rehydrate the body overnight, minimizing the damage upon waking.
• Upon waking: If the damage is done, prepare a 500ml citrus-flavored water bottle (recommended for refreshment). Drink in small sips.
• Diet: Avoid fat. Choose eggs (cysteine) and bananas (potassium) to accompany your drink.

How effective are those dissolving tablets that boast an "anti-hangover" effect?

Hydratis, Panda Tea, Aquapop... hydration tablet brands are legion, and they all boast a miraculous "hangover cure" effect. How do they compare to Mulebar's powdered isotonic drinks?

No gas = no bloating

This is the major problem with these lozenges: to fizz, they create a chemical reaction that releases carbon dioxide (CO2). Drinking chemically carbonated water when you already have an upset stomach or are nauseous is the best way to cause unpleasant bloating or burping.

• The Mulebar advantage: The powder dissolves without aggressive fizzing. It's a flat, smooth drink that goes down easily, respecting your irritated stomach lining.

A composition that isn't always very "natural"

For a lozenge to maintain its solid shape, manufacturers must add Clumping agents, compression agents, and often artificial colors to give the water a pretty color, and synthetic flavorings for taste. A pretty, not-so-natural cocktail!

• The advantage of Mulebar: In powder form, there's no need for chemical binders. You only drink the active ingredients (BCAAs, natural flavors, electrolytes) and nothing unnecessary. This means much less filtering work for your liver.

Hydration volume (the small glass trap)

The tablets are generally dosed for a 200ml to 250ml glass of water. This is insufficient to rehydrate an adult body after a night of drinking.

• The Mulebar advantage: One dose of powder is designed for a 500ml water bottle. The subtle taste encourages you to drink the entire bottle effortlessly. You therefore ingest twice the amount of water compared to a standard tablet, which mechanically accelerates recovery.

BCAAs: the missing ingredient in lozenges

90% of "anti-hangover" lozenges contain only salt, sugar, and vitamins. That's good, but incomplete.

• The Mulebar advantage: As explained above, the BCAAs (amino acids) in Mulebar drinks provide structural support that simple mineral salt tablets don't. This is the difference between simply "replenishing water" and "helping to repair."

The price/quality ratio

Specialized hangover brands often charge a premium for their marketing.

• The Mulebar advantage: With a 600g sachet of Mulebar powder you can "make" 15 500ml pouches, the cost per liter of reconstituted drink is often much more economical, for a superior quality of (natural) ingredients.

According to Bernard Basset, president of the French association Addictions France, the only truly effective ingredient in these lozenges is the water used to dissolve them. He emphasizes a real danger: the marketing message suggests that these lozenges prevent hangovers, which can lead some consumers to drink more alcohol, believing they are protected.

Mulebar vs betaine citrate: which to choose the next day?

In France, Betaine Citrate is practically an institution. It's the green tube you reach for as soon as you have a "liverache". But is it really effective against a hangover from alcohol, or is it just good for digesting raclette?

Let's compare the chemistry of these two solutions to understand why Mulebar is often the best strategic choice after a night of heavy drinking.

Betaine citrate: The digestive "unblocker"

Betaine citrate is a medication designed for dyspepsia (indigestion).

• Its action: It is cholagogue and choleretic. In other words, it forces your liver to produce bile and your gallbladder to release it to digest fats.
• The problem with alcohol: Hangovers aren't a "fat digestion" problem, but a problem of toxicity (acetaldehyde) and cellular dehydration. Stimulating bile does not rehydrate your brain and does not eliminate alcohol toxins from the blood.
• The downside: It is almost always effervescent (so gas = bloating) and it often contains a lot of sodium without providing potassium, creating an imbalance.

Mulebar hydration drink: the metabolic "rebuilder"

Mulebar is not a digestive aid, it's an isotonic sports drink

• Its action: It targets osmotic balance, hydration and energy supply.
• Why it's better for hangovers:
  
  
  • Real rehydration: Unlike citrate which is drunk in half a glass of water, Mulebar provides a Sodium/Potassium ratio which forces water into thirsty cells.
  • BCAAs vs Bile: Instead of forcing the liver to work harder (bile), Mulebar gives it the "building blocks" (Amino Acids) to repair itself and process toxins.
  • Energy management: Citrate provides no energy. Mulebar provides carbohydrates to counteract the typical next-day hypoglycemia (the "flamby" feeling).

The battle of symptoms: who will win?

Symptom of the following day	Betaine Citrate	Mulebar Drink	Explanation
"I ate too much" (Heaviness)	🏆 Winner	❌ Neutral	Citrate helps digest the fat from meals.
"My mouth is dry / I have a headache"	❌ Useless	🏆 Winner	Mulebar rehydrates the brain and tissues.
"I'm exhausted / No energy"	❌ Useless	🏆 Winner	Mulebar recharges glycogen (energy).
"I feel nauseous."	⚠️ Risky	✅ Effective	The effervescence of citrate can worsen the urge to vomit.
"I have aches and pains all over"	❌ Useless	🏆 Winner	Mulebar's BCAAs help with muscle recovery.

Conclusion: Which one should I choose?

• Take Betaine Citrate IF: You have eaten a very large meal (fat, sugar) but have drunk little alcohol. Your problem is purely digestive.
• Have a Mulebar Drink IF: You've been drinking alcohol (even moderately) and you feel dehydrated, tired, and have a headache. It's the only option that treats the root cause of a hangover: dehydration and intoxication.

The ultimate tip? Nothing prevents you from combining the two if you've gone all out (Raclette + White Wine). But always start with Mulebar to quench the thirst, and save the Citrate for later if digestion is still heavy.