Is Bone Broth Good for Hangovers?

Partly: bone broth may make a hangover easier to manage if you can tolerate it, because it provides fluid and can replace some sodium, but it is not a cure. No clinical studies were identified that test bone broth for hangovers, so its specific benefits are unproven. Choose a broth that fits your health needs, and seek urgent help for signs of alcohol poisoning.

Can bone broth help a hangover?

Bone broth can be a practical option when you feel thirsty and want something savory. Its fluid may help replace some of what you have lost, while its sodium content varies by product or recipe. It may be appealing if you do not feel like eating a full meal.

That does not mean bone broth treats every cause of a hangover or makes the effects of alcohol disappear. For more ideas about what to eat, see the best foods for hangovers.

How might bone broth work?

Alcohol can increase urination, and fluid loss can contribute to thirst and other hangover symptoms. Drinking bone broth supplies fluid, but dehydration is only one part of a hangover. Interrupted sleep, stomach irritation and other effects of alcohol can also leave you feeling unwell.

Bone broth can contain sodium, which is an electrolyte. The amount is not standardized: a packaged broth’s label can tell you its sodium content, while the amount in homemade bone broth depends on the ingredients and added salt. More sodium is not automatically better, particularly if you have been told to limit it.

A warm, savory liquid may be easier for some people to tolerate than a large meal, but that is a matter of individual preference, not a proven treatment. Your liver breaks down most alcohol over time; bone broth does not speed that process or remove alcohol from your blood.

What evidence supports bone broth for hangovers?

We found no clinical studies of bone broth for hangovers. There is no reliable basis for saying it relieves hangover symptoms better than water, another food or simply giving your body time to recover.

Feeling better after drinking bone broth does not establish that the broth caused the improvement. Hangover symptoms generally ease with time, and people may also have rested, eaten or consumed other fluids.

For other hydration options, see the best drinks for hangovers.

How should you use bone broth for a hangover?

Use bone broth as a source of fluid and food, not as a remedy that will quickly reverse the effects of alcohol. If your stomach feels unsettled, start slowly rather than forcing yourself to finish a serving.

1. Choose a ready-to-use bone broth or one prepared safely at home. If buying it, check the label for ingredients you need to avoid.
2. Compare sodium information on packaged options, especially if you have a health condition that makes sodium important. Choose a lower-sodium option if your clinician has recommended limiting it.
3. Warm the bone broth according to the package directions, then let it cool enough to drink comfortably. Follow storage directions for opened broth and refrigerate leftovers promptly.
4. Sip a little at a time and stop if it makes you feel worse. If you are hungry and can tolerate food, a plain snack may be more appealing than a large meal.

Feeling better after bone broth does not mean your judgment or coordination has returned to normal. Do not drive or operate machinery if you may still be impaired.

Who should be careful, and when should you get help?

If you have kidney disease, heart failure or high blood pressure, or have been advised to limit sodium or fluids, ask a clinician or dietitian whether bone broth fits your plan. The same is sensible if you take a diuretic or another medication for which your clinician monitors your fluid or sodium intake. Check ingredients if you have food allergies.

Contact a clinician promptly if you cannot keep fluids down or your symptoms are severe or worsening. If you are pregnant and drank alcohol, contact your pregnancy care clinician for advice. A child who may have consumed alcohol needs urgent medical advice.

Call emergency services immediately if someone is difficult to wake, has a seizure, has slow or irregular breathing, or has pale or blue-tinged skin. Repeated vomiting with reduced alertness is also an emergency. Stay with the person, place them on their side, and do not force food or drink; alcohol poisoning can be mistaken for someone sleeping it off.

If you regularly drink heavily and develop shaking, sweating or anxiety when you stop, contact a clinician: alcohol withdrawal may need medical supervision. Seizures or hallucinations require emergency care.