Dihydromyricetin (DHM), which also goes by the name ampelopsin, is a type of metabolite that occurs naturally in plants.
It is a flavanonol: a type of flavanoid purified from the leaves found in Japanese Raisin trees (Hovenia Dulcis) native to China, Japan, and Korea, the Snake Wine Vine (Ampelopsis Grossedentata) native to the warm parts of China, Himilayan Cedar (Cedrus Deodara) native to China, India, Pakistan, and also in the African Blackwood (Erythropleum Africanum).
Benefits of Dihydromyricetin
Hovenia Duclis has long been used in China, Japan, and Korea as a traditional medicine. It serves as one of the earliest documented plants used in traditional Chinese medicine and has been used to treat a number of ailments.
Presently, the herbal extract dihydromyricetin has received a lot of attention due to its curative functions, and this article will review some of the benefits attributed to it, as well as the possible side effects.
1. Hangover
Dihydromyricetin is the only product available to consumers which has been backed by scientific research to counter or prevent hangovers. Acetaldehyde is an extremely toxic compound that forms as a result of the liver breaking down alcohol and causes the classical hangover symptoms, nausea, headache, and increased sensitivity to light and sound.
DHM increases the liver enzymes acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, increasing its ability to breakdown and remove acetaldehyde from the system. This increased removal of acetaldehyde from the body due to DHM results in a decrease in hangover symptoms.
Alcoholics suffer from alcohol withdrawal once they quit drinking. Minor alcohol withdrawals occur when one begins to sober up as your brain rebounds from the effects of alcohol. Studies have indicated that Dihydromyricetin reduces the effects of alcohol withdrawal by interfering with the ability of alcohol to impact the GABA(a) receptors of the brain by improving on their plasticity.
Taking DHM after a night out drinking aids the brain to return to baseline sooner and also reduces the rebound effects. Insomnia is also a result of minor alcohol withdrawal, which causes foggy brain and fatigue. Taking DHM reduces hangover and also improves sleep quality, making you feel refreshed and energized the following morning.
Since dehydration also makes hangovers more severe, it is advised to take DHM with a bottle or two of water. This is because DHM does nothing to rehydrate a dehydrated body after alcohol consumption, so staying hydrated still serves its own role in easing hangovers.
2. Prevents Drunkenness
In addition to making one sober up faster, Dihydromyricetin also helps in preventing drunkenness. This happens due to the fact that DHM improves your liver’s ability to detoxify or get rid of alcohol in the system, and at the same time reduce the effect that alcohol may have on your brain (which usually happens when you have been drinking).
If you take DHM before drinking, it makes it more difficult to get drunk while drinking at a casual pace. It also helps in reducing the amount of alcohol that is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and into the bloodstream, so the effects that result from consuming alcohol will the swiftly blunted.
3. Protects The Brain And Liver
It is a known fact that consumption of alcohol causes increased oxidative stress in your brain, which results in damage of the brain cells. Thanks to current scientific research, it has been established that Dihydromyricetin is neuroprotective and a potent antioxidant which helps in this situation.
In addition to protecting the brain, DHM also does the same to the liver, which is the organ that is the most affected by drinking alcohol. The liver has to stop its natural physiological processes in order to process alcohol, which results in accumulation of fat deposit and tissue damage.
Since DHM allows the liver to get rid of alcohol faster, it enables it to resume its normal functions sooner. DHM is a potent antioxidant and aids in remove dangerous heavy metals such as Fe and Fe2+ from the body, which is protective to the liver.
4. Anti-Cancer
It is widely known that Dihydromyricetin is of great use in alcohol related conditions. In addition, there is compelling research exhibiting that it has the potential to prevent hepatocellular carcinoma; a condition that shows one of the highest morbidity and mortality the world over.
According to the research, DHM has hepatoprotective effects, while at the same time inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing cell death or apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) cell lines. It is worth noting that DHM forms a great candidate as a possible treatment for HCC.
Side Effects
Dihydromyricetin use in the prevention of hangovers and protection of the liver has majorly been side effect free. It is considered nontoxic and purely organic.
The major side effect that comes with this medication is the possibility of it being used as an excuse to consume and/or use alcohol in an irresponsible manner. The users might not be aware of how intoxicated they really are. For this reason, it is advised never to use DHM with the intent of consuming more alcohol than you usually do, and never to drink and drive even when using it.
Dihydromyricetin Final Words
Dihydromyricetin, also known as ampelopsin, is an important naturally occurring drug that aids in promoting both mental and physical health. When using it to help liver function, our bodies are kept free of intoxicating substances that might damage the liver, leading to other ailments such as HCC.
As mentioned above, HCC is among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. So, while dihydromyricetin is well known for its uses in preventing drunkenness and hangovers, it is also very important in the prevention of certain cancers and in achieving overall good health.
This drug should be taken responsibly and never abused. It is important to remember that access to dihydromyricetin does not excuse the user from their responsibility to safety when consuming alcohol.
If you have never used dihydromyricetin and are considering giving it a try, you should contact your primary care physician. They will be able to give you more information about the uses and benefits of dihydromyricetin, and they will also know if you have any individual reasons not to take the drug.
