Review: More Labs Morning Recovery is a hangover cure

We wouldn't be surprised if the little ginseng shot became a household name.

Below: Our verdict on whether Morning Recovery is the hangover cure it promised.

Last time I had a lot more fun at a family wedding. Driving home on Sunday, I remember the entire list of alcoholic beverages I drank the night before – champagne, vodka, tequila, red wine, white wine, too much vodka, Coors Lights… in that order. I went full Captain Jack Sparrow (well, without the rum).

At some point, I realized that all that recalculation – and the fact that we were speeding down the Mass Pike – should have made me sick by now. But despite all the obstacles, I felt good. Tired from bad sleep and sore from bad dancing, sure, but okay.

My good health can be attributed to another drink I drank the night before: Morning Recovery from Los Angeles-based More Labs.

What is morning recovery?

Morning Recovery is a shot-sized (3.4 oz) medicine that you must use before taking it. (Hence the tagline: Drink before you drink.) It's a bestseller from Peacock Labs, which specializes in a variety of performance drinks.

For example, Morning Labs' Liquid Focus contains “synergistic caffeine and L-theanine,” while the brand's Dream Well contains “plum extract and melatonin.” They're all back-pocket-portable, one-swig dramas that promise you a better workday or sleep. It's a compelling pitch, and reminds me of the still-booming health gummies sector (it seems like people would prefer to simply chew rather than scoop up a messy powder and mix it in intense shaker bottles).

Meanwhile, Morning Recovery contains many ingredients that cannot be identified. (For Western consumers, at least!) Here's the full ingredient list for the “Sugar-Free Lemon” iteration of the product, which I ordered in bulk: Prickly Pear Extract, Milk Thistle, Hovanea Dulcis Extract, Korean Pear extract, green tea extract, red ginseng extract, B & C vitamins and electrolytes.

You'll see some traditional terms there (for example, vitamins and electrolytes). But there are other health benefits around the world: milk thistle, a Mediterranean herb, red ginseng, a Chinese herb, hovenia dulcis Extract from Japanese raisin tree (also known as DHM) and Korean pear extract…derived from Korean pear.

So, is this a hangover cure?

It's a lot of natural, well-sourced ingredients, and a far cry from traditional “cures,” like orange Gatorade from a bodega, or Anthony Bourdain's infamous way: “Aspirin, cold Coca-Cola, joint, some spicy Szechuan food. – Works every time.

If you read MORE Labs' academic literature – like many wellness brands these days, they have initiated clinical studies to demonstrate that their products do something – you see Morning Recovery as a real cure. goes. According to the company, this will make a big difference to your morning after; Their research shows that people who take it before a crazy night out feel 80% better about their symptoms than those who don't take it.

However, a few things to keep in mind: a) most labs' statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and b) there are a lot of hangover symptoms. While we tend to discuss hangovers in black-and-white terms (e.g., “I had a hangover this morning, and now I don't”), the condition is actually an umbrella for a list of minor ailments: stomach aches, headaches. , dizziness, thirst, nausea, apathy, work paralysis.

What is a drink like Morning Recovery can do The aim is to eliminate some of these symptoms, and thus limit the overall severity of the hangover. These ingredients were carefully selected for their liver-supporting properties. (That said, something like Korean pear extract helps lower blood alcohol concentrations.)

The only way to know if Morning Recovery works for you is to try it. My actual testimonial? It saves me from headaches. That was the thrust of what I was reacting to while driving home from the wedding weekend. My brain was not coming out of my ears. However, at the same time, I can't say that my stomach felt incredible.

I recommend trying Morning Recovery. Buy six to start – it's the price of two cocktails. And ultimately this may reduce the actual cost of those cocktails. Oh, and as far as taste goes, it reminds me of brisket iced tea. not bad at all.