Researchers have successfully developed a gel that can help prevent drunkenness and aid in faster recovery from it during mouse experiments. The gel, made of iron particles and the milk protein beta-lactoglobulin, was found to mimic the activity of an enzyme that breaks down ethanol into acetic acid. Unlike the body’s own enzymes, which first convert ethanol into acetaldehyde before converting it into acetic acid, the gel broke down ethanol directly into acetic acid.
During the four-hour experiment, blood alcohol levels in the mice were decreased by about 55%, and acetaldehyde levels in the blood were significantly reduced. Mice that consumed alcohol and ate the gel daily for ten days showed healthier internal organs compared to those that did not consume the gel at all. The researchers hope to conduct human trials in the future with the goal of preventing hangovers and aiding in the treatment of people with alcoholism.
The gel could potentially protect against liver damage and other adverse effects of excessive drinking. The study was published in the scientific journal Nature Nanotechnology and reported by sources such as New Scientist and Science News.
