Does Dihydromyricetin cause anxiety?
No. The way Ampelopsin interacts with the GABAergic system leads people to mistakenly think that it might cause or worsen anxiety, but that isn’t often the case.
Dihydromyricetin doesn’t indiscriminately lower GABA in the brain (a neurotransmitter responsible for the loss of motor function and inhibition — as well as the reason blackouts occur) but instead attenuates high levels acting as a partial agonist. DHM subtle action on GABA actually prevents a rebound effect which exacerbates anxiety and cortisol whereby because alcohol introduces so much GABA into the brain, the body stops producing its own. When the high levels induced by the drink dissipates, we’re left with very little in the body and it’s this that causes the anxiety after drinking.
Dihydromyricetin prevents this by almost entirely eliminating the rebound effect noticed after drinking. This is also the cause of waking up early and not being able to fall back asleep after a night out. The increase in cortisol many of us experience as part of the rebound effect will wake us up and prevent us from going back to sleep, DHM prevents this and allows for a great night’s sleep even after getting wasted.
How much Dihydromyricetin should I take?
300-4,000mg
As mentioned above, figuring out how much DHM you should dose takes a little thought but it’s relatively easy. There are two main reasons to take Dihydromyricetin, and they both require slightly different dosages. The following recommendations are based only on anecdotal research since conversion from rat models is unreliable, but thankfully DHM is regularly taken by many thousands of people so we can tell pretty accurately how much is required. As always with supplements, we insist you consult your doctor before taking anything, especially in combination with alcohol.
Before drinking (to reduce intoxication): 2g+
After drinking (to prevent hangovers): 100mg per drink
*where 1 drink roughly equals 2 units
What’s the difference between capsules and powder?
Depending on your budget, preferences and desired outcome, we have two options for buying Dihydromyricetin: either in capsule form or as a powder. Both still provide the same great benefits of DHM, including reduced GABA levels in the brain, improved coherence when drinking and dramatically reduced hangovers and their uncomfortable symptoms.
DHM Capsules
These are easy to swallow and are convenient to take on a night out, whether in your bag or even a few tucked into your wallet. You won’t need to worry about loose powder, especially if you’ve already been drinking heavily. However, because these are in capsule form and taken orally, it will take your body some time to fully benefit from the DHM capsules.
DHM Powder
If you want to get to the heart of DHM benefits, ingesting the powder is the quickest and cheapest way. You can easily mix our DHM powder with water or juice to effectively and quickly get it into your system. This way, you’ll reap the rewards much faster than with capsules. However, it may be difficult to take the powder while out with friends at the bar, but it’s easily taken once home before you head to bed.
Is Dihydromyricetin Safe?
DHM has been used in Asian countries for hundreds of years as a hangover cure and to sober people up, and is considered safe for humans even in larger doses of several grams. The extract of the tree it comes from, the Japanese Raisin Tree, has been given to mice to test the lethal dose, and half the mice in a given population will die when given 1.4g per kilogram of bodyweight. Conversions from rat pharmacology to human are imprecise, but can be estimated using the HED ratio of 16%, giving us a safe upper limit dosage for a 70kg person of 15.68g.
Of course as with anything, there may be side effects when taking DHM. However, these are generally uncommon.
One research team found that Dihydromyricetin shows “health-benefiting activities with minimum adverse effects.” Some of these benefits include antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory effects and antimicrobial activities.
Dihydromyricetin acts on the GABA receptors, and while we’ve explored the reasons it doesn’t effect or induce anxiety after drinking, if you are suffering from a condition that affects your GABA production, uptake, or other related neurobiology — or are taking medication or supplements that affect the GABAgenic system — please speak to a doctor before taking any DHM supplement.
