Sob'r-K™ as a Hangover Remedy:
Preliminary Findings of a Double-Blind Study with Bar Patrons
Abstract
Hangover symptoms were measured among fourteen volunteer, paid bar
patrons after consuming beverage alcohol in their regular bar setting.
Consenting subjects were administered pharmaceutical grade activated
carbons (Sob'r-K) and AlcoSorb in caplet form, or placebo, before, during
and at the end of each of three evenings of drinking in a double-blind
research design. A multiple regression analysis was statistically for the
sample using the hangover scores (from the "morning-after") of
two types of activated carbon, compared to the sugar placebo.
Sob'r-K and Hangover Amelioration
The effectiveness of activated carbons as a remedy for hangovers was
studied using two types of patented commercial preparations of highly
refined activated carbons and a placebo in a small sample of bar patrons
who voluntarily participated in a series of three evenings of drinking.
Earlier studies on activated carbon have established links to altering the
effects of alcohol in animals and humans (Erickson and Byers 1985;
Neuvonen 1984; Neurone et al 1984). Hangovers and related after effects of
moderate to heavy alcohol consumption are known to contribute
significantly to lost productivity in work and school settings,
absenteeism and other costly dysfunctional behaviors (West 1984; Wisconsin
1980; NIAAA 1981).
Method of Study
Fourteen (14) subjects were selected from a sample of seventy (70)
individuals recruited for the study in local drinking establishments. A
screening questionnaire about drinking habits, number of lifetime
hangovers and a list of prevailing symptoms was completed.
A study protocol was designed to provide an opportunity for a research
investigation to take place with minimal disruption to the patrons'
routine activities in the tavern setting. The volunteer, paid subjects
were informed about the risks and benefits of the study prior to signing a
consent form.
Subjects were provided drink tokens with identifying code numbers to
purchase drinks during the study. A maximum number of drinks were set for
safety purposes. Any participant showing visible signs of intoxication or
having a breathalyzer test above .10 gm% was offered a ride home.
Anonymity and confidentiality was assured all subjects and every effort
was made to maintain data privacy during the collection of data.
Activated carbon caplets were presented to participating subjects in
sealed envelopes before each of three sessions. Subjects and investigators
were blind to the contents of each envelope which contained six
pre-packaged, 350mg capsules of activated carbon [Sob'r-K; AlcoSorb] or
powdered sugar placebo capsules. The latter were made to appear identical
to the activated carbon capsules. Each subject was asked to swallow two of
the 350mg test capsules at the start of each evening, two capsules at the
mid-point of the evening and two capsules before the last set of
questions. The total activated carbon consumed during a single evening did
not exceed 2,100 mg. Prior art has established 120 grams as the maximum
dose of activated carbon (Cooney 1996:175).
Four times over a period of three hours each subject was interviewed.
Questions included the frequency and type of drink they were consuming,
their interim social activity, mood states and two breath alcohol samples
were taken. To monitor how a subject "felt" subjectively during
the experiment, a sequence of paper and pencil tests were administered in
which the patron provided an estimation of their mood, with and without
feedback.
Investigated mood states included how "drunk" or intoxicated
they felt, whether they felt "in control", how "high"
they felt, how "good" they felt, how "nauseated" they
felt and afterwards, how "hungover" they felt. These states were
measured using a lines test technique. Subjects marked how they felt along
a 125mm line with "least to most", or "worst to best"
limits, depending on the variable used. An instant mood state estimation
was immediately followed by a repeat of the same question the same lines
at 45 minute intervals. This provided feedback about prior state ratings.
The line marks made it possible to quantify the subjects' responses by
measuring the distance of the mark from the end of the line.
At the end of each field session the participant was given an envelope
containing a set of lines test questions to fill out when they awoke the
next morning. Included in the "morning after" questions was a
question designed to quantify the subjects' reactions (rated 0-5) on three
dozen hangover symptoms. The subject was paid upon turning in the
completed "morning after" questions to the investigator. Smith's
(1987) comprehensive hangover questionnaire was also completed following
the field-testing phase of the study (Smith and Barnes 1983; Pristach,
Smith and Whitney 1983).
Findings
Complete data sets were obtained from fourteen (14) subjects. The
baseline hangover rating for the fourteen subjects ranged from 23 to 102;
the mean was 64.69; standard error 6.49. The double blind codes were
unveiled and statistical comparisons made for "Hangover
Reactions" and "Mood States" using the
"morning-after" data.
Hangover Reactions (Morning-After)
The cumulative ratings by each subject were tabulated for the thirty-six
(36) hangover symptoms, creating a "Hangover Reaction" score.
The participants had the following scores after each of the experimental
conditions as follows: Sob'r-K scores ranged from 0 to 30; the mean was
12, standard error 2.33; AlcoSorb scores ranged from 1 to 69; the mean was
22; standard error 5.95; and the Placebo scores ranged from 0 to 98; the
mean was 42.07; standard error 7.94.
Multivariate statistical tests were calculated using the scores for
each of the activated carbon conditions as independent variables and the
placebo condition scores as the dependent variable. In this manner a
multiple regression analysis for "Hangover Reactions" of Sob'r-K
and AlcoSorb vs. Placebo was calculated, which revealed a Multiple R of
0.770; R Square of .0593; with 2 degrees of freedom yielding an F-score of
8.75. This finding is statistically significant (p=.0.00452).
Mood States (Morning-After)
The cumulative measurements for six mood states were tabulated for each
subject, creating a "Mood State" score. The participants had the
following scores after each of the experimental condition as follows:
Sob'r-K scores ranged from 2 to 98; the mean was 40.61, standard error
8.42; AlcoSorb scores ranged from 4 to 203; the mean was 76.23; standard
error 15.77; and the Placebo scores ranged from 12 to 417; the mean was
213.07; standard error 37.20.
The "Mood States" multiple regression statistics were in the
predicted direction but less robust than those for the Hangover Reaction
scores. The Multiple R 0.625; R Square 0.391, which with 2 degrees of
freedom yields an F-score of 3.21, which is not statistically significant
(p=.083), though nearly so.
Conclusion
Sob'r-K has been demonstrated in these preliminary tests to be an
effective ameliorating compound for reducing the hangover effects as
measured.
The double blind with placebo study design was carried out with little
difficulty in a normal bar setting with regular patrons--similar to the
sorts of conditions in which activated compound could be used by bar
patrons wishing to enjoy themselves with minimal worry about having a
hangover the next morning.
Acknowledgments
1. This double-blind study of (Sob'r-K) was funded by Lifestyles
Marketing of Minnesota and M. P. M. Holdings, BRD of Germany. They
provided prepackaged and coded packets of activated carbon and placebo,
the Intoximeter IV instrument used to test breath alcohol levels as well
as calibration equipment. A technical report with more detailed findings
is forthcoming (Schaefer 1997).
2. I wish to thank the owner, staff and patrons of "The Katzenjammer
Bar" without whose cooperation the study would have been impossible.
Also I thank David Knight and Kimberly T. Schaefer for their assistance in
gathering data from patrons.
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