What is it?
What DHM is
1Dihydromyricetin is a flavonoid polyphenol also called ampelopsin. It occurs in plants such as Ampelopsis grossedentata, Hovenia dulcis and related herbal products, but many retail products sell purified or enriched DHM rather than whole plant material.
Human evidence is mostly metabolic
3The clearest human findings are outside nootropics. In a small NAFLD trial, 150 mg twice daily for 3 months changed selected liver enzyme, fasting glucose, LDL and inflammatory markers versus placebo without changing ultrasound-rated liver fat. A separate type 2 diabetes study used a DHM-containing Ampelopsis grossedentata preparation for 1 month and reported glycemic-control signals.
Names, aliases and forms
Mechanisms of action
GABA and alcohol models are not human hangover proof
5The 2012 Journal of Neuroscience paper tested DHM in rats and linked lower alcohol intake, intoxication and withdrawal-like signs to GABA-signaling effects. Another rat/in vitro study did not find clear alcohol-metabolism or alcohol-liver-injury protection in its model. For consumers, that means alcohol claims should stay mechanistic and uncertain.
Potential effects and evidence map
DHM has short human studies in metabolic and liver-marker contexts, not in cognition. LiverTox summarizes a placebo-controlled NAFLD study and a type 2 diabetes study that reported selected biomarker changes during short study windows. Alcohol-intoxication findings are mainly animal GABA-signaling research, and an independent review found marketed hangover products often lack adequate clinical support. Direct healthy-user memory, focus, mood and productivity evidence was not identified.
Direct human evidence that DHM improves memory or learning in healthy users was not identified.
Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms are plausible, but human brain-outcome evidence is weak.
No meaningful human evidence was found for exercise performance or physical energy.
Typical dosages and timing
LiverTox reports common commercial oral labels from 300 to 1,000 mg daily. Human studies include 150 mg twice daily in NAFLD and a DHM-containing preparation providing 760 mg per day in type 2 diabetes. These reports are label-comparison context, not established cognition or hangover-use directions.
Timing & effect horizon
Safety, side effects and risk profile
Consumer alcohol-recovery and nootropic claims run ahead of human efficacy evidence; the strongest human data are metabolic/liver-marker studies.
DHM cannot be used to make alcohol use, driving, or other safety-sensitive activity safe.
LiverTox rates DHM as an unlikely cause of clinically apparent liver injury, but people with liver disease or heavy alcohol exposure should not self-manage with concentrated products.
Gestation, nursing and pediatric safety data are inadequate for concentrated DHM products.
Short human studies reported no adverse events, but digestive intolerance remains possible with concentrated flavonoid products.
Practical buying and quality notes
- Prefer products that disclose the DHM amount per serving, plant source, purity or standardization, heavy-metal and microbial testing, and third-party verification. Be skeptical of blends where DHM is hidden inside a proprietary hangover formula with many other ingredients and no exact amount.7
FAQ
Does DHM reduce hangover symptoms?
7Human evidence is not strong enough to say that. DHM is common in hangover products, but product-level trials and transparent dosing are often missing.
Is DHM a nootropic?
5Not in the usual evidence-based sense. Direct human data for memory, focus or mental energy are weak; most brain-related claims come from animal or mechanism studies.
What human dose has been studied?
2Published examples include 150 mg twice daily in a NAFLD trial and a DHM-containing preparation providing 760 mg per day in a type 2 diabetes study. LiverTox also describes a broad commercial oral-label range.
Who should avoid casual DHM use?
2People with liver disease, heavy alcohol exposure, pregnancy or nursing status, complex prescription-drug regimens, or any safety-sensitive alcohol context should avoid self-directed DHM use and seek qualified clinical guidance.
References
- PubChem. Compound Summary for CID 161557, Dihydromyricetin.
- LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury. Dihydromyricetin. Last update August 16, 2023.
- Chen S, Zhao X, Wan J, Ran L, et al. Dihydromyricetin improves glucose and lipid metabolism and exerts anti-inflammatory effects in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomized controlled trial. Pharmacological Research. 2015.
- Ran L, Wang X, Lang H, Xu J, et al. Ampelopsis grossedentata supplementation effectively ameliorates the glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2019.
- Shen Y, Lindemeyer AK, Gonzalez C, Shao XM, et al. Dihydromyricetin as a novel anti-alcohol intoxication medication. Journal of Neuroscience. 2012.
- Skotnicova A, Boubinova G, Bostikova Z, et al. Does dihydromyricetin impact on alcohol metabolism. Physiological Research. 2020.
- Verster JC, van Rossum CJI, Scholey A. Unknown safety and efficacy of alcohol hangover treatments puts consumers at risk. Addictive Behaviors. 2021.
- ClinicalTrials.gov. NCT05623501, Phase I dose-escalation study of dihydromyricetin in healthy volunteers / alcohol-associated liver disease context.