What Is DHM? How Dihydromyricetin Works and How Much to Take

By NUDAY Editorial · Reviewed by NUDAY Research Team · Last updated September 2026

DHM, short for dihydromyricetin, is a flavonoid extracted from the Japanese raisin tree, Hovenia dulcis. It is the most studied ingredient in next-day formulas because it supports the enzymes that break down alcohol and its toxic by-product acetaldehyde. Research and premium products use 300-1,000 mg; most mass-market hangover products contain far less.

NUDAY Next-Day Support Gummies carry 500 mg of DHM per two-gummy serving, alongside L-cysteine, B-complex vitamins and electrolytes. Two gummies before bed.

What is DHM (dihydromyricetin)?

DHM is a plant flavonoid, also called ampelopsin, found in its highest concentration in the fruit and stems of Hovenia dulcis, the Japanese or oriental raisin tree. Hovenia has been used in Korean and Chinese traditional medicine for alcohol-related complaints for well over a thousand years. Modern supplements extract and purify the compound, because raw Hovenia fruit contains only small amounts of DHM. That distinction matters when you read a label: "Hovenia extract" and "DHM" are not the same number.

How does DHM work?

DHM works on two fronts: it supports the two liver enzymes that clear alcohol, and it acts on the GABA-A receptors alcohol targets in the brain. Your liver converts alcohol to acetaldehyde using alcohol dehydrogenase, then converts acetaldehyde to harmless acetate using aldehyde dehydrogenase. Acetaldehyde is many times more toxic than alcohol itself and drives the flushing, nausea and headache of the morning after. A 2020 study in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research by Silva and colleagues found DHM increased the activity of both enzymes in mice and reduced fat build-up in the liver. On the brain side, a 2012 study by Shen and colleagues in the Journal of Neuroscience showed DHM counteracted alcohol's effects at GABA-A receptors in rats, reducing intoxication, tolerance and withdrawal signs. The wider chain of events is covered in What Causes a Hangover?

Hangover driver	What DHM is proposed to do	Evidence as of 2026
Acetaldehyde build-up	Support aldehyde dehydrogenase activity	Animal and cell studies; small human trials
Alcohol's GABA-A effects (rebound anxiety, broken sleep)	Counteract alcohol at the receptor	Animal (2012)
Liver fat and oxidative stress	Reduce lipid accumulation	Animal (2020)
Fluid and electrolyte loss	Nothing. Electrolytes are needed	Established; separate ingredient
Glutathione depletion	Nothing. L-cysteine is the precursor	Established; separate ingredient

Does DHM actually work for hangovers?

DHM has strong animal evidence and limited but growing human evidence, and it is not a reason to drink more. The 2012 rat study is the reason the ingredient exists commercially. On the human side, a 2017 randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial in South Korea found Hovenia dulcis fruit extract lowered hangover symptom scores compared with placebo. Researchers at the University of Southern California began the first controlled human safety and dosing studies of purified DHM in the early 2020s, and results are still emerging as of 2026. What no study shows is DHM lowering blood alcohol enough to matter for impairment. It supports processing after the fact. How much any of it shortens the morning depends on how much you drank, your sleep and your hydration, which is why How Long Does a Hangover Last? covers the other variables.

How much DHM should you take?

Research and premium products cluster between 300 and 1,000 mg of DHM per dose, taken before drinking or before bed, while most mass-market hangover gummies and pills contain 50-150 mg. Animal doses do not translate cleanly to humans, so the honest position is that the effective human range is still being defined; the products with the most plausible doses sit at the upper end of what is on the market, not the lower.

Source	DHM per serving
Typical hangover gummy or capsule	50-150 mg
"Hovenia extract" capsules	300-600 mg of extract; DHM content usually undisclosed
Hangover patches	Negligible; skin absorption of DHM is unproven
NUDAY Next-Day Support (2 gummies)	500 mg DHM, disclosed on the label

Is DHM safe? Are there side effects?

DHM has been well tolerated in the studies published so far, with no serious adverse effects reported at the doses used, and Hovenia fruit has a long dietary history. The long-term human safety database is still small as of 2026, so the sensible caveats apply: speak to a doctor before using it if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have liver disease, or take medication that the liver metabolises. And treat it as support for the night you have already planned, not permission to extend it.

What should you look for in a DHM supplement?

Look for a disclosed DHM figure in milligrams, a dose of at least 300 mg, and companion ingredients that cover the parts of a hangover DHM cannot touch.

• DHM stated in mg, not "Hovenia extract". If the label does not say how much DHM, assume very little.
• L-cysteine and B vitamins alongside it. They address acetaldehyde and the vitamin losses alcohol causes.
• Electrolytes in the same serving. Alcohol is a diuretic; DHM does nothing for that.
• Third-party testing and local registration. In the UAE that means MOHAP registration.
• A format you will actually take before bed. Two gummies beat a handful of capsules at 2am.

The complete pre-night routine, including food, water and timing, is in How to Prevent a Hangover.

The bottom line

DHM is the best-studied ingredient in the next-day category: a flavonoid from the Japanese raisin tree that supports the enzymes clearing alcohol and acetaldehyde, with strong animal data and early human data behind it. The dose on the label is what separates products that follow the research from products that borrow its name. NUDAY Next-Day Support is formulated around 500 mg of DHM per serving for that reason.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does DHM stand for?

DHM stands for dihydromyricetin, a flavonoid also known as ampelopsin. It occurs naturally in the Japanese raisin tree, Hovenia dulcis, and in smaller amounts in vine tea. Supplement-grade DHM is extracted and purified from Hovenia, then standardised so the milligram amount on the label reflects actual DHM rather than raw plant extract.

When should you take DHM?

Take DHM before bed after drinking, or shortly before you start. The enzymes it supports do most of their work overnight while alcohol and acetaldehyde are still being cleared, so a dose before sleep lines up with that window. NUDAY Next-Day Support is designed as two gummies before bed for exactly this reason.

Does DHM lower your blood alcohol?

Not meaningfully in humans, as of 2026. Animal studies show faster alcohol clearance, but no human trial has shown DHM reduces blood alcohol enough to change impairment or a breath test. It supports how your body processes what you drank. It does not make you safe to drive or a reason to drink more.

Can you take DHM every day?

The studies published so far report DHM as well tolerated at the doses used, but the long-term human safety data is still limited as of 2026. Most people use it on the nights it is needed rather than daily. Anyone pregnant, breastfeeding, on liver-metabolised medication or with liver disease should speak to a doctor first.

Is DHM the same as Hovenia dulcis extract?

No. Hovenia dulcis extract is the whole-fruit or stem extract and can contain anywhere from a trace to a few percent DHM. Purified DHM is the isolated compound. A label reading "Hovenia extract 500 mg" may deliver only a few milligrams of DHM, which is why a disclosed DHM figure matters when comparing products.