--- source_url: https://hangovr180.com/science/dhm/what-is-dhm.md canonical_url: https://hangovr180.com/science/dhm/what-is-dhm generated_at: 2026-06-28T19:53:17Z build_id: ebfcfef page_type: science-leaf claim_ids: [SF-21, SF-02, SF-01] --- # WHAT IS DHM *A flavonoid with a 1,000-year track record. Here's the actual science -- not the supplement marketing version.* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. DHM is short for dihydromyricetin. It's a flavonoid -- a class of plant compound -- extracted from *Hovenia dulcis*, commonly called the Japanese raisin tree. The plant has been used for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine as a remedy for alcohol poisoning and hangover.[5] I came across it while trying to figure out why the existing supplement options weren't working on me. The chemistry is not complicated once you strip out the academic language. DHM is a bioflavonoid, which means it's a polyphenol -- the same broad family as the compounds in green tea or red wine, just from a different plant source. What makes DHM distinct within that family is its documented effect on how the liver handles alcohol and its byproducts. [Researchers at the USC School of Pharmacy](https://today.usc.edu/hangover-remedy-dhm-liver-protection-usc-study/)[1] put it plainly: DHM helps the body metabolize alcohol faster. The mechanism they identified involves a sequence of metabolic changes in the liver -- not just a single pathway, which is part of why I found it more interesting than the other ingredients I'd tested. And it wasn't just the hangover angle that caught my attention. The liver protection data was unexpected. ## Where It Comes From *Hovenia dulcis* grows across China, Japan, and Korea, typically at elevations below 2,100 meters in open fields and forests. Research on its chemical composition began in the late 20th century, and flavonoids constitute up to 27.61% of the main bioactive components of the plant.[5] DHM is the most studied of these -- though it's worth knowing it isn't the only active compound in the plant. The extract also goes by the name ampelopsin, depending on which research paper you're reading. Same compound, different naming convention from older literature. (this confused me for a solid two weeks when I was first going through the studies, honestly) ## What the Research Shows The core finding -- across multiple research groups -- is that DHM affects alcohol metabolism at the enzymatic level. Hovenia extracts promote ethanol elimination by enhancing the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH).[4] Those are the two enzymes the liver uses to break down alcohol and then break down the toxic byproduct that comes after it, acetaldehyde. That byproduct is a significant part of why you feel rough the next day. A 2020 study published in *Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research* found that DHM enhances ethanol metabolism via increased ethanol metabolizing expression and activity, with the collective effects also increasing antioxidant enzymes and reducing inflammation.[2] The antioxidant piece matters because oxidative stress is part of the damage equation -- not just the aldehyde load. > **Claim [SF-21]:** Acts by promoting aldehyde and alcohol metabolism of foods. † > > † These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The liver health angle was the part I didn't expect going in. I was focused on the morning-after effects. But a separate line of research, including work from the NIH, found that DHM alleviates ethanol-induced disruptions in mitochondrial and lipid metabolism, while demonstrating hepatoprotective activity.[3] That's a different outcome than just "feel better faster" -- that's the liver itself being in better shape after alcohol exposure. > **Claim [SF-02]:** Supports overall liver health. † > > † These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. ## Why We Use It at 1,500mg Three ingredients. That's it. When we formulated H180, the dose question was the most time-consuming part. Most supplements on the market use DHM at doses well below what the clinical research uses. I ran tests at multiple dose levels over about six months, and the difference between 300mg and 1,500mg was not subtle. The 1,500mg dose -- which is what's in every H180 serving -- is what we built the formula around. The dose-response data and the formulation rationale are covered in detail on the [DHM dose-response page](/science/dhm/dose-response). The short version: the research supports higher doses, and in our testing, at least, the lower doses most competitors use simply didn't produce the same result. > **Claim [SF-01]:** Helps you feel fresh. † > > † These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. ## What DHM Doesn't Do DHM is not a license to drink more. We're not making that claim and I'd push back hard on any supplement that does. What the evidence supports is that DHM works on the metabolic side of the equation -- helping the liver process what you've already consumed more efficiently. That's a different thing from being a protective shield that changes how much alcohol affects you while you're drinking. The GABA modulation research -- where DHM interacts with the same brain receptors that alcohol activates -- is real and documented, but that's a separate page. The short version is that DHM's effects on GABA are part of how it supports mood the next day, not a mechanism for drinking without consequences. If that distinction matters to you, read the [GABA modulation page](/science/dhm/gaba-modulation). We ran teh same test sequence on this one that we ran on everything else. ## Citations 1. USC News. [Noted hangover remedy DHM has added benefit of protecting the liver](https://today.usc.edu/hangover-remedy-dhm-liver-protection-usc-study/). today.usc.edu. 2. Silva J, et al. [Dihydromyricetin Protects the Liver via Changes in Lipid Metabolism and Enhanced Ethanol Metabolism](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7211127/). PMC7211127. 3. Zhou Y, et al. [Dihydromyricetin supplementation improves ethanol-induced lipid accumulation and inflammation](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10481966/). PMC10481966. 4. Shen Y, et al. [Dihydromyricetin As a Novel Anti-Alcohol Intoxication Medication](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3292407/). PMC3292407. 5. Wang Z, et al. [Hovenia dulcis: a Chinese medicine that plays an essential role in alcohol-associated liver disease](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11033337/). PMC11033337. ## Read Next - [How DHM Works: The ADH/ALDH Pathway](/science/dhm/adh-aldh-pathway) - [DHM Dose-Response: Why 1,500mg Matters](/science/dhm/dose-response) - [DHM and GABA Modulation Explained](/science/dhm/gaba-modulation) - [The Formula](/science/formula) **Written by Mark Scott** - Co-Formulator, Hangovr180® | Co-Inventor, [US Application 18/698,010](https://patents.google.com/patent/US20250073201A1) Mark Scott conducted approximately 150 personal formulation tests over six months to develop the H180 ingredient combination. [Editorial standards](/editorial-standards) --- These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Hangovr180® is a dietary supplement. Individual results may vary. Consult your healthcare provider before use if you have any medical conditions or take medications. [US Application 18/698,010](https://patents.google.com/patent/US20250073201A1). 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