A Cure For The Common Hangover? Entrepreneur Ari Stiegler Says This California Company Has The Formula 

Imagine if you could stop hangovers well before they ever start. A new product aims to solve the dreaded problem for those who enjoy an evening of social drinking.

San Francisco-based ZBiotics created a probiotic drink that breaks down acetaldehyde, a toxic byproduct of alcohol metabolism that wreaks havoc on your body and causes those unpleasant symptoms after a night out. This product, the company says, is designed to “help you feel better after drinking alcohol.” 

Led by CEO and Founder Zack Abbott, who has a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from the University of Michigan, and Dr. John Oliver, vice president of research and development, ZBiotics was founded in 2016 and has created a game-changing probiotic as the result of a simple, four-step process aimed at preventing hangovers.

“ZBiotics uses the power of microbes, which are microscopic organisms such as bacteria and yeast while taking probiotic bacteria with proven benefits for your body,” said Ari Stiegler, an investor in ZBiotics and managing partner at Flux Capital. “The company’s first product contains an enzyme that breaks down an unwanted byproduct of alcohol consumption.”

To create the probiotic, the scientists behind ZBiotics used a process called “homologous recombination,” which Stiegler explained is an innovative genetic engineering tool. 

 “Homologous recombination uses a find-and-replace DNA functionality in which scientists choose the desired trait they want to add to the bacteria—in this case, an enzyme that breaks down acetaldehyde—and design a piece of DNA that encodes that desired trait and is flanked by stretches of DNA identical to that in the bacteria’s own chromosome,” Stiegler said. “The DNA for the new trait is swapped in for the DNA to be replaced. It is as simple as that.”

The probiotic bacteria in ZBiotics are known as B. subtilis ZB183, which is found in supplements and fermented foods, including kombucha. It has the natural ability to make enzymes in your gut.

“This makes it ideal for preventing hangovers,” Stiegler said.

The strain created by ZBiotics’ scientists underwent intensive safety measures, including years of laboratory testing by top food toxicologists, and, “over a series of tests, we saw that it was very effective in producing this enzyme,” the ZBiotics website says.

Stiegler, whose venture capital firm invests in a variety of technologically innovative companies, is encouraged by the advancements made by ZBiotics and is excited by the prospect of engineering probiotics to improve human health.

 “I look forward to seeing how far this company pushes the envelope in the years to come,” Stiegler said. “ZBiotics’ team of scientists has already proven what can be done when trying to tackle an ordinary problem people face every day. I applaud the way they have used genetic engineering to improve people’s lives in real, tangible ways.”