Pre-Alcohol

Breaks down a toxic byproduct of alcohol called acetaldehyde while you drink and while you sleep — setting you up for a great next morning.

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Better living through biotechnology

We're giving people access to the power of biotechnology using GMO probiotics.
And we're changing the conversation in the process.

The Science

The world’s first genetically engineered probiotics: purpose-built to improve daily life.

The Basics

 

Alcohol produces acetaldehyde

When we drink, our bodies break down alcohol into an unwanted byproduct called acetaldehyde.

That byproduct is largely responsible for how we feel the day after drinking.

Acetaldehyde builds up in the gut

Acetaldehyde forms in two places: the liver and the gut. The liver produces an enzyme that removes it quickly. But the gut does not. So acetaldehyde builds up and lingers, filtering out into the rest of our body over time.

Pre-Alcohol breaks it down

Pre-Alcohol helps our gut catch up by temporarily adding a probiotic that can break down acetaldehyde.

This probiotic – Bacillus subtilis ZB183™ – has been engineered to produce the same type of enzyme as our liver: one that digests acetaldehyde.

Proudly built with genetic engineering

The ZBiotics team invented the probiotic in Pre-Alcohol – Bacillus subtilis ZB183™ – using genetic engineering.

Our approach to biotechnology is safety-first and grounded in the strictest ethical principles. We build responsibly or we don’t build at all.
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Acetaldehyde is an unwanted molecule that can build up in the body when drinking alcohol

Here’s the problem. The body has many biological reactions to drinking alcohol, not all of which are pleasant. The metabolism of alcohol produces a variety of small molecules and cellular responses which, when piled-up, can be hard on your body and throw you off your healthy routine. One of those small molecules is acetaldehyde, an unwanted, toxic byproduct of alcohol metabolism. Its chemical structure is highly reactive, which means it can interact with a whole host of molecular and cellular components throughout our bodies. But how does alcohol become acetaldehyde?

The Problem

    The liver can fully metabolize acetaldehyde, but the gut isn’t properly equipped to do the same

    When you drink, most of the alcohol you consume gets digested in the liver using a two-step process (see diagram). Each step requires a different functional molecule produced by your liver – functional molecules called enzymes. First, alcohol is converted into acetaldehyde with an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). Second, acetaldehyde is converted into another chemical called acetate with an enzyme called acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). That final product, acetate, is benign (it’s essentially vinegar). Via this two-step process, alcohol in your liver is rapidly metabolized into harmless acetate. 

    However, some of the alcohol you drink never reaches your liver. Instead, it is metabolized in your gut, in large part by the microbes that reside there. Some microbes in the gut microbiome are equipped with the first enzyme, ADH, and can convert alcohol into acetaldehyde. But in contrast to your liver, they don’t make enough of the second enzyme, ALDH, to convert acetaldehyde into acetate.

    Thus arises a clear hypothesis: If we can equip the gut microbiome with the ability to break down acetaldehyde into acetate, then we can augment the body’s ability to minimize the buildup of this toxic byproduct. That is a result that would be very beneficial for those planning to have a drink or two. The liver can fully metabolize acetaldehyde, but the gut isn’t properly equipped to do the same.

    Probiotics can be engineered to break down acetaldehyde in the gut

    The Solution

    If you’re trying to enable the gut microbiome to break down acetaldehyde, the most straightforward approach would be to make a bunch of the same enzyme your liver uses (ALDH) and deliver it to the gut, mimicking exactly what your body already does so effectively. Unfortunately, in this case (and most cases really) we can’t just eat an enzyme to equip our bodies with new traits. Enzymes are proteins, and most proteins you consume will break down very quickly as food in your stomach. Once broken down they lose their function.

    But our scientists knew three very interesting things: 

    1. There are probiotic bacteria that can survive the harsh environment of the stomach unharmed. 
    2. Many bacteria are capable of making ALDH – the very enzyme our livers use to break down acetaldehyde.
    3. We can use genetic engineering to create a probiotic bacteria with the ability to make ALDH!

    So rather than trying to solve the problem with an enzyme that won’t survive in the gut, we can instead use genetic engineering to build a probiotic bacteria that not only makes the enzyme but can also deliver it safely to where it's most needed to break down acetaldehyde!

    Though the actual building and testing behind our engineered ZB183™ strain took years, here is what we did on a basic level: We started with a natural probiotic bacteria called Bacillus subtilis. Humans have been intentionally consuming B. subtilis as a probiotic in supplements and fermented foods (e.g. natto, kombucha, etc.) for centuries. B. subtilis also has the natural ability to pass through your stomach acid unharmed and make enzymes in your gut. We then used a process naturally honed by bacteria to insert the instructions for making ALDH into the bacteria’s genome, carefully selecting a location that optimizes the expression of this enzyme. The result was ZB183™ – a probiotic strain of B. subtilis that is identical in every way to the one humans already consume, but with one additional trait: the ability to break down acetaldehyde.

    Our engineered probiotic has been tested in the lab for safety and functionality

    Once ZB183™ was built, we needed to ensure that it was safe, and that it worked as intended.

    Safety

    We subjected ZB183™ to years of laboratory testing and review by America’s top food toxicologists, the results of which confirmed it to be completely safe and FDA-compliant. The data from these tests has been published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Toxicology.

    Now that we have confirmed our genetically engineered probiotic is safe and works as intended, we make sure this is true of every batch. Pre-Alcohol undergoes rigorous quality testing at every stage, from probiotic biomass to the final product, ensuring safety, purity, and efficacy. We transparently publish our standards for each test on our Quality page which can be found here.

    Data & Validation

    Functionality

    To confirm that ZB183™ worked as intended, we tested its ability to make ALDH and break down acetaldehyde. Over a series of laboratory tests where we compared it to the unedited B. subtilis strain, we confirmed that our Pre-Alcohol Probiotic was highly effective at producing ALDH. We also confirmed that while the control strain broke down almost no acetaldehyde, ZB183™ was able to break down more acetaldehyde than you could ever encounter when drinking. We published a paper containing the data from these tests, and it can be found in the peer-reviewed PLOS One journal..

    As scientists we appreciate that every body is different and so there are no silver bullets in biology. Even though we’ve proven that the product can reliably provide the function of helping to metabolize acetaldehyde, we don’t know for sure that it will be perceived as valuable for everyone. However, we do know from customer use data that it does appear to provide a benefit to the vast majority of users (i.e. >95%). And with millions of bottles sold, that’s a lot of happy customers!

    ZB183™ was our first proof of concept on a bigger journey to unlock the immense potential of safely and consciously-built genetically engineered microbes.

      Who are we? The very same people who did the research and built this technology: the ZBiotics team. We pride ourselves on the fact that we are a team founded and led with science at our core. Our technology is developed in-house by our own scientists in our own microbiology lab. This integrated approach allows us to create the best products available - products that marry cutting edge technology with innovative product design.

      Our founder, CEO, and inventor of the primary technology underlying Pre-Alcohol is Dr.Zack Abbott. Zack's background is as a microbiologist; he received his PhD in Microbiology & Immunology from the University of Michigan. After that, he worked designing clinical trials for biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies prior to starting ZBiotics to bring the idea of genetically engineered probiotics to the world.

      Founded by Scientists

      Loved by thousands

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        Featured in

          You probably have some questions

          Check out our FAQs to find answers to common questions and feel free to reach out if you have more.

          What is ZBiotics® Pre-Alcohol Probiotic Drink?

          ZBiotics Pre-Alcohol (or Pre-Alcohol for short) is a beverage containing a patented, genetically engineered probiotic (B. subtilis ZB183™) that helps you land on your feet the day after drinking alcohol. It’s engineered to break down an unwanted byproduct of alcohol called acetaldehyde – the main culprit behind rough mornings after drinking.*

          * 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.

          How does Pre-Alcohol work?

          Pre-Alcohol is designed to replicate the natural process of your liver, but do it in your gut. We took a normal probiotic bacteria you already eat every day, and we bioengineered it to produce the same type of enzyme your liver produces. That enzyme breaks down acetaldehyde – an unwanted byproduct of alcohol that accumulates in your gut when you drink.

          Your liver does not have access to your gut. But by drinking Pre-Alcohol, the goal is to augment your gut’s natural ability to digest acetaldehyde while you drink and while you sleep – helping you make the most of the next day. Just remember that Pre-Alcohol won’t affect intoxication or make alcohol safer to drink, so always drink responsibly.

          When do l drink Pre-Alcohol?

          The earlier the better. Ideally you drink Pre-Alcohol before your first drink.

          The probiotic in Pre-Alcohol needs time to “wake up” in your gut, so we say the earlier the better if you can remember it. We drink Pre-Alcohol just before going out – right before our first drink. But it should be active if you drink it any time during the day or night. So whether it’s a few hours before drinking or you’ve already enjoyed a round or two, go for it. Pre-Alcohol can help from that point on.

          How long does 1 bottle of Pre-Alcohol last after I drink it?

          The probiotic in Pre-Alcohol is likely to stay in your body for 18-24 hours after you drink it. So one bottle will cover you for a whole day, even if you're starting with brunch mimosas followed by evening plans later on!

          How do I drink Pre-Alcohol?

          1. Drink 1 bottle of Pre-Alcohol.
          2. Enjoy your night.
          3. Get some sleep.

          Drink Pre-Alcohol before or during drinking – the earlier the better. Just give it a shake and drink the whole thing. The probiotics are designed to become active while you drink and while you sleep, helping your body digest acetaldehyde as they’re passing through your gut. Then they simply leave your body after a day or two, without changing your body or impacting your microbiome. A happier, healthier you, thanks to ZBiotics Pre-Alcohol.

          What's the dark stuff at the bottom of the bottle?

          It's the good stuff.

          It's just the natural sedimentation of the probiotic and the flavoring that happens if the bottle is left resting for a while. Just give it a couple shakes to re-suspend and you're good to go.

          Is Pre-Alcohol flavored? What is its consistency?

          The flavor is a bit tart with minimal aftertaste (like lemon water). 

          The texture is just like water. The probiotic should make the liquid slightly cloudy unless it settles in the bottle. So give it a shake and watch all the ingredients mix together before drinking.

          What is acetaldehyde?

          Acetaldehyde (pronounced “asset” + “AL” + “duh” + “hide”) is a chemical we most often experience as a byproduct of alcohol metabolism. It’s linked to lots of unwanted effects on our bodies, but most commonly it’s associated with the rough feelings you get the day after drinking.

          When we drink, our bodies break down alcohol in 2 steps. 

          1. From ethanol to acetaldehyde. 
          2. From acetaldehyde to acetate (essentially vinegar). 

          The first reaction (ethanol to acetaldehyde) moves quickly, but the second reaction (acetaldehyde to acetate) is less efficient, particularly in the gut. That’s because your gut has drastically lower amounts of the acetaldehyde-digesting enzyme. So when we drink, acetaldehyde tends to build up in the gut, which is bad news, because normal responsible drinking habits like hydrating and eating are unlikely to increase your body’s ability to digest acetaldehyde. So you’re probably going to feel it. Good news, ZBiotics Pre-Alcohol is here to help.

          How should I store Pre-Alcohol? Does it need to be refrigerated?

          Room temperature. No refrigeration needed.

          Store Pre-Alcohol at room temperature with the cap on. Do not refrigerate. Try not to open it until you’re ready to drink it; opening it could potentially let contaminants from the air into the bottle.

          What if I drink Pre-Alcohol the morning after drinking?

          It probably won't do anything.

          Pre-Alcohol won’t do much if consumed substantially after a round of drinking. Pre-Alcohol’s key ingredient – the probiotic that breaks down acetaldehyde – needs time to “wake up” in your gut and become active. That’s why we make Pre-Alcohol our first drink of the night.

          Does Pre-Alcohol expire?

          Pre-Alcohol expires 18 months after bottling. We aim to deliver products to you that still have at least 12 months of shelf-life left. Check the “BB” (Best-By) date on your bottle or box.

          Store Pre-Alcohol at room temperature with the cap on. Do not refrigerate. Do not open it until you’re ready to drink it; opening it could potentially let contaminants from the air into the bottle.

          How can something in the gut affect the rest of my body?

          One rarely appreciated fact is that your gut, and particularly your colon (part of your gut), is actually a huge sink and source of acetaldehyde in the body, even more so than the blood or liver. In fact, acetaldehyde concentrations in the colon are 10 to 100 times higher than in the blood. That’s because a large amount of acetaldehyde is actually created in your gut, produced by enzymes in both your intestinal lining and your microbiome.

          But acetaldehyde doesn’t just stick around your gut. It’s an extremely soluble molecule. So soluble, in fact, that it can actually diffuse into all the fluid of your body, easily passing through membranes from your gut and into your brain, muscles, and cells. The result? All those non-gut effects of acetaldehyde may in fact be quite gut-related.

          Why is ZBiotics Pre-Alcohol different from other products out there?

          Other products on the market today are different mixes of the same ~10 off-the-shelf vitamins and plant extracts you can find anywhere. Many of these have absolutely no demonstration of efficacy or even really a hypothesis as to how they could possibly help you.

          Pre-Alcohol is different. We looked at one of the major unwanted byproducts of drinking alcohol – acetaldehyde – and invented a probiotic bacteria to break it down the same way your liver does. 

          No other product out there does that.