SAN ANTONIO — With Super Bowl Sunday less than two weeks away, people are already planning big watch parties - many of which result in a Monday morning hangover.
But one company is touting a pill designed to make the Monday after less miserable.
Super Bowl Sunday is a big day not just for the 1.2 billion wings eaten; according to Men's Fitness, about 325 million gallons of beer will be drunk to wash them down. Now that 325 million gallons may be a little inflated, but domestic beers usually make up about 94 percent of the beer chugged down on game day.
Emil Chiaberi, the Chief Operating Officer of Spirit Sciences who manufactures RU-21 told us, "RU-21 is very popular with people who drink responsibly and who are also health-conscious. We have lots of customers who swear they couldn't enjoy a glass of wine without RU-21."
Having a drink with friends can be great; the problem is our metabolism turns alcohol into a nasty toxin called acetaldehyde. That's bad for three reasons.
One, it's super bad for your organs; two, your skin ages faster; three, it makes you feel awful in the morning.
Chiaberi told us, "RU-21 is a supplement that helps your body process alcohol and toxins more effectively." Which is cool and all - but not its original intent.
"RU-21 was invented in Russia, the hardest drinking country on Earth. I guess you could say it was tested on party animals," said Chiaberi.
It was initially - and secretly - developed for the military and KGB personnel in the former USSR, meant to allow agents to drink alcohol while undercover but not get drunk. But it turns out it didn't work that way.
"RU-21 doesn't help us stay sober," Chiaberi says. "Science doesn't always give you the answers you're looking for; in this case, it turned out to be more for the after effects."
So Super Bowl party peeps, if you think you'll be drinking gallons and gallons of beer 13 days from now, Chiaberi says give RU-21 a try.
"Even if you are not a special agent act like one do not drink without this," he said.
You can check out more about RU-21 at www.ru21.com.