The Plug Drink vs. The Plug Pills: What’s the Difference?

Peanut butter and jelly, coffee and donuts, popcorn and the movies… some things just go together! It’s just like The Plug Drink and The Plug Pills (also known as The Plug Combo). Both provide a complementary experience for your liver and overall body. But what does one do that the other can’t?

Long story short — both the Drink and the Pills feature similar benefits! These include:

● Improving liver health and function 

● Minimizing liver enzymes and damage

● Replenishing hydration

● Easing digestion

● Reducing inflammation and bloating

 

While the Drink and Pills have our special proprietary formula of 13 herbs in what we dub The Plug Blend, each of our products feature a couple of exclusive ingredients. The Plug Drink includes electrolytes, which we introduced in 2022 to provide extra refreshment, and ginger, which we added in 2024 for its famous digestive benefits and calming flavor. Meanwhile, The Plug Pills utilize milk thistle, turmeric, and vitamins B1, B2, and B6. With their launch in 2023, we wanted to include some of the top players in the liver health realm — if you’ve been struggling with your liver, you’ve probably heard of milk thistle or turmeric before!

If you are unfamiliar with any of these ingredients though, don’t worry! We’ll discuss all of them and showcase their most famous benefits for your liver, gut, and more!

The Plug Drink’s Exclusive Ingredients

 

 

Ginger

Ginger is part of the plant family that includes turmeric and cardamom and is known to be super calming. With its calming nature, ginger has helped with several digestive issues, such as relieving nausea and reducing inflammation (1, 2). Its main bioactive compound, gingerol, is anti-inflammatory and carries antioxidants that fight off free radicals (3). 

Ginger has showcased it can improve indigestion by helping food move quickly through the gastrointestinal tract (1). Additionally, it can reduce cholesterol levels, thus lowering your risk of heart disease, and help keep blood sugar levels low (3) — what a win!

Electrolytes

We utilize the power of electrolytes for both added hydration and recovery benefits! They are substances that have a positive or negative electrical charge when dissolved in water (4) — hence their electrifying name! But don’t be afraid of them; they are essential for basic human functions, like regulating chemical reactions and maintaining the balance between fluids inside your cells (4). Some types of electrolytes are potassium, sodium, chloride, calcium, phosphate, and magnesium (4).

It’s important to replenish electrolytes daily, especially after physical activity! When we exercise, we lose electrolytes through our sweat (5). Many sports drinks contain electrolytes to act as your post-workout recovery companion (like The Plug Drink!). An imbalance of electrolytes can lead to symptoms like fatigue, dizziness, confusion, and dehydration (4), so it’s best to sip and refresh after hitting the gym!

The Plug Pills’ Exclusive Ingredients

 

 

Milk Thistle

Milk thistle is a pretty plant from the ragweed family and has been used in traditional medicine to assist the liver (6). Research on milk thistle suggests that it has antioxidant and anticancer properties, along with the ability to treat type-2 diabetes and even Alzheimer’s disease (6).

Milk thistle is rich in silymarin, an antioxidant that protects hepatocytes, which are liver cells (7). Silymarin also boosts glutathione, a molecule that enhances metabolic detoxification in the liver and overall body (8).

Turmeric

Next up is turmeric, which is rich in phytonutrients. These help protect the liver against damage caused by free radicals (like pollution and sunlight), toxins, and waste products — all on top of embracing healthy liver detoxification (9)! Turmeric also contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties from curcumin, an active ingredient that is a natural compound within the plant (9). 

Research has showcased that turmeric may help with many health conditions, such as joint pain and metabolic syndrome (9). It can help manage glucose levels and might even prevent type 2 diabetes, though more studies will need to investigate (9).

Vitamins B1, B2 & B6

While we don’t carry all of the B vitamins within our Pills’ formula, we included three of the best! Vitamin B1, otherwise known as thiamin, provides energy, which is essential to keep your heart and brain going (10). Additionally, thiamin becomes thiamine pyrophosphate, which breaks down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins into glucose (11). A deficiency of thiamin can lead to many serious brain and heart conditions (11, 10), so be sure to keep up with your vitamin B1 intake!

Vitamin B2, a.k.a. riboflavin, supports cellular functions and also helps to provide energy (12). It helps maintain healthy skin, eyes, and muscles, plus it’s needed for hormone production and fetal development (12). Riboflavin also supports the health of the digestive system and liver, hormone production, and amino acid creation (12). A vitamin B2 deficiency can occur from poor diet or malnutrition (12). Be sure to stay on top of your diet!

Finally we have vitamin B6, or pyridoxine. It is a water-soluble vitamin that is essential for cellular metabolism (13). It helps metabolize proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids into energy (13). Vitamin B6 also plays a major role in converting stored energy back into glucose, keeping you steady and on the go (13)! B6 is found in many foods, so a deficiency of it is usually associated with malnutrition (14).

2 Formulas: Endless Results

 

 

Now that you know how these exclusive ingredients work together with our 13-in-1 formula, we hope you take advantage of their power to maintain and restore your body’s natural balance! With brighter skin, more energy, increased productivity, and feeling lighter, what can stop you when you have The Plug Combo in your life? Give us a try and show our exclusive ingredients some love!

Bibliography

1. Ginger Benefits [Internet]. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Available from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/ginger-benefits

2. Rahimlou M, Yari Z, Hekmatdoost A, Alavian SM, Keshavarz SA. Ginger Supplementation in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study. Hepatitis Monthly [Internet]. NIH: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. 2016 Jan 23;16(1):e34897. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4834197

3. Why you should consider adding ginger to your diet [Internet]. UCLA Health. 2022 Mar 14. Available from: https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/why-you-should-consider-adding-ginger-to-your-diet?fbclid=IwY2xjawT1d4hwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMWxvVFVyT3ZJNG5pQnRESGhzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEezF-mS0jGsRXQR1GX9BuDAK2G4Xs4_7_p4O44eqaGldgAvFHRM7BBO17suSU_aem_4nYKg6FBuUBA4Xoapvk5PQ

4. Cleveland Clinic Medical Professional. Electrolytes [Internet]. Cleveland Clinic. Updated 2021 Sept 24. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/21790-electrolytes 

5. Maughan RJ. Fluid and electrolyte loss and replacement in exercise. Journal of Sports Sciences [Internet]. 1991. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1895359

6. Milk Thistle [Internet]. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Updated 2026 July 22. Available from: https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/milk-thistle 

7. Milk Thistle: [Internet]. NIH: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Updated 2025 Feb. Available from: https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/milk-thistle

8. Pizzorno J. Glutathione!. Integrative medicine (Encinitas, Calif.) [Internet]. 2014 Feb;13(1):8-12. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4684116

9. Turmeric Benefits [Internet]. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Updated 2026 Apr 20. Available from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/expert-qa/turmeric-benefits

10. Powell J. Thiamin – Vitamin B1 [Internet]. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health | The Nutrition Source. Updated 2024 Nov 7. Available from: https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/vitamin-b1 

11. Osiezagha K, Ali S, Freeman C, Barker CN, Jabeen S, Maitra S, et al. Thiamine Deficiency and Delirium. Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience [Internet]. 2013 Apr 10;10(4):26-32. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3659035/ 

12. Brazier Y. Benefits and sources of vitamin B2 [Internet]. Medical News Today. Updated 2023 Nov 22. Available from: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/219561 

13. Parra M, Stahl S, Hellmann H. Vitamin B6 and Its Role in Cell Metabolism and Physiology. Cells [Internet]. 2018 July 22;7(7):84. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6071262/

14. Vitamin B6 [Internet]. National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements. 2023 June 16. Available from: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB6-HealthProfessional/#en3