An extract of the Chinese herbal root kudzu reduces alcohol drinking by heavy drinkers in a naturalistic setting

In fact, traditional Chinese medicine has used the plant for over 2,500 years. And while it did contain the isoflavones that are thought to be the active ingredients, our volunteers had to take five pills each to achieve the desired level of 500mg. The volunteers were all what is Oxford House friends, and so were likely to enjoy a relaxed evening’s drinking. Kudzu, whose scientific name is Pueraria mirfica, is a vine used in Chinese medicine for a variety of health promoting purposes. The information we provide while responding to comments is not intended to provide and does not constitute medical, legal, or other professional advice.

• While it does not quite make the cut, it is definitely worth trying if you’re looking to cut down on or quit drinking.
• Using the continuous measure of alcohol consumption, drinking was quantified using a number of different variables as noted above.
• It is important to place the magnitude of the effects of kudzu extract on alcohol drinking in context.

Associated data

The degree of reduction is often as high as 50% and the effects appeared within one to two days of treatment. Regardless of the actual mechanism of action, it is widely accepted that the isoflavones in kudzu are effective in reducing alcohol intake in a number of mammalian species. Enter Kudzu Extract.Recent studies have unveiled surprising results about this ancient herbal remedy’s effectiveness in reducing alcohol consumption, especially binge drinking. Whether you’re exploring options for yourself, a loved one, or simply interested in natural health solutions, this post will uncover everything you need to know about kudzu root, backed by science.

• It has traditionally been prescribed as a medicinal treatment for flu and colds.
• As a result, the researchers gave compounds from Kudzu root to the special lab rats.
• In addition, participants reported pill taking by checking time-of-day boxes on daily diaries and by entries on the wrist actigraphy watches.
• The lack of side effects after four weeks of treatment with both placebo and kudzu extract is likely one of the major reasons for the high rate of medication adherence.
• Various studies have used single, one-time doses or daily doses for a week without reported adverse effects.
• The root of the Kudzu plant has been used for centuries in Chinese medicine to treat a variety of ailments, including alcoholism.

5 Alcohol Consumption—Treatment Phase

This study provides additional evidence that an extract of the kudzu root significantly reduces alcohol consumption by human participants and confirms that this botanical medication may be a safe and effective adjunct pharmacotherapy for treating alcohol use disorders. Kudzu extract was administered in gelatin capsules containing 500 mg of extract (Alkontrol-Herbal™; NPI-031) prepared by Natural Pharmacia International, Inc., Burlington, MA. The extract contained 26% (130 mg) active isoflavones (20% puerarin, 4% daidzin, 2% daidzein; an improved HPLC analysis revealed that the total puerarin content includes both puerarin and 3-methoxypuerarin.). Participants were randomized on a blind basis to receive either 4 capsules of the extract (for a total of 520 mg isoflavones) or placebo (sugar beet filler) 2.5 hours before the start of an afternoon drinking session. This pretreatment time was selected based on our pharmacokinetic study of puerarin absorption and elimination (Penetar et al., 2006). For targeting alcohol dependence, studies have used dosages of 1.2 grams of kudzu root extract per day over 1 week, or a single dose of 2 grams before drinking alcohol, without noted side effects (3, 19).

Kudzu and Menopausal Symptoms

The plant is a trailing vine that often grows over other plants and trees. Beyond the kudzu in cures against addictions, kudzu is reputed to be effective against stress in general. Dr. David Lee had already observed that the northern Chinese drank kudzu tea to sober up and heal the hangover. There are no studies showing that Kudzu can serve as a morning-after potion for reducing hangovers. Dr. Neil McGregor has warned that the active components of Kudzu have been linked to cancer.

There were no changes in any vital signs, hematology, blood chemistry, renal or liver function tests during the three phases of the study. The maximal possible observations were based on the number of side effect categories that were recorded, multiplied by the number of study days in each phase, which was then multiplied by the number of subjects participating in each study phase. The overall incidence of side effects (e.g., headaches, shakes, chills, nausea, etc.) in both groups ranged between 1.7 and 3%. None of the study participants reported any insomnia, sedation, dizziness, blurred vision, tinnitus, or altered libido. In retrospect, my experience demonstrates the utility of kudzu for alcoholism. If I had been committed to using it to wean off of alcohol and then quit, it might have been a very valuable part of my recovery.

Until the effects of kudzu can be quantified properly in a larger study, then, and a standardised product is available on the market with the THR mark, it’s not something we can recommend you take. We found that, on average, each person consumed 7 units of alcohol after the placebo and, on average, 5.5 units after the kudzu. However, these studies were conducted on lone individuals drinking within highly controlled laboratory conditions. In China, it has been used to treat alcoholism since 600AD, and Western medicine is starting to take notice of this herbal remedy.

Will kudzu supplement pills make me drink less alcohol?

Kudzu may help by reducing the urge to consume alcohol, making it easier to control cravings. This reduction in alcohol consumption can be particularly beneficial during the early stages of recovery when cravings are intense. Your doctor can evaluate your medical history, current health, and the severity of your alcoholism to provide personalized recommendations. They will consider potential interactions between kudzu and any medications you might be taking, ensuring your safety throughout the process. Alcoholism is a complex condition, and its treatment should not be taken lightly.

• The ultimate role that natural preparations play will be complementary and might be useful in treating drug withdrawal and possibly relapse (Lu et al., 2009).
• The isoflavones like puerarin in kudzu have been investigated for cardiovascular benefits.
• He suggested that they test Kudzu to see if it would reduce alcohol consumption among their rats.
• Vital signs, measures of blood chemistry, liver function tests and urinalysis assessments were all normal.
• In a (double-blind) study carried out by David M Penetar and his colleagues4, the influence of kudzu on alcohol usage was tested in 20 men.

Researcher’s evidence about Kudzu’s effectiveness is mixed and much more research is needed. Its name in Chinese, loosely translated, means “drunkenness dispeller.” The tea is often used to try to sober up after drinking and to relieve hangovers. Kudzu’s antioxidants help reduce inflammation, which can benefit joint health and overall wellness. Sometimes we feel the need to ‘cleanse’ our body, to facilitate weight or fluid loss, or to eliminate toxins that we may have ingested from the occasional unhealthy meal. Remember that it’s not a miracle product, and that to reduce anxiety it should be combined with psychotherapy, diet therapy and physical exercise.

• This is because the three main isoflavones present in kudzu extracts – daidzin, daidzein and puerarin – are responsible for the beneficial effects of reducing alcohol and nicotine consumption 2.
• This time, the groups were given the opposite pill from the one they’d previously taken (meaning that they acted as their own control for the experiment).
• Researchers bought a variety of Kudzu extracts from stores and Internet sites.

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In addition, the wrist actigraphy device was programmed to provide an audible “beep” every 3 hours ± 20 minutes to which the participant was required to enter a number between 0 (no desire) to 10 (greatest desire ever) to record his desire to drink alcohol AT THAT TIME. The ActiWatch® Score device contains an accelerometer that was kudzu and alcohol used to record sleep/wake activity. We have previously reported on the sleep/wake patterns of the participants in this study (Bracken et al., 2011). In 2012, I ordered some high-quality organic kudzu capsules after reading about the potential for it to curb alcohol consumption.

Remember that every individual’s journey to recovery is unique, and what works for one person may not work for another. For those seeking help with alcohol addiction, valuable resources are available online. One such resource is AlcoholAwareness.org, which offers a wealth of information, support, and guidance for individuals and their families dealing with alcoholism.