Kudzu Root: What It Is, Benefits, Side Effects and More

In its native China, kudzu has long been used to help people control their desire for alcohol. Natural therapies could help reduce cravings and ease withdrawal symptoms. Ashwagandha is sometimes used for alcohol withdrawal and cravings. In studies with alcohol-addicted mice, ashwagandha seemed to relieve anxiety. More studies would be needed to see if it works the same way in humans. Kudzu extract has shown some promise in helping people avoid binge drinking. Binge drinking is when someone has more than four or five drinks in two hours.

Moreover, in vitro, daidzin potently suppresses hamster liver mitochondria-catalyzed acetaldehyde oxidation. Additionally, Lin et al. also showed that daidzin, are efficacious in lowering blood alcohol levels and shorten sleep time induced by alcohol ingestion in rat models of alcoholism. Furthermore, other isoflavonoids found in Kudzu were also evaluated by Lin et al. . When given orally to P rats at a dose of 100 mg/kg/day, daidzein, daidzin, and puerarin decreased ethanol intake by 75%, 50%, and 40%, respectively without negative effects on overall water consumption. In fact Lin et al. suggested the anti- craving effects of these compounds may be due to CNS mechanisms. In fact Keung et al. demonstrated a direct correlation between ALDH-2 inhibition and ethanol intake suppression and raise the possibility that daidzin may in fact suppress ethanol intake of golden hamsters by inhibiting ALDH-2. However, this effect by daidzin is not like a classical ALDH-2 inhibitor because it does not also inhibit the cytosolic form, of liver ALDH-1, which is a very efficient catalyst of acetaldehyde oxidation.

Kudzu Recovery: Conclusion

In Chinese pharmacy books, kudzu is listed as a possible treatment for alcohol-related hangovers and cravings, Penetar tells WebMD. Get FREE daily coaching messages from Chris Scott to help you quit or cut down on alcohol in just 10 days. Because my drinking levels were so stupendously high in the first place, kudzu did not turn me into a moderate drinker by any stretch of the imagination. Thus, I’m going to make sure I cover all of these topics and more so you become very knowledgeable about how kudzu works for helping people get better from alcoholism. Bouchery EE, Harwood HJ, Sacks JJ, Simon CJ, Brewer RD. Economic costs of excessive alcohol consumption in the U.S., 2006.

• After completion of the program each subject re-took the AUD questionnaire and also filled out an exit interview.
• According to the CDC, binge drinking is having four or more drinks on one occasion for a woman and five or more for a man.
• Of course, it’s up to the individual to ensure that he or she doesn’t use this as an excuse to fall off the wagon.
• This allowed them to measure the rate of drinking as well as the volume of sips.

They took it for a week, then went to the lab again for a drinking session. However, studies looking at the effects of kudzu extracts have produced mixed findings, Penetar says. Taking kudzu will not turn an alcoholic into a nondrinker overnight. Nor will it drastically enhance your quality of life after the first dose. However, if you want to cut down on drinking or detoxify your body during alcohol withdrawal, kudzu may be able to help. Penetar DM, MacLean RR, McNeil JF, Lukas SE. Kudzu extract treatment does not increase the intoxicating effects of acute alcohol in human volunteers.

Scott E. Lukas

Increases in 5-HIAL have been shown to be correlated with decreased alcohol consumption in hamsters (Keung et al., 1995). Kudzu’s alteration of alcohol consumption may be through direct effects at brain benzodiazepine receptors on the GABAA complex.

During the first week of the study each subject spent 90 minutes alone in the apartment, drinking as many beers as they wanted to. The kudzu root may interact with certain medications or pose other health risks for certain people. Therefore, it’s always best to consult your healthcare provider before taking it. Furthermore, it’s likely that the suggested doses for kudzu root will vary depending on the manufacturer and the type of supplement you may be considering. There isn’t much scientific evidence available on the dosing for kudzu root as a supplement.

What is Kudzu?

It may help regulate blood pressure in patients diagnosed with primary hypertension, a risk factor for heart disease. Along with easing uncomfortable symptoms, estrogen can help prevent bone loss after menopause. A number of clinical trials in both genders in various disease states have hinted that the ability to produce the human metabolite S-(-)equol from its isoflavone precursor daidzein may hold unique health benefits. Franke et al. cite https://ecosoberhouse.com/ studies showing that about 60% of vegetarians and Asians produce equol, whereas only about 30% to 35% of omnivores do so. Lukas recruited 14 men and women in their 20s to spend four 90-minute sessions consuming beer and watching TV. Researchers selected people who said they regularly consumed three to four drinks per day. In 2003, David Overstreet and other scientists found the herb to be effective in reducing alcohol intake on rats.

• According to a 2019 animal study, kudzu root may also help regulate blood sugar levels by inhibiting PTP1B, a diabetes-related protein.
• While it might not lower cholesterol as well as statin-type medicines, data suggest it can lower bad LDL cholesterol and even raise good HDL cholesterol.
• Researchers found that the kudzu extract had no effect on alcohol cravings, but it reduced the number of weekly alcoholic drinks by 34–57% .
• The Chinese noticed that people who consumed the plant started to drink less.

Thus daidzin can suppress ethanol intake of this species without blocking acetaldehyde metabolism. There are many ways, both medical and traditional, that are used to treat alcohol abuse or dependence. In China, kudzu root extract has been commonly used to reduce, but not eliminate, alcohol consumption and dependence. Despite its history, the mechanism of action for kudzu extract is still unknown, and that is what the current research explores. In a laboratory experimental setting, subjects will be treated with placebo or 2 grams of kudzu extract 2.5 hours before an afternoon drinking session.

Potential of Asian Natural Products for Health in Aging

After consuming kudzu extract for 4 weeks, the participants reduced their number of weekly alcoholic beverages by at least a third. Medication adherence was excellent and there were no adverse events and changes in vital signs, blood chemistry, and renal or liver function. We previously demonstrated that short-term treatment with a standardized kudzu extract (NPI-031) reduced alcohol drinking by men and women in a natural setting. The present study was conducted kudzu extract for alcoholism in nontreatment-seeking heavy drinkers to assess the safety and efficacy of 4 weeks of kudzu extract in an outpatient setting. In some instances, even a single dose of kudzu extract reduced alcohol consumption and prevented binge drinking . Another study found that kudzu may really “affect alcohol consumption patterns.” In this same study, people who took an isoflavone extract from the kudzu plant before drinking took longer to reach for the liquor cabinet.