Study Says Kudzu Extract Might Reduce Alcohol Craving : NPR

Thirty percent of current drinkers report drinking excessively (Naimi et al., 2003) and 92% of U.S. adults who drink excessively report binge drinking in the past 30 days (Town et al., 2006). Current use was defined as at least one drink in the past 30 days while binge use includes drinking five or more drinks per day. 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.

Possibly Effective for

Studies on the effectiveness of kudzu for alcoholism have shown mixed results. While some studies have shown promising results, others have found no significant difference between kudzu and a placebo. It is important to note that kudzu should not be used as a substitute for professional medical treatment for alcoholism. While undergoing withdrawal, it is important to stay hydrated, as dehydration can make withdrawal symptoms worse. Supplementing with vitamins and minerals is also important because long-term alcohol consumption and dependence can deplete these elements, particularly the B vitamins. According to a study conducted by Overstreet 6, kudzu extract has a mild anxiolytic that helps to reduce anxiety linked to the withdrawal from alcohol or tobacco.

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Furthermore, kudzu root has demonstrated potential benefits for heart health, diabetes management, antioxidant protection, and alleviating menopausal symptoms. However, further research is necessary to fully comprehend the effects of kudzu on the body. Although there is no specific medicine to combat alcoholism or tobacco addition, through herbal medicine kudzu to stop drinking such as kudzu root extract, phytotherapy seeks to offer remedies for the problems caused by society’s excesses. Extracts of kudzu root have been used in Asia since around 600 AD to curb addiction and to improve the body’s overall wellbeing. Lukas was not certain why but speculated that kudzu increases blood alcohol levels and speeds up its effects.

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In some instances, even a single dose of kudzu extract reduced alcohol consumption and prevented binge drinking (4, 5). 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 is an ancient Chinese herbal supplement that is said to reduce alcohol cravings. It is the only natural supplement that is recognized by the National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Several peer-reviewed studies demonstrated that supplementation with kudzu can lead to a decrease in alcohol consumption in individuals considered to be heavy alcohol consumers. It is not entirely understood how kudzu works to diminish alcohol cravings.

• Furthermore, other isoflavonoids found in Kudzu were also evaluated by Lin et al. [4].
• Because riboflavin is cleared from the body quickly, fluorescing urine indicated compliance in the past 18–24 hours.
• Thus, scientists need to do more research in this area on the effects of kudzu root specifically.
• “The most urgent need is helping people who cannot help themselves, who need a drug to help them stop drinking,” Keung said.
• However, these supplements have not been thoroughly substantiated with scientific research to confirm the efficacy of their actions and benefits.
• For this reason, it’s difficult to make recommendations for various uses.

The scientists invited a group of heavy drinkers into a studio apartment and told them to watch TV and crack open a few beers. Those given the kudzu extract seemed to drink fewer beers, maybe because kudzu increases blood flow and delivers alcohol to the brain more quickly. All of the above mentioned mechanisms, with the exception of a disulfiram-like one, require repeated administration and time to develop. Since consuming alcohol while taking kudzu extract is not aversive, another explanation is necessary to account for the extremely fast onset of action observed in the present study.

Anti-inflammatory effects

The nature of these spheres, possessing several layers, also allows both fat and water soluble nutrients to be combined in the same sphere. Bupleurans, a major constituent of Bupleuri radix (Chai hu) contains triterpene saponins including saikosaponins A, B1–4, D, E, F and H and related compounds including saikogenins A–G. Two biologically https://ecosoberhouse.com/ active polysaccharides, bupleurans 2IIb and 2IIc, have also been isolated from the roots of B. The most popular forms available appear to be powdered drink mixes, capsules, disintegrating tablets, and liquid extract drops. Kudzu root may help treat some of the most common menopausal complaints, including hot flashes and night sweats.

A Standardized Kudzu Extract (NPI- Reduces Alcohol Consumption in Non Treatment-Seeking Male Heavy Drinkers

• Tangerine Peel has some bitter qualities as well, and is an excellent complement to the actions of Gentian.
• This copyrighted material is provided by Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Consumer Version.
• The study found the treatment with the kudzu extract resulted in a significant reduction in the number of beers consumed.
• However this effect does not seem to be due a central brain mechanism [9].
• Kudzu may also help reduce the risk of blood clots, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
• 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.

However, there are a lot of supplements that claim to contain it that are mostly cheap fillers. It is known to be extremely safe, with very few reported adverse side effects. My problem at the time was a denial of the severity of my drinking problem. But as soon as the capsules ran out, I concluded that it hadn’t totally “cured” my problem and that I would eventually find something better.

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• Vital signs, measures of blood chemistry, liver function tests and urinalysis assessments were all normal.
• The active ingredients are all encapsulated, or enveloped, using specific processing techniques, within phosphatidyl choline based spheres that act as transport vehicles.
• Many people find that a combination of treatments works best, and you can get them together through a program.
• But, we’ll preface this by saying that unlike other super common herbal supplements, kudzu hasn’t been widely tested—although preliminary studies do look promising.

Because, much to my surprise, it turns out that this ancient Chinese remedy for heart disease may also help us cut our alcohol consumption without really noticing it. Kudzu is being investigated for treatment of alcohol use disorder and cervical spondylosis; the estrogenic activity and cardioprotective effects of kudzu and its constituent puerarin are also under investigation. However, limited clinical studies exist to recommend use for any indication. The ability of puerarin and related isoflavones to facilitate alcohol’s entry into the brain has not been systematically studied. For this mechanism to be plausible, the more rapid penetration of alcohol into the brain would have to trigger a satiety mechanism rather quickly such that the desire for the next drink is delayed—thus interrupting a binge episode. This is precisely what was observed in the present study as kudzu’s effects were evident after a single dose within a few hours of administration.

Effect of provision of non-alcoholic beverages on alcohol consumption: a randomized controlled study