Excessive alcohol consumption is a leading cause of illness worldwide (Shield et al., 2013) and has a significant impact on the health of millions people. The impact of excessive alcohol consumption results in increased healthcare costs, loss of productivity, alcohol-related crime (including assault and sexual abuse), and motor vehicle accidents. “The fact that participants experienced a rapid rise in blood alcohol levels when pre-treated with kudzu has no apparent explanation and therefore requires additional research,” said Penetar. For the researchers, the next step is to determine if kudzu alters regional brain blood flow using an fMRI. In one small study of postmenopausal women, transient negative profiles including anemia and liver profiles (5). Other small studies reported no significant adverse effects (9) (19) (20) (21) (23).
KUDZU – Uses, Side Effects, and More
At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for kudzu. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using. Taking kudzu along with diabetes medications might cause kudzu extract for alcoholism your blood sugar to go too low. “It is also possible that there is another, as yet undiscovered compound in the mixture that accounts for the effects. Thus, the mechanism of action of the kudzu extract remains unknown.” And so after that week of treatment, when they came to the lab, we measured their drinking using a very specialized table that we had developed that actually has a scale built into it.
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
- 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.
- As an herbal plant extract, kudzu can be made available without a prescription.
- The NIAAA and NCCAM had no further role in the study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the paper for publication.
- Metabolic syndrome is a condition notorious for its cluster of health issues like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and/or abnormal triglyceride levels.
We previously demonstrated that this kudzu extract significantly reduced alcohol drinking in a group of heavy drinkers during one night of access to preferred brand of beer in a simulated natural environment (Lukas et al., 2005). The present study revealed that kudzu extract is also effective in heavy drinkers in their home, work and/or school environment. Regardless of the mechanism of action, the present finding that a modest, single dose of kudzu extract reduces binge drinking has profound implications as it offers a unique opportunity for early intervention for problem drinkers. As an herbal plant extract, kudzu can be made available without a prescription. While it does not completely eliminate drinking, it is clearly effective in significantly reducing intake, which offers individuals an opportunity to engage in more responsible drinking patterns.
Suppression of P2X4 and P2X7 by Lactobacillus rhamnosus vitaP1: effects on hangover symptoms
In vitro, kudzu has demonstrated antiproliferative (1), anti-inflammatory (3), and neuroprotective (16) (18) properties. In animal studies, feeding with kudzu root suppressed alcohol intake and withdrawal symptoms (4). In 2012, I ordered some high-quality organic kudzu capsules after reading about the potential for it to curb alcohol consumption. I took several capsules per day before drinking, and went through all of it in about one month. While the blood flow theory of kudzu for alcoholism may be true, there is likely more going on here. It contains several active isoflavones, which are natural plant chemicals with antioxidant effects.
While kudzu root may offer a few specific benefits, there are also some potential downsides to consider. People often eat different parts of the plant raw, sautéed, deep-fried, baked, or jellied. Kudzu root is the edible part of a trailing vine native to several Asian countries. People have used it for many years in traditional Chinese medicine, and it resembles other root tubers, like yams.
Estrogenic activity
- 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.
- In retrospect, my experience demonstrates the utility of kudzu for alcoholism.
- It produces pretty reddish purple pea-like flowers that lead to the production of dark brown hairy pods.
- Effect size is reported using the variance-accounted for statistic Partial Eta-Squared (η2Partial).
- My standards for categorizing an herb or drug as a “miracle” supplement are quite high.
The leaves of this plant were smoked by Russian soldiers during World War II when there was a shortage of tobacco. Kudzu is considered safe, with few side effects other than the potential for an allergic reaction to the plant. The government runs the voluntary Traditional Herbal Registration (THR) scheme in an effort to combat this problem. Any product carrying a THR mark can be relied upon to contain the amounts of herb/active ingredient as stated on the bottle. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Some medications used for diabetes include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase), and others.