In any batch of kudzu roots, the total content of isoflavone often varies widely from 1.77%-12.0% depending on the growing conditions of the herb. The compound puerarin is always found in the highest concentration among all the isoflavones, second is daidzin, followed by daidzein. The results showed pre-treatment with kudzu extract had little to no effect on the participant’s behavioral, physical or cognitive performance. However, the researchers did note that treatment with kudzu caused an increase in heart rate, skin temperature and blood ethanol levels in the participants. Based on this, the researchers hypothesized that an increase in blood ethanol levels could translate into increased effects from the first alcoholic drink and delay an individual’s desire for subsequent drinks.

As Qi is the ‘leader of Blood’, a small amount of Zhi Ke is added to support moving the Blood. As Dang Gui harmonizes the Blood, it prevents exhaustion caused by the Blood moving and Blood stasis breaking medicinals. Additionally, Gan Cao harmonizes the effect of the medicinals. It has spread to South Africa, Malaysia, and the western Pacific Islands. It was introduced into the United States as an ornamental in 1876, as a forage plant in Florida in the 1920s, and was promoted as an erosion control by the U.S. Department of Agriculture declared Kudzu vine a weed in 1972. The vine completely engulfs nonwooded areas but it also grows over wooded areas on which it produces large impenetrable masses and completely envelops trees and other plants, killing them all by shutting out all sunlight.

Jie Du Huo Xue Tang (Detoxifying, Blood Invigorating Decoction)

Some people also use it to treat the anxiety and depression that go along with alcohol addiction and withdrawal. This article describes some natural treatments to support AUD treatment. It also explains why it’s important to find effective treatments. Whatever treatments you choose, make sure to discuss the benefits and risks with your healthcare team. My standards for categorizing an herb or drug as a “miracle” supplement are quite high. Something has to create a massive increase in sense of well-being to fit into this category. While kudzu does not quite make the cut, it is definitely worth trying if you’re looking to cut down on or quit drinking. In terms of what I felt when I took kudzu, my experience supports the observations of others who note that kudzu might act like a much gentler form of disulfiram or Antabuse. These drugs are often prescribed to alcoholics to keep them abstinent.

• In Chinese pharmacy books, kudzu is listed as a possible treatment for alcohol-related hangovers and cravings, Penetar tells WebMD.
• The reduction in drinking was evident rather quickly as it was apparent for the second through sixth beers and no kudzu-treated participant drank five or six beers, which suggests that binge drinking was curtailed.
• Fermentation can also lead to hydrolysis of the glucosyl group .
• One study in mice found that kudzu vine extract had a positive effect in the treatment of liver damage by boosting the natural antioxidant system.
• Today, kudzu grows in other parts of the world as well, including in the southern United States.
• NADA specialists say acupuncture should be used along with medical care, counseling, and other kinds of support.

We’re separating fact from fiction on this homeopathic remedy. On blood pressure, fibrinolysis and oxidative stress in patients with stage 1 hypertension. Protective effect of puerarin against burn-induced heart injury in rats. Kudzu root is the edible root of a vine plant that’s native to several Asian countries.

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Taking kudzu along with birth control pills might decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills. If you take birth control pills along with kudzu, use an additional form of birth control such as a condom. People use kudzu for conditions like alcohol use disorder, heart disease, diabetes, and many others, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses. “When they were treated with puerarin they drank about a beer less than when they were treated with placebo,” he says. It is one of the substances known as isoflavones found in kudzu. Many people have reported success soaking infected nails in 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water. Such remedies won’t work for everyone and take several months to produce results. But promising as it is for rats, it remains to be seen whether the drug is safe and effective for people. So lowering the levels of that brain chemical dopamine should help control an alcoholic’s cravings.

One is that it raises your blood alcohol levels faster, which means you may feel intoxicated sooner. Kudzu may also help heavy drinkers cut the amount of alcohol they consume, even if they are not being treated for AUD. The alcohol-targeted acupuncture cut down on cravings and withdrawal symptoms better than the sham treatment. Chris Scott founded Fit Recovery in 2014 to help people from around the world dominate alcohol dependence and rebuild their lives from scratch. A former investment banker, he recovered from alcohol dependence using cutting-edge methods that integrate nutrition, physiology, and behavioral change.

And the table actually weighs the mug of beer, and each time they took a sip, we could actually see how much they were consuming each time. In 2003, David Overstreet and other scientists found the herb to be effective in reducing alcohol intake on rats. If you’re not sure whether kudzu root is right for you, talk with your doctor. They can give you personalized advice that takes into account any other supplements or medications you may be taking. According to some studies, kudzu root may help manage some symptoms of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a condition notorious for its cluster of health issues like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and/or abnormal triglyceride levels. If left unchecked, metabolic syndrome can increase your risk of developing heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. Those are plant compounds that can act similarly to estrogen.

However, Lukas et al. from McLean Hospital designed a study to test the efficacy of a kudzu extract in a clinical population. Specifically, male and female “heavy” alcohol drinkers were treated with either placebo or a kudzu extract for 7 days and then given an opportunity to drink their preferred brand of beer while in a naturalistic environment. They found that Kudzu treatment resulted in significant reduction in the number of beers consumed. 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. The investigators hypothesis is that the kudzu pretreatment will reduce alcohol consumption in this free choice, self-administration paradigm.

Treatment with kudzu extract does not cause an increase in alcohol’s intoxicating effects, study finds

Heavy drinkers, both male and female, were given either a placebo or kudzu extract for 7 days. They were then given the opportunity to drink the beer of their choice in a naturalistic laboratory setting. Researchers monitored drinking behavior with a digital scale kudzu extract for alcoholism located in the top of an end table. This allowed them to measure the rate of drinking as well as the volume of sips. The number of participants who drank each available beer during the 1.5 hour drinking session following administration of placebo or kudzu.

Along with easing uncomfortable symptoms, estrogen can help prevent bone loss after menopause. Let’s dig into the potential health benefits of this rad root. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, kudzu root can be used for lots of health purposes. Some common applications include treating fevers and easing symptoms of diabetes.

Results of Puerarin Treatment

In response to these difficulties, Lukas and colleagues developed a concentrated kudzu extract with 25 percent isoflavones and developed the “natural laboratory” setting to test the extract’s effects. And rats given the drug weren’t willing to press a lever as many times to try to get a drink — the closest model scientists have to measuring rats’ alcohol cravings. The generality of daidzin’s antidipsotropic effects was tested, and differences in ethanol and food consumption increased slightly as dose increased. Though KU inhibited the alcohol intake and alcohol tolerance development, it reduced ghrelin levels in alcohol-preferring rats, which could play a role as an indicator of the currently used drugs. 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.

Today, Chris is an Alcohol Recovery Coach and the creator of an online course called Total Alcohol Recovery 2.0. The last study above was designed to test the hypothesis that kudzu accelerates the subjective experience of alcohol intoxication. If this were the primary effect of Sober House kudzu increasing blood flow, then subjects should feel more intoxicated with fewer drinks after taking kudzu. Because of this effect, kudzu might also be helpful for people who have quit drinking and want to make sure that a potential slip doesn’t become a full blown relapse.

In addition to digestion, these receptors promote absorption of nutrients, blood sugar homeostasis, and can even help with weight control. Moreover, specific bitter receptors seem to promote the elimination of absorbed toxins from the gut [22-24]. Declinol is blended formula developed by one of us consisting of a number of key ingredients such as Kudzu, Bitter Herbs and Bupleurum and other herbals . The primary indication of this complex and the pilot study described in this article involve Declinol’s effect in alcoholism. Because this the first report on Declinol, we are compelled to briefly review these three important ingredients role in alcoholism including both central and peripheral actions. Here is a list of 4 natural supplements that are just as effective as pharmaceutical drugs. Scientists need to do more research on the safe and effective dosages of kudzu root for various uses.

About 1 in 6 U.S. adults binge drinks, according to a CDC report. 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. Penetar DM, MacLean RR, McNeil JF, Lukas SE. Kudzu extract treatment does not increase the intoxicating effects of acute alcohol in human volunteers. Overstreet DH, Kralic JE, Morrow AL, Ma ZZ, Zhang YW, Lee DY. NPI-031G reduces anxiogenic effects of alcohol withdrawal or benzodiazepine inverse or 5-HT2C agonists. Side effects are relatively uncommon and include mild stomach upset, headache, insomnia and skin rash. Policosanol may interact with blood thinners and increase the risk of bleeding. Finding a quality product may be a challenge, since the Food and Drug Administration does not monitor dietary supplements. The lack of side effects could, with more research, make kudzu treatment an option for teens, pregnant women “and other vulnerable populations where a lack of medication toxicity is not only desirable but also necessary,” Lukas and colleagues write. The 14 participants, allowed to open only one drink at a time, were asked to drink from a mug that they set down on special tile topped table after each sip.

I took several capsules per day before drinking, and went through all of the kudzu in about one month. This is the first ever pilot results showing that the complex Declinol, significantly reduced Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test scores in moderate to heavy drinkers in a naturalistic setting (Figure 1 and 2; Table 3). While this is a small pilot study requiring additional large scale controlled studies, we are encouraged. To our knowledge the present pilot is the first such a study in the world that has systematically evaluated this novel complex in humans. Falcatum, administered orally to rats at a daily dose of 500 mg/kg for 3 days, normalized liver functions as determined by serum alkaline phosphatase levels in rats treated with carbon tetrachloride . Treatment of rats with saikosaponins 2 hours before treatment with D-galactosamine inhibited the increase in serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels produced by damage of liver tissues . Conversely, saikosaponins did not affect an increase in serum alanine aminotransferase and experimental cirrhosis in rats caused by carbon tetrachloride intoxication . One possibility is through the different isoflavones, which are biologically active molecules that can affect physiology, contained within the kudzu extract. It’s important to note that this is a case study, so it can’t prove kudzu root caused this liver injury. Scientists need to do more research to investigate the potential of kudzu root to cause liver injury in humans.