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. Today, the most popular ways to use kudzu root are as an herbal supplement or a root tea. For over 2,000 years, people have used kudzu root in traditional Chinese medicine for purposes like treating fevers, diarrhea, and even diabetes and heart disease (1).
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Two hours before the first visit, we gave both sub-groups a pill – neither group knew whether they were getting the supplement or the placebo. When they visited the bar, beer, spirits and white wine were freely available. The amount of alcohol consumed was calculated for each group (1 unit per drink of beer or spirits, 1.6 units per glass of wine). Reach out to healthcare providers, counselors, and support groups to develop a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to your needs.
Kudzu Root Dosage for Alcoholism
Research has found that kudzu can help reduce hot flashes and night sweats, as well as improve sleep quality. This may be due to the isoflavones in kudzu, which can help regulate hormone levels. Studies have found that the isoflavones in kudzu can help lower cholesterol levels and reduce blood pressure.
Kudzu’s Benefits for Health
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. Some of them were given a dose of 2g Substance abuse of kudzu extract with an active isoflavones content of 520mg almost three hours before a drinking session in which up they could choose to consume up to 6 beers, water or fruit juices. The result showed that the group that had received kudzu significantly reduced their consumption of alcoholic drinks during the drinking session. Kudzu, scientifically known as Pueraria lobata, is renowned in traditional Chinese medicine for its diverse applications, including the treatment of alcohol dependence.
The kudzu group significantly reduced consumption from 3.0 ± 1.7 at baseline to 1.9 ± 1.3 beers after treatment. The placebo-treated group opened 33 beers during baseline conditions and 38 following treatment whereas the kudzu-treated group opened 32 beers during baseline conditions and only 21 following treatment. Kudzu extracts may interact with GABA receptors and enhance the inhibitory effects of GABA.
Research Studies
- While taking a kudzu supplement for alcohol cravings can be beneficial and has research-backed evidence to support it, there’s something critical to note.
- As expected, I didn’t really feel anything after taking it until I began drinking.
- The ability of puerarin and related isoflavones to facilitate alcohol’s entry into the brain has not been systematically studied.
- One study in mice found that taking 10 mg per day of kudzu root extract for 4 weeks caused liver toxicity (15).
- Two hours before the first visit, we gave both sub-groups a pill – neither group knew whether they were getting the supplement or the placebo.
Researchers monitored drinking behavior with a digital scale located in the top of an end table. This allowed them to measure the rate of drinking as well as the volume of sips. If a person wants to reduce their alcohol or tobacco intake, kudzu root is recommended because its active principles (daidzin, daidzein and puerarin) are effective in helping to combat desire to consume alcohol or nicotine. From improving heart health and regulating blood sugar levels to reducing inflammation and menopausal symptoms, kudzu may be a useful addition to a healthy lifestyle. However, more research is needed to fully understand the effects of kudzu on the body. The finding that alcohol intake was reduced without affecting desire to use alcohol at first seemed counter-intuitive.
- Data due to dropouts were handled as missing data and no values were entered.
- There are emotional and psychological contributors to cravings, including stress, depression and anxiety, which can lead to using alcohol as a way to self-medicate.
- Fifty-one percent of adults over the age of 18 and 56% of those age 18–44, are current regular drinkers (Schiller et al., 2012).
- 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).
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It’s important to note that the standardized content of the important active compounds, primarily puerarin, varies among different products. Also a researcher made a small clinical study of 14 men and women who were heavy drinkers. The investigator speculated that Kudzu increases blood alcohol concentration.
Puerarin, which is rapidly absorbed by the intestine, increases glucose tolerance in people with type II diabetes by lowering blood glucose levels and increasing the storage of glucose as glycogen in the liver and heart. Alcohol can irritate the gastrointestinal tract, and kudzu can also have potential effects on the digestive system. A combination of alcohol while taking kudzu could increase your risk of side effects or GI discomfort. If you take medicines, there’s an increased risk if you combine alcohol, kudzu and these substances. The kudzu and alcohol interactions can affect the metabolism and how effective medicines are. Kudzu extracts like puerarin have been looked at for their potential to modulate the release of dopamine in certain brain regions.