Kudzu Extract May Help Control Alcohol Cravings

As with many other OTC herbal supplements, there’s little convincing evidence that the aforementioned supplements are clinically effective treatments of alcohol dependency. There have been some scientific studies conducted, but a majority involve animal models and show modest findings that rarely translate into conclusive human trials. The primary danger of these supplements in those with alcohol dependency is not necessarily knowing the drug—drug interaction potential or side effects. The real danger may be the possible delay in seeking professional help for the dependence. If asked about herbal treatments for a drinking problem, it is advisable to recommend speaking with a professional rather than self-treatment with over-the-counter supplements. No side effects have been reported in clinical studies when kudzu is taken by mouth.

And, contrary to disulfiram treatment, the drinking that did occur after kudzu administration did not result in any noxious side effects, increases in subjective ratings of nausea, uncomfortable, or feeling terrible. The reduction in drinking was evident rather quickly as it was apparent Alcohol detoxification for the second through sixth beers and no kudzu-treated participant drank five or six beers, which suggests that binge drinking was curtailed. Our laboratory has been involved in assessing an extract of the kudzu root for its ability to reduce alcohol consumption in humans.

The result may be that people who drink after taking kudzu have worse hangovers, or feel hangover symptoms earlier. Penetar DM, MacLean RR, McNeil JF, Lukas SE. Kudzu extract treatment does not increase the intoxicating effects of acute alcohol in human volunteers. Provides information about alcohol and drug addiction to children whose parents or friends’ parents might have substance abuse problems. Advises kids to take care of themselves by communicating about the problem and joining support groups such as Alateen. how to reduce alcohol cravings naturally Needless to say, it is certainly beneficial to remove the “pleasure” part of drinking from the equation. So, if you’re looking for a way to reduce your alcohol intake, and you don’t want to risk the dangerous side effects of prescription drugs, then you may want to add Kudzu supplements to your diet. If You are trying to eliminate excess consumption but struggling our hangover relief and recovery supplement is the perfect vitamin to provide liver nutrition and a great mix of vitamins to help wake up refreshed.

• It is thought that this is a defensive action of the body to protect it from toxins, many of which are often bitter in taste.
• Many people who have tried it report “feeling like they’ve had enough to drink” more quickly.
• Specifically, the regions of the brain associated with alcohol cravings are thought to be more “satisfied” when puerarin is consumed.
• As an herbal plant extract, kudzu can be made available without a prescription.

During the week of puerarin treatment, they drank slightly less than during the placebo week — three drinks a day compared to 3.4. After placebo treatment, three people drank five beers and one drank six.

Japanese Alcohol Culture

Side effects may be increased when the herb is taken with other stimulants like caffeine or amphetamines. This lack of bitter flavor ingestion compromises not only overall health, but may allow for a greater risk of alcohol intake. The bitter compounds contained in Declinol can promote better health overall, while also helping to better ensure that the TAS2R receptors in the human gut are stimulated adequately. 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. Furthermore, Duffy et al. reported using multiple regression analyses, greater bitterness from 3.2 mMPROP was a significant predictor of greater ethanol intensity and less alcohol intake.

Each subject had full time access to the study coordinator and had weekly contact with the coordinator during the full 8 week term. Subjects were all Caucasian, lower to middle income, residing in a small Midwestern town.

Finding a quality product may be a challenge, since the Food and Drug Administration does not monitor dietary supplements. While kudzu extract won’t magically turn alcoholics into nondrinkers, it might help others cut back on booze. A. She took kudzu-root extract (available in health-food stores). In its native China, kudzu has long been used to help people control their desire for alcohol.

“For more than 2,000 years, Asian cultures have found great value in kudzu,” the article states. They are also interested in the possibility of developing a dosage of kudzu that individuals could take once, before a night of drinking, rather than a set of pills which must be taken regularly. “The most urgent need is helping people who cannot help themselves, who need a drug to help them stop drinking,” Keung said.

Herb To Cut Drinking: Study Details

A small study showed that in heavy drinkers of alcohol, kudzu did result in a reduction of the number of beers consumed after 7 days of treatment. 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. While this theory may sound strange—considering that kudzu is often sold as a hangover cure—it turns out that different parts of the plant have different effects. While kudzu flowers can reduce acetaldehyde, the root does the opposite.

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.

Clinical & Medical Journals

Some programs offer you a chance to live in a facility where you can have more intense treatment. With other programs, you live effects of alcohol at home but visit a treatment center daily. Ashwagandha is an herbal supplement made from the Withania somnifera plant.

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. This was demonstrated in our previous study (Penetar et al., 2011) where pharmacokinetic parameters such as peak concentration and elimination time were not affected by kudzu. This interpretation of kudzu’s possible mechanism of action was also suggested by Wong et al. who postulated that kudzu alters peripheral and cerebral blood flow.

In the first, kudzu extract was administered for 7 days and acute binge drinking was suppressed (Lukas et al., 2005). In the second, participants who were treated for 4 weeks with kudzu extract significantly reduced their alcohol consumption during weeks 2 through 4 of the study (Lukas et al., 2013). We have subsequently shown that puerarin is the major active isoflavone because 7 days treatment with this compound alone (1,200 mg/day) produced a similar reduction of binge drinking as the extract (Penetar et al., 2012).

A wonderful Indian remedy called Sidacordifolia can be a very effective remedy for the fatigue and headache of caffeine withdrawal. It contains stimulants which have properties similar to those of caffeine, increasing both energy and alertness.

Kudzu

Several medications are approved by the FDA to alleviate alcohol cravings, but are prescription only. The researchers next plan to use Magnetic Resonance Imaging to examine the effects of kudzu on how quickly alcohol gets into the brain. Kudzu, an ever-expanding plant considered a pest in much of the South, appears to contain a compound that can be effective in reducing alcohol intake among humans. Some research shows that milk thistle may help those looking to treat alcohol-related liver disease.

Healing is achieved using homeopathy, reflexology, massage, flower remedies and nutritional wisdom. Rysuly MR, Azhibekova RJ Treatment of the Rennaissance-Iodine containing drug on patients with Hepatitis C. Amaty, Astana, Kazakhstan. Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for the publication of this pilot study and the accompanying data. A copy of the written consent is available for review by the Editor- in-Chief of this journal. Due to the lack of data on the pre-intervention, it cannot be said statistically whether the results were affected by the intervention. A further clinical study with a larger sample size is required to confirm the results. Recently, unique discoveries have been made pertaining to the actions of bitters, and a family of 30 specific bitter flavor receptors in the GI Tract.

While the blood flow theory of kudzu for alcoholism may be true, there is likely more going on here. Kudzu contains several active isoflavones, which are natural plant chemicals with antioxidant effects. This compound has a positive effect on the central nervous system and the brain. 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 , and motor vehicle accidents. I wanted to see for myself what – if any – benefit could be had from trying it. So, back in 2008 I experimented with the herb to see if it might help reduce my cravings for alcohol.

Further research and survey of the evidence may reveal differences among individuals or populations that account for these seemingly conflicting findings. Dietary soy isoflavones occur bound to sugars that are not readily absorbed and may be modified extensively in the gastrointestinal tract, although the degree of metabolism and absorption varies considerably among individuals. Changes in the chemistry of 6″-malonyl-7′-β-glucosyldaidzein, a major soybean component, during food processing. Dry heating of 6″-malonyl-7′-β-glucosyldaidzein leads to decarboxylation to 6″-acetyl-7′-β-glucosyldaidzein . Heated, aqueous extraction of soybeans to make soy milk and tofu, removes the malonyl group to make daidzin .

Today, kudzu is used to treat alcoholism and to reduce symptoms of alcohol hangover, including headache, upset stomach, dizziness, and vomiting. Acamprosate interacts with GABA signaling to restore the proper chemical balance in the brain following chronic alcohol exposure. This process leads to the reduction of alcohol craving and alcohol consumption in individuals dependent on alcohol. While undergoing withdrawal, it is important to stay hydrated, as dehydration can make withdrawal symptoms worse.

Why People May React Negatively To Altruists

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. The number of participants who drank each available beer during the 1.5 hour drinking session following administration of placebo or kudzu. During the baseline session, the placebo-randomized group consumed 2.7 ± 0.78 beers before treatment and increased consumption to 3.4 ± 1.1 beers after treatment.

Author: Jeffrey Juergens