Additionally, kudzu may help reduce inflammation, which is often a contributing factor to the development of type 2 diabetes. Kudzu is also known for its flower, which is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat fever, headache, and other ailments. The arrowroot starch https://ecosoberhouse.com/ derived from the Kudzu plant is also used in cooking as a thickener. The plant contains phytoestrogens, which are compounds that mimic the effects of estrogen in the body. Kudzu, also known as Pueraria Montana, is a climbing vine that belongs to the pea family.

The present study revealed that kudzu extract is also effective in heavy drinkers in their home, work and/or school environment. For example, an older study published in 2005 found that kudzu extract reduced alcohol consumption in a group of heavy drinkers. In that study, participants who took kudzu extract consumed fewer beers and had lower alcohol intake measures compared to the placebo-treated group. In spite of the compelling preclinical and clinical evidence of its efficacy, the precise mechanism of action of kudzu in reducing alcohol consumption is not currently known.

Kudzu, the medicinal plant for combating withdrawal symptoms.

This invasive weed is native to East Asia, particularly China, Japan, and Korea, where it has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine. There is also kudzu to stop drinking good evidence that drinking clear spirits reduces the severity of hangovers. In fact, traditional Chinese medicine has used the plant for over 2,500 years.

• The number of participants who drank each available beer during the 1.5 hour drinking session following administration of placebo or kudzu.
• 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.
• Data due to dropouts were handled as missing data and no values were entered.
• Alcohol withdrawal after 70 days of drinking generated severe withdrawal symptoms including seizure-type EEG activity.

This compound has a positive effect on the central nervous system and the brain. It works by modulating glutamate transmission and acting as an NMDA receptor antagonist. Acamprosate restores the balance between inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters in the brain, and it’s demonstrated in clinical trials that it can help reduce alcohol relapse rates, relieve some of the symptoms of withdrawal, and help maintain abstinence. When it comes to how to take kudzu root for alcohol use and cravings, the optimal dose hasn’t been established. In current research, doses of kudzu extract for issues related to alcohol have ranged from 300 mg to 2000 mg a day. It’s important to note that the standardized content of the important active compounds, primarily puerarin, varies among different products.

Scott E. Lukas

Furthermore, other isoflavonoids found in Kudzu were also evaluated by Lin et al. [4]. When given orally to P rats at a dose of 100 mg/kg/day, daidzein, daidzin, and puerarin decreased ethanol intake by 75%, 50%, and 40%, respectively without negative effects on overall water consumption. In fact Lin et al. [4] suggested the anti-craving effects of these compounds may be due to CNS mechanisms.

In recent years, various natural alternatives have emerged as potential treatments for controlling alcohol and tobacco addiction. Several studies on kudzu have shown that the root helps to reduce alcohol or nicotine intake. This is because the three main isoflavones present in kudzu extracts – daidzin, daidzein and puerarin – are responsible for the beneficial effects of reducing alcohol and nicotine consumption 2.

Health Benefits of Kudzu—Including Whether It Can Really Help Treat a Hangover

In my opinion, the Planetary Herbals brand is a great option for someone who has not yet quit drinking, and who wants to try pure kudzu powder on its own. 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. 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 expected, I didn’t really feel anything after taking it until I began drinking. I recall feeling a very slight prickly feeling in my skin after I’d had a few drinks, and a mild head rush. 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. 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.