If you struggle with metabolic syndrome (which incorporates a bunch of health problems like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and insulin resistance), kudzu might be worth looking into. “Kudzu root extract contains isoflavones, which appear to lower cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, and insulin levels,” Beckerman says. Some evidence suggests kudzu root may help with liver damage, while other preliminary evidence suggests it may cause liver injury in certain cases. Scientists need to do more research on the effects of kudzu root in humans to investigate these effects in the liver. Anecdotal sources also note that kudzu root may lower blood sugar too much or slow down blood clotting.
Anti-inflammatory effects
Kudzu is a natural medicine that is extracted from the root of the plant. This time, the groups were given the opposite pill from the one they’d previously taken (meaning that they acted as their own control for the experiment). Again, we calculated the total units consumed for each group, and then compared the total units consumed after placebo vs those consumed after kudzu. 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. Some health companies sell the kudzu root species Pueraria mirifica as a supplement for menopausal and postmenopausal women.
Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs) interacts with KUDZU
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. This product may adversely interact with certain health and medical conditions, other prescription and over-the-counter drugs, foods, or other dietary supplements. This product may be unsafe when used before surgery or other medical procedures. It is important to fully inform your doctor about the herbal, vitamins, mineral or any other supplements you are taking before any kind of surgery or medical procedure.
May alleviate menopausal symptoms
We previously demonstrated that short-term treatment with a standardized kudzu extract (NPI-031) reduced alcohol drinking by men and women in a natural setting. The present study was conducted in non treatment-seeking heavy drinkers to assess the safety and efficacy of four weeks of kudzu extract in an outpatient setting. Separate general linear model ANOVAs for data with repeated measurements were used to analyze the number of drinks per week and the number of heavy drinking days per week. The two treatments (kudzu and placebo) were analyzed as fixed effects and time (weeks since randomization) as a repeated-measurements effect.
Your healthcare provider can help determine the most suitable approach based on your unique circumstances. Various studies have used single, one-time doses or daily doses for a week without reported adverse effects. Kudzu root may increase the risk of liver injury or interact with certain medications, like birth control. Anecdotal sources say it may also be harmful to take with medications for diabetes or blood clotting. It’s best to speak with your healthcare provider to determine whether kudzu root could interact with any medications you’re taking. The use of kudzu for alcoholism originated in China around 600 A.D.
Modern studies and research on kudzu to reduce alcohol intake
- My standards for categorizing an herb or drug as a “miracle” supplement are quite high.
- Giving a Kudzu root extract twice daily failed to reduce craving and sobriety scores.
- One of the active ingredients in milk thistle extract is silymarin, which may improve liver function in people with alcohol use disorder.
- 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).
- Finding useful information and resources about addiction or alcoholism can be a minefield.
However, if you want to cut down on drinking or detoxify your body during alcohol withdrawal, this plant may be able to help. By affecting estrogen in the body, kudzu may decrease the effectiveness of some drugs. Regardless, if you’re on any medication, make sure to check with your doctor. Taking kudzu along with diabetes medications could cause your blood sugar to go too low.
In retrospect, my experience demonstrates the utility of kudzu for alcoholism. If I had been committed to using it to wean off of alcohol and then quit, it might have been a very valuable part of my recovery. I did not know at the does kudzu help with alcohol cravings time that people also use it to treat alcohol withdrawal symptoms; nor did I care, because I did not intend to quit at the time.
Cardiovascular effects
- Your healthcare provider can help determine the most suitable approach based on your unique circumstances.
- However, it is essential to remember that kudzu alone is not a panacea for alcoholism.
- Still, more research needs to be done to prove whether it’s truly effective.
Although it doesn’t help in reducing the craving for a drink or maintaining sobriety, small studies have found that when taking kudzu root extract, heavy drinkers consumed less booze than usual. One small study looked at the effects of kudzu in 17 men ages 21–33 who reported drinking approximately 22–35 drinks per week. The researchers gave participants either kudzu extract or a placebo every day for 4 weeks (2). Kudzu is a natural remedy that has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine. It has been suggested that kudzu may be effective in reducing alcohol consumption, alcohol cravings, and withdrawal symptoms in individuals with alcohol use disorders. The participants reported their desire for and consumption of alcohol for the duration of the study.