It does this by raising the alcohol levels so the person using it gets the effect of alcohol without drinking as much. Kudzu root is available in lots of forms including capsules, liquid extracts, and powder. There’s not a recommended dosage for kudzu root, but there have been human studies that can help guide you. Counseling, medication, support from family and friends, changing your diet, taking supplements, and alternative treatments may all help lessen your alcohol cravings. Ashwagandha is an herbal supplement used in traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine. It has long been used to prevent alcohol cravings, improve immune function, and reduce stress.
Adverse Reactions
- It’s important to note that you may or may not be aware of these external triggers as reasons for your alcohol cravings.
- In its raw form, kudzu root resembles other root tubers, such as potatoes or yams.
- As drinking behavior was measured using a wrist actigraphy device, we were able to monitor alcohol consumption continuously, 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
- This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider.
One animal study in particular demonstrated that kudzu extract and its major components are very safe, even after relatively large doses (2 g/day) over a 3-month treatment period (Keyler et al., (2002). A study published in Psychopharmacology involved four weeks of treatment of 17 men ages 21–33 years old. These men reported drinking 27.6 ± 6.5 drinks/week with a diagnosis of alcohol abuse and/or alcohol dependence. They consumed either kudzu extract or matched placebo on a daily basis. Kudzu root gets some serious rep’ for helping folks ease off of the booze.
- Additionally, eliminating hot flashes and night sweats, an upset stomach and inflammation are all benefits that you may find from eating kudzu root or taking it as a supplement or tea.
- ‘Perfectly safe’In 2003, David Overstreet and other scientists found the herb to be effective in reducing alcohol intake on rats.
- Lukas and Lee applied for, and were granted, a patent for kudzu extract to treat alcohol abuse and dependence.
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There is some scientific evidence suggesting acupuncture provided by a qualified practitioner can help cut does kudzu help with alcohol cravings alcohol consumption and lessen alcohol withdrawal symptoms (11). Prescription medications can be a useful tool in treating alcohol cravings. Even when you’ve resolved not to drink or to drink less, temptations to have a drink are normal, and the interaction of alcohol with the body’s own biochemistry makes the desire to keep drinking very predictable. Understanding and recognizing these factors will help you reduce or manage cravings more effectively.
Estrogenic activity
- These phytochemicals can help fight disease caused by inflammation, treat alcoholism, reduce blood pressure, fight the flu, reduce symptoms of menopause and more.
- Because riboflavin is cleared from the body quickly, fluorescing urine indicated compliance in the past 18–24 hours.
- There were no changes in any vital signs, hematology, blood chemistry, renal or liver function tests during the three phases of the study.
- Kudzu is a plant that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries.
- Thirty percent of current drinkers report drinking excessively (Naimi et al., 2003) and 92% of U.S. adults who drink excessively report binge drinking in the past 30 days (Town et al., 2006).
- You can purchase kudzu root extract in dissolvable form’including in tea bags’that can be added to soups or other dishes.
- But, we’ll preface this by saying that unlike other super common herbal supplements, kudzu hasn’t been widely tested—although preliminary studies do look promising.
There are no studies showing that Kudzu can serve as a morning-after potion for reducing hangovers. Dr. Neil McGregor has warned that the active components of Kudzu have been linked to cancer. Researcher’s evidence about Kudzu’s effectiveness is mixed and much more research is needed.
- The protein in poultry and fish helps in the production of dopamine, which can help improve your mood as you fight alcohol cravings.
- Kudzu root may help treat alcohol dependence, liver damage, and menopausal symptoms.
- Because my drinking levels were so stupendously high in the first place, kudzu did not turn me into a moderate drinker by any stretch of the imagination.
- Disulfiram is a pill that causes unpleasant side effects when combined with alcohol.
- The BDI and BAI scores remained unchanged during the course of treatment with both kudzu extract and placebo.
- There are numerous indications, however, that it may help someone with alcoholism.
Kudzu root benefits
Estimates of blood alcohol levels were obtained during each study visit using a breathalyzer device (AlcoSensor®, Intoximeter, St Louis, MO). They were required to come to the lab twice a week to provide urine, breath and blood samples to monitor drug use, alcohol drinking and liver function, respectively. Only one breath sample was positive for alcohol during all three phases of the study. A standardized formulation of kudzu extract produced minimal side effects, was well-tolerated and resulted in a modest reduction in alcohol consumption in young non treatment-seeking heavy drinkers. Additional studies using treatment-seeking alcohol-dependent persons will be necessary to determine the usefulness of this herbal preparation in reducing alcohol use in other populations. Some small clinical studies have shown it can reduce alcohol cravings and alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
The big experiment: how can I get my body to burn more fat, without doing more exercise?
Research has demonstrated that taking a kudzu extract prior to drinking can reduce alcoholic intake by between 30 and 50%. The way it appears to work is that the isoflavones speed up the effect of alcohol on the brain, alerting us to slow down. However, it does not make people feel more drunk, or affect their physical abilities or mental agility.