What Is Kudzu Root? Health Benefits, Side Effects and Risks

Ancient texts, like the foundational Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, documented its use for a wide range of ailments. Traditional practitioners relied on it to quell fevers, relieve muscle tension, and, most notably, to mitigate the effects of alcohol consumption. This long and consistent history of use provides a powerful testament to its safety and efficacy, forming a foundation of trust built over generations. Kudzu root is available in lots of forms including capsules, liquid extracts, and powder.

Kudzu’s Benefits for Health

Kudzu, whose scientific name is Pueraria mirfica, is a vine used in Chinese medicine for a variety of health promoting purposes. Role of Funding Source Funding for this study was provided by NIAAA grant R01-AA10536 to Dr. Lukas and NCCAM grant P01-AT to Dr. Lee. The NIAAA and NCCAM had no further role in the study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the paper for publication.

Kudzu Root Dosage for Alcoholism

It’s important to note that the standardized content of the important active compounds, primarily puerarin, varies among different products. When it comes to how to take kudzu for alcohol cravings or alcohol abuse, we’ve briefly touched on its mechanism of action. Still, it’s worthwhile to delve more deeply into how it works to help reduce alcohol consumption. Kudzu root extract has been studied for the potential to reduce symptoms related to alcohol https://ecosoberhouse.com/ use and to reduce oral alcohol consumption.

• However, these authors noted that there was a large dropout rate, subjects were not supervised while they completed the questionnaires, and there was only a single assessment each month.
• Traditional medicine has long relied on kudzu root for headaches, and modern research is starting to validate this use.
• This transient effect during the first 30 minutes of the ascending plasma alcohol curve lasted only minutes; there were no differences in peak plasma alcohol levels or alcohol elimination kinetics.
• Currently there is no effective therapeutic agent without side effects for alcohol use disorder.
• Kudzu is thought to help with anxiety because of its effects on GABA and its modulation of neurotransmitters.

How It Works in Your Body: A Simple Scientific Breakdown

Regardless of the actual mechanism of action, it is widely accepted that the isoflavones in kudzu are effective in reducing alcohol intake in a number of mammalian species. Medication adherence was excellent and there were no adverse events, changes in vital signs, blood chemistry, renal or liver function. We previously demonstrated that short-term treatment with a standardized kudzu kudzu extract alcohol 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.

• It was originally intended to be used as animal fodder and control soil erosion, but with growth rates of up to a foot a day in the summer, this plant can be a challenge to control — perhaps, too much of a good thing.
• It could reduce voluntary alcohol intake in Marchigian Sardinian alcohol-preferring (msP) rats and act synergistically with opioid receptor antagonists to further reduce alcohol consumption.
• One interpretation of this finding is that kudzu extract does not potentiate the intoxicating effects of alcohol, but only hastens the onset of action in a dose-response fashion.
• In fact, we reported that kudzu extract did just that and interrupted binge drinking (Lukas et al., 2005).
• 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.
• Drinking data were collected using a small wristwatch-like device (ActiWatch® Score, MiniMitter Co., OR) and daily diaries.

When Should You Expect Alcohol Withdrawal to End?

This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your Sober living house health care provider. You should talk with your health care provider for complete information about the risks and benefits of using this product. As a result, the researchers gave compounds from Kudzu root to the special lab rats. The investigators found that the compounds reduced the rats’ alcohol intake. Next, Dr. Lee contacted researchers at the Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies. He suggested that they test Kudzu to see if it would reduce alcohol consumption among their rats.

• 10 Novembre 2023
• Sober living
• admin