Participants were told only that the drinking sessions could be with placebo, or a low or high dose of alcohol. The drinks were administered between 2 and 2.5 hours after consumption of the morning dose of medication as blood levels of puerarin peak at this time (Penetar et al., 2006). Participants continued to take their medication through the morning of day 9 prior to the alcohol drink challenge. Following the first set of challenge sessions, there was a 1 month ‘washout’ period during which no medication was taken. This washout period provided ample time to eliminate pharmacodynamic interactions between kudzu and placebo treatment conditions. After the one-month washout, a second period of treatment and two drinking challenge days was conducted identical to the first treatment period.

However, studies have had success with kudzu before a drinking episode. 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 https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/kudzu-extract-and-alcohol-addiction-can-it-help-you-drink-less/ 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.

A standardized kudzu extract (NPI- reduces alcohol consumption in nontreatment-seeking male heavy drinkers

Some common applications include treating fevers and easing symptoms of diabetes. Now kudzu’s popularity is also picking up in the Western world as a wellness supplement. Kudzu root comes from a trailing vine that often grows over other plants. When it’s raw, kudzu root looks like other root tubers (think yams or ginger). You can find kudzu root supplements easily online and in a variety of natural food or supplement stores. Today, the most popular ways to use kudzu root are as an herbal supplement or a root tea.

• Twelve (12) physically and mentally healthy adult volunteers (6 male) with a mean age 27.6±1.89 yrs old signed informed consent to participate in this multi-visit study.
• It has many profound pharmacological actions, including antidipsotropic (antialcohol abuse) activity.58,59 Two of its isoflavones, daidzin and daidzein, account for this effect.
• Consumption of a genistein enriched diet was positively correlated with changes in prostate but not liver or brain DNA methylation at CpG islands of specific mouse genes [130].
• During the present study we have gathered evidence that kudzu extract may alter blood ethanol levels and that this change in pharmacokinetics may result in an increased rate of entry into the central nervous system.

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.

2 Materials and Medication

An analysis of the participant’s alcohol craving or urge to drink prior to the drinking session revealed that neither was affected by kudzu pretreatment. During the session, only drinking amounts and patterns were recorded to avoid interfering with the participant’s alcohol self administration behavior so it is not known if the subjective effects of alcohol were affected. The present study was conducted to assess the effects of kudzu extract after alcohol consumption on several behavioral, psychomotor, cognitive, and physiological measures in an attempt to uncover potential drug interactions. Our laboratory has been involved in assessing an extract of the kudzu root (Pueraria lobata) for its ability to reduce alcohol consumption in humans.

• There isn’t much scientific evidence available on the dosing for kudzu root as a supplement.
• 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.
• Stability/sway was defined as an area measurement of the total points collected in a 30-second period.

Synthetic versions of this selective ALDH-2 inhibitor are being investigated as potential medications to suppress relapse in abstinent alcoholics. More clinical trials will need to be conducted to better understand the efficacy of kudzu extracts or synthetic variants for treatment of alcohol dependence. There is empirical evidence for these effects of kudzu extract. First, kudzu extract causes vasodilation in rat artery tissue (Yan et al., 2009; Yeung et al., 2006) and in human vascular tissue (Tam et al., 2009). Second, there is an approved intravenous preparation of puerarin which is used in China to reduce myocardial oxygen consumption and improve cardiac microcirculation (Yue and Hu, 1996; Zhang et al., 2006). Vasodilation would also be expected to result in a mild reflex tachycardia and a corresponding increase in skin temperature due to greater tissue perfusion; both of these effects were observed in the present study.

Should I take vitamin supplements?

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. Of course, it is entirely possible that any of the above mechanisms may also develop with repeated administration and complement the immediate altered absorption effect that likely explains kudzu’s rapid onset of action. The number of participants who drank each available beer during the 1.5 hour drinking session following administration of placebo or kudzu. No side effects have been reported in clinical studies when kudzu is taken by mouth. There is, however, one case report of allergic reaction following use of a combination herbal product containing kudzu (Kakkonto). Another report suggests that taking kudzu root by mouth might cause liver damage.

The appropriate dose of kudzu depends on several factors such as the user’s age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for kudzu. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.

Medications that can harm the liver (Hepatotoxic drugs) interacts with KUDZU

For instance, it may reduce the effectiveness of birth control due to its estrogenic effects (8, 17). Some health companies sell the kudzu root species Pueraria mirifica as a supplement for menopausal and postmenopausal women. People have used kudzu root in Eastern medicine for many years.

It’s effective in reducing the urge to drink, and if you can make it past the first couple of days, it’s smooth sailing, but you must keep using it. You are going to feel different, at first, and many will contribute this to the Kudzu itself, but in reality you’ve just removed an energy source — alcohol; not a good energy source, as your body uses alcohol… When one goes about trying to procure their natural ingredients to treat ailments, conditions, and health disorders, it’s always best to get them through trusted and recommended sources.

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This article examines the benefits, uses, and potential side effects of kudzu root. Lukas and Lee hold a patent for kudzu extract to treat alcohol abuse and dependence. McLean Hospital has licensed the production of kudzu extract (NPI-031) to Natural Pharmacia International (NPI), Inc. that markets it as Alkontrol-Herbal™.

Drinking was recorded using a custom built end table that contained a digital scale beneath a ceramic tile insert in the tabletop (Ohaus model #B10P with I5S controller). Participants were instructed to always keep the beer glass on the table except when taking a sip. The scale was connected to a computer in an adjacent room that ran a customized program that sampled the scale at 5 Hz and detected any weight changes that exceeded 1 gm. Additional details and photos of the device can be found in Lukas et al. (2005). Those struggling with alcoholism often try to find sufficient treatment options. Of course, there are programs, medication, and an everyday kit that someone could use to their advantage.

May reduce alcohol dependence

Though there have been limited clinical trials of the single use of Gegen, it can be a potential candidate to suppress aging-related neuronal cell apoptosis and dysfunction of the memory system. 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 nontreatment-seeking heavy drinkers to assess the safety and efficacy of 4 weeks of kudzu extract in an outpatient setting. For targeting alcohol dependence, studies have used dosages of 1.2 grams of kudzu root extract per day over 1 week, or a single dose of 2 grams before drinking alcohol, without noted side effects (3, 19).