How To Take Kudzu For Alcoholism?

From improving heart health and regulating blood sugar levels to reducing inflammation and menopausal symptoms, kudzu may be a useful addition to a healthy lifestyle. However, more research is needed to fully understand the effects of kudzu on the body. 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 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.

Mechanisms of Action in the Body

• Some evidence suggests kudzu root may help with liver damage, while other preliminary evidence suggests it may cause liver injury in certain cases.
• The arrowroot starch derived from the Kudzu plant is also used in cooking as a thickener.
• Interestingly, one of its lesser-known roles in traditional settings was as an antidote for excessive alcohol consumption.
• For the researchers, the next step is to determine if kudzu alters regional brain blood flow using an fMRI.

This article examines the benefits, uses, and potential side effects of kudzu root. 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. In China, it has been used to treat alcoholism since 600AD, and Western medicine is starting to take notice of this herbal remedy.

Think you have a drinking problem?

Researchers found that the kudzu extract had no effect on alcohol cravings, but it reduced the number of weekly alcoholic drinks by 34–57% (2). One small study looked at the effects of kudzu in 17 men ages 21–33 drug addiction treatment 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 root benefits

• Studies have shown that kudzu may work by increasing blood flow to the brain, reducing the desire to drink, and reducing the severity of hangovers.
• While it does not completely eliminate drinking, it is clearly effective in significantly reducing intake, which offers individuals an opportunity to engage in more responsible drinking patterns.
• This latter scenario might very well permit the use of lower doses of prescription medications and thus reduce the incidence of side effects.
• History and tradition offer profound insights, but in the modern world, the gold standard for validating any therapeutic claim is rigorous scientific scrutiny.

However, some people may experience mild side effects such as nausea, dizziness, and headache. It is important to consult with a healthcare professional before taking kudzu, especially if you are taking other medications or have underlying health conditions. 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. In 2012, I ordered some high-quality organic kudzu capsules after reading about the potential for it to curb alcohol consumption.

It is known to be extremely safe, with very few reported adverse side effects. The room contained a small sink with an under-the-counter kudzu and alcohol refrigerator where the beverages (beer, juice, and water) were kept. Kudzu root is the edible part of a trailing vine native to several Asian countries. People have used it for many years in traditional Chinese medicine, and it resembles other root tubers, like yams. The kudzu plant resembles poison ivy, so it’s important to know how to identify it correctly. In its raw form, kudzu root resembles other root tubers, such as potatoes or yams.

How To Take Kudzu For Alcoholism?

• There are many ways, both medical and traditional, that are used to treat alcohol abuse or dependence.
• One study in mice found that kudzu vine extract was highly beneficial in treating alcohol-induced liver damage by scavenging harmful free radicals and boosting the natural antioxidant system (6).
• All of the above mentioned mechanisms, with the exception of a disulfiram-like one, require repeated administration and time to develop.
• It is, therefore, thought not to make alcohol more dangerous – merely slow down our rate of drinking.

While scientific research on kudzu’s effectiveness https://ecosoberhouse.com/ in addressing alcoholism is limited, some studies have shown promising results. In fact, one study demonstrated that kudzu could reduce alcohol consumption in heavy drinkers by as much as 50%. Since kudzu root reduces the amount of alcohol consumed it may be effective as hangover prevention. However, kudzu root is not effective as a hangover cure when taken the morning after drinking.