But today you can find it in the supplement aisle of most grocery stores. Kudzu root is a rich source of antioxidants, which can help protect the body against damage from free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that can damage cells, leading to a range of health issues. 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.
1 Alcohol Consumption
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. Various studies have used single, one-time doses or daily doses for a week without reported adverse effects. For over 2,000 years, people have used kudzu root kudzu to stop drinking in traditional Chinese medicine for purposes like treating fevers, diarrhea, and even diabetes and heart disease (1). “The fact that participants experienced a rapid rise in blood alcohol levels when pre-treated with kudzu has no apparent explanation and therefore requires additional research,” said Penetar. For the researchers, the next step is to determine if kudzu alters regional brain blood flow using an fMRI.
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None of the subjects had any side effects from mixing kudzu with beer. After the first session, some subjects received capsules of kudzu, https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/what-sober-networking-is-and-why-it-is-important/ others a placebo. Before starting any complementary treatment, be sure to discuss it with a doctor to make sure it’s safe for you.
6 Alcohol Consumption—Follow-up Phase
However, limited clinical studies exist to recommend use for any indication. 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™. 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.
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Lukas and Lee applied for, and were granted, 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. and they are marketing it as Alkontrol-Herbal®. All other authors declare that they have no actual or potential conflict of interest that could inappropriately influence, or be perceived to influence, this work.
- This is the first demonstration that a single dose of kudzu extract quickly reduces alcohol consumption in a binge drinking paradigm.
- The present study revealed that kudzu extract is also effective in heavy drinkers in their home, work and/or school environment.
- Taking kudzu will not turn an alcoholic into a nondrinker overnight.
- In addition, the diaries permitted the participants to enter additional data that could not be recorded on the watch.
As a practicing physician, Josh helps manage the NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue addiction medicine clinic in adult primary care. Counseling, medication, support from family and friends, changing your diet, taking supplements, and alternative treatments may all help lessen your alcohol cravings. Naltrexone is a medication that belongs to a group of drugs known as opioid antagonists.
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