A Single Dose of Kudzu Extract Reduces Alcohol Consumption in a Binge Drinking Paradigm

kudzu and alcohol

Wan et al. 126 have proved that baicalin could effectively prevent LPS/D-GalN-induced liver injury in mice by suppressing NF-κB activity, reducing TNF-α production. The underlying mechanism may be related to up-regulation of HO-1 protein activity. ”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 Sobriety Penetar. For the researchers, the next step is to determine if kudzu alters regional brain blood flow using an fMRI. Kudzu root may help treat alcohol dependence, liver damage, and menopausal symptoms.

  • Asparagus officinalis, a popular vegetable, is consumed widely and has long been used as an herbal medicine to several diseases.
  • A possible mechanism was that Salvia miltiorrhiza curbed alcohol absorption from the gastrointestinal tract 110.

Plasma Ethanol Levels

kudzu and alcohol

Syringes were changed every 5 minutes and the blood was put into Vacutainer® tubes containing K3EDTA (12 mg) as anticoagulant and placed on ice. The blood samples were then centrifuged and the plasma separated into a plastic vial. Quantitative analysis of ethanol levels was performed by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC/FID) (Hewlett-Packard model 5890 series II equipped with a model 18593B autosampler) (Penetar et al., 2008). Analysis was performed on every 5 minute sample after the commencement of drinking for 75 minutes, and on samples taken at 90, 120, 150, and 180 minutes. The BDI and BAI scores remained unchanged during the course of treatment with both kudzu extract and placebo.

Kudzu Side Effects and Risks

Scientists need to do more human studies to determine its effectiveness in other areas, like inflammation, heart health, and headaches. 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). Furthermore, kudzu root has demonstrated potential benefits for heart health, diabetes management, antioxidant protection, and alleviating menopausal symptoms. However, further research is necessary to fully comprehend the effects of kudzu on the body.

kudzu and alcohol

Week Course – Mastering Supplements For Alcohol Recovery:

  • Panax ginseng may provide a protection to alcohol-induced trabecular cartilage deformities in the neurocranium in 1–3 day post fertilization group embryos.
  • The appropriate dose of kudzu depends on several factors such as the user’s age, health, and several other conditions.
  • Fructus evodiae is a widely used herbal medicine in China with anti-inflammatory and analgetic activities.
  • Puerarin, which is rapidly absorbed by the intestine, increases glucose tolerance in people with type II diabetes by lowering blood glucose levels and increasing the storage of glucose as glycogen in the liver and heart.
  • Kudzu’s anti-inflammatory potential can be complemented by Turmeric‘s well-established anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

SOD, ascorbic acid, and GSH levels were decreased, and kudzu and alcohol GST activity was increased in alcohol treated rats. However, after treatment with the extract of ginger, these parameters came to normal 78. In recent years, various natural alternatives have emerged as potential treatments for controlling alcohol and tobacco addiction.

kudzu and alcohol

You should talk with your health care provider for complete information about the risks and benefits of using this product. It’s best to speak with your healthcare provider to determine whether kudzu root could interact with any medications you’re taking. It’s important to note that this is a case study, so it can’t prove kudzu root caused this liver injury. Scientists need to do more research to investigate the potential of kudzu root to cause liver injury in humans. While scientists need to do more research on the health effects of kudzu, some studies suggest that kudzu root may have other health benefits worth considering. Scientific research has been analysing the properties of kudzu since 1993 and has concluded that after treatment with kudzu, the percentage of alcohol or tobacco intake reduced by 50% 3.

”Recently, preclinical studies with animals have shown reductions in alcohol consumption when treated with isoflavones contained in the kudzu root,” said Penetar. ”Therefore, the next step in the research was to assess the effects of kudzu extract on different physical, behavioral and cognitive features in humans.” The sample size was relatively small; however, a repeated measures, crossover design was used with participants as their own control receiving multiple pretreatments, each with placebo and alcohol challenges. The present study did not include a treatment condition to specifically analyze the effects of kudzu alone in the absence of any challenge drink. Previous work in this laboratory on the stance stability test has indicated that kudzu alone does not alter this behavior (unpublished results).

kudzu and alcohol

What to Know Before You Take Herbal Supplements

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. This change in drinking topography was not secondary to alterations in the subjective effects of alcohol as kudzu-treated individuals still reported positive feelings (e.g., drunk, floating) without any change in the negative effects (e.g., clumsy, dizzy). https://ecosoberhouse.com/ When given equal amounts of alcohol, kudzu- and placebo-treated individuals respond similarly (Penetar et al., 2011). It is not known whether kudzu root extract has an effect on sleep stages, because this study did not record night-time polysomnography or assess sleep architecture. First, this method allowed us to assess sleep continuously for the entire 9-day treatment periods. Second, one goal of this study was to measure behavior and craving while participants went about their daily lives, and use of the wrist actigraphy device allowed this assessment to take place in the participants’ home environments.

Kudzu’s Benefits for Health

The ultimate role that natural preparations play will be complementary and might be useful in treating drug withdrawal and possibly relapse (Lu et al., 2009). Kudzu may impact blood sugar levels, potentially enhancing the effects of medications used to lower blood sugar. If you’re taking antidiabetic drugs, it’s important to monitor your blood sugar levels closely when using Kudzu.