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.
Assessments were performed after completion of the questionnaires at 30, 45, and 60 minutes after start of alcohol administration; after 1 hour, stance stability was assessed every 30 minutes until the end of the session at 3 hours. 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. Participants weighed on the average 165.5±11.1 pounds and had an average body mass index of 25.3±1.3. They consumed 7.8±0.63 drinks per week and did not abuse nor were dependent on any drug. The protocol and informed consent were approved by the McLean Hospital Institutional Review Board and individuals were paid for their participation. It’s important to note that this is a case study, so it can’t prove kudzu root caused this liver injury.
What Happens If You Drink Alcohol While Taking Kudzu?
The risk for them increases (often linearly but sometimes exponentially) as you increase the dose. Then we allowed them access to the bar for 90 minutes, during which time they could have their fill of beer, wine or spirits. We were, of course, closely but surreptitiously monitoring how much and how quickly they drank. The introduction of kudzu to the United States dates back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Initially promoted as a forage crop and an ornamental plant, kudzu was later recognized for its soil erosion control capabilities.
2 Behavioral and Subjective Effects
Kudzu contains isoflavones that may improve blood flow and reduce the risk of heart issues by acting as natural vasodilators. A computerized Continuous Performance Test II (CPT II) (Conners, 2000) was used to assess sustained attention and concentration abilities. The test requires individuals to press the space bar as quickly as possible following the appearance of a letter on a laptop computer screen, but to withhold pressing for any occurrence of the letter ‘X’. Interstimulus intervals (ISI) vary between 1, 2, and 4 seconds with a display time of 250 milliseconds. The test structure consists of 6 blocks and 3 sub-blocks, each containing 20 trials (letter alcoholism treatment presentations). The presentation order of the different ISIs varies between blocks and takes about 15 minutes to complete.
Kudzu and Alcohol
Output from the cells was collected on a dedicated computer running software that computed a single point in Cartesian coordinate system at a rate of 20 Hz. Stability/sway was defined as an area measurement of the total points collected in a 30-second period. As this was one of the initial uses of the device, 4 different stance positions were evaluated. The subjects stood erect on the platform with feet together with their eyes either open or closed, and with their arms either by their side or extended to the side with their palms facing upward. Participants were told to relax between each 30-second collection period, but did not move their feet.
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 https://ecosoberhouse.com/ increased rate of entry into the central nervous system. Such an effect might increase the rewarding effects of the first drink consumed, especially when higher doses are consumed, and the desire for subsequent drinks might be delayed. Thus, the net effect of kudzu extract would not be to eliminate drinking completely, but to reduce binge drinking to a more manageable number of drinks from which complete withdrawal (via complementary methods) might be possible.
I took several capsules per day before drinking, and went through all of it in about one month. Excessive alcohol consumption is a leading cause of illness worldwide (Shield et al., 2013) and has a significant impact on the health of millions people. The impact of excessive alcohol consumption results in increased healthcare costs, loss of productivity, alcohol-related crime (including assault and sexual abuse), and motor vehicle accidents.
- Herbal extracts also tend to be cheaper than unextracted powders in many cases.
- The blood samples were then centrifuged and the plasma separated into a plastic vial.
- As previously mentioned, isoflavone compounds may alter alcohol consumption and effects through alterations in central reward pathways.
- The significance and application of this finding to other isoflavone compounds (e.g., puerarin) and to the human mitochondrial pathway system remains unknown.
- However, it is interesting to note that two measures of physiological responses – heart rate and skin temperature – were accentuated by kudzu pretreatment.
Is Kudzu an Effective Treatment for Alcohol Cravings?
High doses can also make you develop tolerance much faster than lower doses so they may be less effective in the long term. Human clinical trials show encouraging but preliminary results indicating reduced drinking behavior and craving alleviation with standardized kudzu supplementation. However, larger studies are necessary to establish definitive benefits and optimal dosing protocols.
Rats
- The placebo-treated group opened 33 beers during baseline conditions and 38 following treatment whereas the kudzu-treated group opened 32 beers during baseline conditions and only 21 following treatment.
- Kudzu is an invasive weed that has also been used to treat alcoholism for well over one thousand years.
- If you take medicines, there’s an increased risk if you combine alcohol, kudzu and these substances.
- 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.
Based on this, the researchers hypothesized that an increase in blood ethanol levels could translate into increased effects from the first alcoholic drink and delay an individual’s desire for subsequent drinks. There is some evidence that kudzu root dietary supplements may cause liver injury. One study in mice found that taking 10 mg per day of kudzu root extract for 4 weeks caused liver toxicity (15). It’s important to note that these studies used kudzu extract, which may have contained other parts of the kudzu plant besides the root. Thus, scientists need to do more research in this area on the effects of kudzu root specifically. “Recently, preclinical studies with animals have shown reductions in alcohol consumption when treated with isoflavones contained in the kudzu root,” said Penetar.
Side Effects
The amount of alcohol consumed was calculated for each group (1 unit per drink of beer or spirits, 1.6 units per glass of wine). Alcoholism is a complex condition, and its treatment should not be taken lightly. While natural remedies like kudzu show promise, they are kudzu and alcohol not a standalone solution. A comprehensive approach that includes medical supervision, counseling, and support is essential for addressing alcoholism effectively. 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™.
Anti-inflammatory properties are attributed to decreased prostaglandin E2 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha release, both of which are involved in inflammatory processes (3). The isoflavone tectorigenin demonstrated antiproliferative activity via cell differentiation and reduced expression of Bcl-2, an antiapoptotic protein (1). In animal studies, peurarin may alleviate chronic alcoholic liver injury via inhibition of endotoxin gut-leakage, activation of Kupffer cells, and expression of lipopolysaccharide receptors (22). After about a month of taking Kudzu I discovered that, for me personally, it did not reduce my alcohol cravings by any significant amount. I seemed to have almost (if not exactly the same) desire to drink as before. However, what it DID do was noticeably change the taste to the point where alcohol just wasn’t that enjoyable to drink.