KUDZU: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews

21 Mar, 2022

KUDZU: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews

The information we provide while responding to comments is not intended to provide and does not constitute medical, legal, or other professional advice. The responses to comments on fitrecovery.com are designed to support, not replace, medical or psychiatric treatment. Please seek professional care if you believe you may have a condition. In my opinion, the Planetary Herbals brand is a great option for someone who has not yet quit drinking, and who wants to try pure kudzu powder on its own.

It produces large numbers of seeds that are disseminated by animals, especially birds. The plant is drought tolerant and frosts kill only the aboveground parts of the vine. The roots are also resistant to herbicides and it can take 3–10 years of repeated treatments with herbicides before the nutrient reserves of the roots are exhausted. If you’re not sure whether kudzu root is right for you, talk with your doctor. They can give you personalized advice that takes into account any other supplements or medications you may be taking. Metabolic syndrome is a condition notorious for its cluster of health issues like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and/or abnormal triglyceride levels.

Might help treat alcoholism

Genistein also activated WNT signaling pathway antagonist, DKK1, thereby inhibiting the WNT signaling pathway in colon cancer cells [147]. Genistein treatment increased acetylation at six selected genes (EZH2, BRCA1, ERα, ERβ, SRC3, and p300) in breast cancer cells [148]. Moreover, genistein-induced histone H3 and H4 hyperacetylation led to ERα reactivation in MDA-MB-231 ER-negative cells, which sensitized these cells to tamoxifen and HDAC inhibitor TSA treatment. Accordingly, dietary genistein (250 mg/kg diet) in combination with tamoxifen reduced tumor growth in a MDA-MB-231 xenograft model and in the C3(1) SV40 TAg transgenic mouse model for basal breast cancer [149].

A new study finds an extract of the Chinese herb kudzu may help curb binge drinking. The study found components found in the kudzu root kudzu extract for alcoholism can reduce alcohol consumption, without side effects. One of the ancillary factors in alcohol dependence is blood sugar imbalances.

Kudzu (Pueraria lobata)

Puerarin suppressed the addictionmediated abnormalities but did not affect the inflammation-related abnormalities. 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. However, Lukas et al. [10] from McLean Hospital designed a study to test the efficacy of a kudzu extract in a clinical population. Specifically, male and female “heavy” alcohol drinkers were treated with either placebo or a kudzu extract for 7 days and then given an opportunity to drink their preferred brand of beer while in a naturalistic environment. They found that Kudzu treatment resulted in significant reduction in the number of beers consumed.

Kudzu root may help treat alcohol dependence, liver damage, and menopausal symptoms. 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). 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.

Cancer

Some research shows that milk thistle may help those looking to treat alcohol-related liver disease. It’s important to note that more studies are needed to confirm that the herb enhances liver health. One is that it raises your blood alcohol levels faster, which means you may feel intoxicated sooner. Kudzu extract has shown some promise in helping people avoid binge drinking. Binge drinking is when someone has more than four or five drinks in two hours. In one of the studies in the review, researchers compared a real acupuncture treatment to a fake one.

In China, the kudzu or gégen is found growing in shaded areas along mountains, in the fields and along roadsides, in thickets and thin forests all over the country. Herbal products are also made from the root of another related Asian species of kudzu, called Pueraria thomsonii. The main compounds found in the root of the kudzu are the isoflavones, like the compound daidzein, also included are the isoflavone glycosides, like daidzin and the compound called puerarin. In any batch of kudzu roots, the total content of isoflavone often varies widely from 1.77%-12.0% depending on the growing conditions of the herb. The compound puerarin is always found in the highest concentration among all the isoflavones, second is daidzin, followed by daidzein. Another study found that kudzu may really “affect alcohol consumption patterns.” In this same study, people who took an isoflavone extract from the kudzu plant before drinking took longer to reach for the liquor cabinet.

Clinical & Medical Journals

Kudzu root is linked to a wide range of potential health benefits from easing menopausal symptoms to treating alcohol dependence. Still, more research needs to be done to prove whether it’s truly effective. The researchers observed 12 men and women in a double-blind placebo-controlled study. The participants were either treated with kudzu or a placebo for nine days, and then received a medium or high alcohol challenge to determine how prominently they presented alcohol-related symptoms. In one study, people who binge drink took either kudzu extract or a placebo before a 90-minute session of drinking beer.

• Now kudzu’s popularity is also picking up in the Western world as a wellness supplement.
• Small studies in people have observed noteworthy improvements in these menopausal symptoms, among others, like vaginal dryness (9, 10).
• Over the past three decades, isoflavones have been the subject of active investigation due to their roles in the prevention of chronic diseases, including several types of cancers [31,32].
• Subjects were given an 8 week supply of the compound with instructions and dosing logs.
• Currently, commonly prescribed anti-drinking drugs such as disulfiram (Antabuse), naltrexone (Revia and Vivitrol), and acamprosate (Campral), cause several side effects.
• Kudzu roots can be dried and ground into a powder, which some people use as breading for fried foods or as a thickener for soups and sauces.

Furthermore, the men who took kudzu had fewer heavy drinking days per week and had significantly more consecutive days with no alcohol consumption (2). One possibility is through the different isoflavones, which are biologically active molecules that can affect physiology, contained within the kudzu extract. The people who received a dose of kudzu extract drank significantly less beer than they usually did.

In fact, even a single dose of kudzu extract may be helpful if you’re looking to reduce your drinking. Kudzu root gets some serious rep’ for helping folks ease off of the booze. One small study looking at the effects of kudzu in a group of men that reported drinking between 22 and 35 drinks per week shows promising results. After consuming kudzu extract for 4 weeks, the participants reduced their number of weekly alcoholic beverages by at least a third. The study found the treatment with the kudzu extract resulted in a significant reduction in the number of beers consumed. Kudzu treatment also resulted in the number of sips and length of time for consuming each beer, as well as a decrease in the volume of each sip.

“These animals don’t even get drunk when they drink it, so it may be a very unusual circumstance.” But Keung and Vallee’s findings do not necessarily apply to humans, said James F. Riordan, a professor at Harvard’s Center for Biochemical and Biophysical Science and Medicine. “We’ll be moving in two directions. One is to see the compound go through toxicological and clinical testing,” Keung said. The researchers, Wing-Ming Keung and Bert L. Vallee, write that the Syrian Golden hamster ordinarily “prefers and consumes large quantities of ethanol” to supplement its diet of Purina Rodent Laboratory Chow.

Harvard Task Forces on Women release findings and recommendations

Zhang et al. [139] also found decreased acetylation in colon tissues from Sprague Dawley rats on genistein diet, in which downregulation of histone H3 acetylation at the promoter region of Sfrp2, Sfrp5, and Wnt5a was detected. In addition, nuclear level of HDAC3 was enhanced and the hypermethylation of H3K9 and the hyperphosphorylation of H3S10 was suppressed by genistein diet [139]. Hirata et al. [136] found that genistein treatment increased the expression of sFRP1 and Smad4 tumor suppressor https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/6-ways-to-take-a-break-from-drinking-alcohol/ genes through hypomethylation of H3K9 and H3K27. The upregulation of tumor suppressors p21, p16, and BTG3 was linked with H3K4 hypermethylation in cancer cells [133,137]. In contrast, reduced occupancy of SIRT1 on the p53 and FOXO3a promoters was accompanied with increased acetylation and decreased methylation of H3K9, which resulted in activation of PTEN and CYLD in prostate cancer cells [146]. Gegen has been used for the treatment of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes [113].

• This may have important anti-alcohol relapse benefits based on dopaminergic genetics and its relationship to executive function and good decision making necessary for appropriate relapse prevention [26,27].
• A small 2009 case report involving 16 people with regular cluster headaches provides some anecdotal evidence.
• Genistein treatment increased acetylation at six selected genes (EZH2, BRCA1, ERα, ERβ, SRC3, and p300) in breast cancer cells [148].
• On the other side of the safety issue, Singh et al. [12] evaluated the protective effects of puerarin from kudzu root against alcohol-induced toxicities.
• This product has not been reviewed by the FDA to determine whether it is safe or effective and is not subject to the quality standards and safety information collection standards that are applicable to most prescription drugs.
• The 14 participants, allowed to open only one drink at a time, were asked to drink from a mug that they set down on special tile topped table after each sip.

If I had been committed to using kudzu 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 kudzu to treat alcohol withdrawal symptoms; nor did I care, because I did not intend to quit at the time. The Chinese noticed that people who consumed the plant started to drink less. According to traditional Chinese medicine, kudzu has cooling properties that balance the heat and false energy created by alcohol.

Potential downsides

If left unchecked, metabolic syndrome can increase your risk of developing heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. It’s marketed as a treatment for alcoholism, diabetes, and inflammation. We read the research to find out what science has to say about this plant. Lukas recruited 14 men and women in their 20s to spend four 90-minute sessions consuming beer and watching TV.

• The plant Cytisus laburnum from which cytisine is derived is traditionally used as an emetic and purgative, so nausea and vomiting is the main side effect.
• Consuming large quantities of alcohol or carbohydrates (carbohydrate bingeing) stimulates the brain’s production and utilization of dopamine.
• Like verenicline, it can disrupt the sleep cycle and cause nightmares.
• Tangerine Peel delivers several novel flavonoids that all offer numerous health advantages including enhancing metabolism, promoting detoxification, and protecting cells from free radical damage.

“I find it very intriguing, but it has a long way to go before it becomes usable to humans.” Keung said that research must now focus on how kudzu works to reduce the alcohol craving. Sign up now for a weekly digest of the top drug and alcohol news that impacts your work, life and community. Many people have reported success soaking infected nails in 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water. Such remedies won’t work for everyone and take several months to produce results. A. Policosanol is a natural compound derived from sugar-cane wax, beeswax or yams.