The transient effects of subjective ratings of dizziness alone are insufficient to suggest the presence of a disulfiram-like effect as a result of kudzu administration. Thus, altered acetaldehyde metabolism is not a likely explanation for kudzu extract effects in humans. The most important finding of the present study was that 4-weeks of treatment with a standardized kudzu extract reduced ad libitum alcohol consumption in a group of non treatment-seeking heavy drinkers. We previously demonstrated that this kudzu extract significantly reduced alcohol drinking in a group of heavy drinkers during one night of access to preferred brand of beer in a simulated natural environment (Lukas et al., 2005). The present study revealed that kudzu extract is also effective in heavy drinkers in their home, work and/or school environment. Regardless of the mechanism of action, the present finding that a modest, single dose of kudzu extract reduces binge drinking has profound implications as it offers a unique opportunity for early intervention for problem drinkers.

Thus, the mechanism of action of this herbal preparation to reduce alcohol consumption remains elusive. Estimates of blood alcohol levels were obtained during each study visit using a breathalyzer device (AlcoSensor®, Intoximeter, St Louis, MO). They were required to come to the lab twice a week to provide urine, breath and blood samples to monitor drug use, alcohol drinking and liver function, respectively. A total of 227 breath samples were possible from all subject visits during the trial and compliance was equally distributed between the two groups; the kudzu extract group provided 131 of a possible 136 samples and the placebo group provided 84 of a possible 91 samples. Only one breath sample was positive for alcohol during all three phases of the study. A total of 21 adult males (17 Caucasian, 1 African American, 2 Hispanic, 1 Middle Eastern; mean age 23.8 ± 3.46 years, range 21–33) were recruited through advertisements in local and college newspapers and flyers posted in the Boston area.

6 Alcohol Consumption—Follow-up Phase

The last study above was designed to test the hypothesis that kudzu accelerates the subjective experience of alcohol intoxication. If this were the primary effect of kudzu increasing blood flow, then subjects should feel more intoxicated with fewer drinks after taking kudzu. Because of this effect, kudzu might also be helpful for people who have quit drinking and want to make sure that a potential slip doesn’t become a full blown relapse. Taking kudzu would decrease the chance that a drink would turn into an endless parade of drinks.

• The concept that a more rapid delivery of alcohol to the brain would result in a decrease (and not an increase) in drinking behavior seems counter intuitive.
• Drinking was recorded using a custom built end table that contained a digital scale beneath a ceramic tile insert in the tabletop (Ohaus model #B10P with I5S controller).
• In this article, I’m going to discuss how to use kudzu recovery for alcoholism.
• Another effect may involve alterations in the mitochondrial monoamine oxidase-acetaldehyde pathway.

These pathways may be sensitive not only to alcohol directly, but also to acetaldehyde levels also (Melis et al., 2009; Sanchez-Catalan et al., 2009). The kudzu extract used in the present study was primarily composed of puerarin, but also contained smaller amounts of daidzin and daidzein. The present study demonstrated that pretreatment with kudzu extract had little or no effect on the majority of alcohol’s effects on subjective mood, vital signs, psychomotor, or cognitive performance. These findings suggest that the ability of kudzu extract to reduce alcohol consumption (Lukas et al., 2005) is not likely to be dependent on a significant alteration of the acute effects of alcohol. Kudzu root gets some serious rep’ for helping folks ease off of the booze.

1 Participant Flow Through Study

The arrowroot starch derived from the Kudzu plant is also used in cooking as a thickener. The plant contains phytoestrogens, which are compounds that mimic the effects of estrogen in the body. 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. According to some studies, kudzu root may help manage some symptoms of metabolic syndrome.

• This transient effect during the first 30 minutes of the ascending plasma alcohol curve lasted only minutes; there were no differences in peak plasma alcohol levels or alcohol elimination kinetics.
• Stores typically sell it as a powdered drink mix, an oral capsule or tablet, liquid drops, or as a food-grade starch to use in cooking.
• Subjective measures of alcohol intoxication were greatest at 30 minutes and returned to or were close to predrinking levels by the end of the assessment period (3 hours).
• The protocol and informed consent were approved by the McLean Hospital Institutional Review Board and individuals were paid for their participation.
• There are data to suggest that many of these effects may be due, at least in part, to the primary alcohol metabolite, acetaldehyde (Kim et al., 2009).

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. Kudzu, also known as Pueraria https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/kudzu-extract-and-alcohol-addiction-can-it-help-you-drink-less/ Montana, is a climbing vine that belongs to the pea family. This invasive weed is native to East Asia, particularly China, Japan, and Korea, where it has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine. Kudzu is a natural medicine that is extracted from the root of the plant.

Can my choice of drink protect me from what I eat?

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). In the current study, the effects of kudzu pretreatment alone were analyzed through a comparison of results on the 1st challenge day (‘day 8’). This experimental day was always a placebo drink but after either a week of treatment with placebo or kudzu extract. Results from these experimental days again showed no effect of the kudzu extract alone on our measures.

Studies conducted in colon cancer cells revealed genistein-mediated promoter demethylation of WNT5a leading to an increase in its expression in cell lines from earlier stages of colon cancer but not in cell lines from later stages [138]. Zhang et al. [139] found that dietary genistein maintains a normal Wnt signaling in the colon epithelium of carcinogen-injected mice through regulating the DNA methylation of Sfrp5 promoter. An intriguing observation on tissue differentiation by genistein-induced demethylation of steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1) accompanied with mild proliferation of the endometrium was reported by Matsukura et al. [140]. Genistein reduced promoter methylation of RARβ2 in human cervical cancer cells, which led to increase in its mRNA levels [57].

Persons who responded to these advertisements were given a brief telephone screen, and invited to the laboratory for further evaluations. Persons of Asian descent were excluded because of their known increased flushing reaction to alcohol. Individuals with a body mass index (BMI) outside the range of 18–25 kg/m2 were also excluded. A standardized formulation of kudzu extract produced minimal side effects, was well-tolerated and resulted in a modest reduction in alcohol consumption in young non treatment-seeking heavy drinkers. In some instances, even a single dose of kudzu extract reduced alcohol consumption and prevented binge drinking (4, 5). One small study looked at the effects of kudzu in 17 men ages 21–33 who reported drinking approximately 22–35 drinks per week.

In fact, we reported that kudzu extract did just that and interrupted binge drinking (Lukas et al., 2005). This profile differs somewhat from that of kudzu extract and may represent a novel herbal compound that may be a therapeutic candidate. The present study explored possible mechanisms to explain how kudzu extract reduces alcohol consumption in humans. The results imply that a reduction in consumption exhibited in previous studies is not likely due https://ecosoberhouse.com/ to an increase in the subjective intoxicating effects of alcohol or to an increase in alcohol’s effect on psychomotor performance or cognitive processing. However, it is interesting to note that two measures of physiological responses – heart rate and skin temperature – were accentuated by kudzu pretreatment. As these effects were seen only after the high alcohol dose, it would appear that this is evidence for a dose-response type of relationship.

Kudzu and Alcohol: Is It Effective or Dangerous?

From a harm reduction perspective, kudzu extract results in a desirable outcome for a population of heavy drinkers, especially when one considers the other important finding of the present study—kudzu extract was without any adverse events and minimal side effects. We recently demonstrated that kudzu extract does not potentiate the intoxicating effects of alcohol (Penetar et al., 2010) and it does not interfere with sleep wake activity (Bracken et al., 2011). In addition, this was not a treatment clinical trial, so the effects on alcohol intake might have been more robust in treatment-seeking individuals.