Turning Off Cravings for Alcohol?

Alcohol cravings are caused by psychological and physical factors that form triggers that tempt you to drink. Most commonly used to treat depression, St. John’s wort may also help curb the urge to drink. Before starting any complementary treatment, be sure to discuss it with a doctor to make sure it’s safe for you.

David Penetar

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. 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 non treatment-seeking heavy drinkers to assess the safety and efficacy of four weeks of kudzu extract in an outpatient setting. Many people struggle with excessive alcohol use, even if they want to stop, so they’re turning to solutions like kudzu for alcohol cravings. It’s mentally defeating to try and curb excessive drinking, and you may find that you face a lot of regret after alcohol consumption, binge drinking or excessive drinking.

• Your doctor can evaluate your medical history, current health, and the severity of your alcoholism to provide personalized recommendations.
• 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.
• Again, we calculated the total units consumed for each group, and then compared the total units consumed after placebo vs those consumed after kudzu.
• This study provides additional evidence that an extract of the kudzu root significantly reduces alcohol consumption by human participants and confirms that this botanical medication may be a safe and effective adjunct pharmacotherapy for treating alcohol use disorders.
• Data from the actiwatch device was the primary source for all analyses while the daily diary served as a back up to verify daily totals and in case of equipment failure.

Healthy digestion and intestinal rhythm through plants

However, if you want to cut down on drinking or detoxify your body during alcohol withdrawal, this plant may be able to help. Kudzu can be taken in conjunction with other medications for alcoholism, but it is important to consult with a healthcare professional before combining treatments. Kudzu may interact with certain medications, such as benzodiazepines, and can cause adverse effects. Studies have found that the isoflavones in kudzu can help lower cholesterol levels and reduce drug addiction treatment blood pressure.

• This profile differs somewhat from that of kudzu extract and may represent a novel herbal compound that may be a therapeutic candidate.
• 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.
• We’re empowering you to make wise decisions about your own health, by providing you with essential health information about both medical and alternative treatment options.
• A prior study of kudzu to treat alcohol use in an outpatient setting reported that kudzu had no effect on maintaining sobriety or altering alcohol craving (Shebek and Rindone, 2000).
• Kudzu has been used since 600 AD to help reduce alcohol consumption; now, it’s used as a way to regulate blood sugar levels and reduce inflammation.

Kudzu Root Dosage for Alcoholism

Participants were randomized on a blind basis to receive either 4 capsules of the extract (for a total of 520 mg isoflavones) or placebo (sugar beet filler) 2.5 hours before the start of an afternoon drinking session. This pretreatment time was selected based on our pharmacokinetic study of puerarin absorption and elimination (Penetar et al., 2006). From improving heart health and regulating blood sugar levels to reducing inflammation and menopausal symptoms, kudzu may be a useful addition to a healthy lifestyle. However, more research is needed to fully understand the effects of kudzu on the body. Kudzu is a plant that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. In recent years, kudzu and alcohol it has gained attention for its potential use in treating alcoholism.

Kudzu’s Benefits for Health

It modulates the dopamine, GABA and serotonin systems, diminishing the rewarding and reinforcing effects of alcohol and reducing the desire to drink. As a result of these effects, it may also help treat binge drinking patterns. When it comes to how to take kudzu for alcohol cravings or alcohol abuse, we’ve briefly touched on its mechanism of action. Still, it’s worthwhile to delve more deeply into how it works to help reduce alcohol consumption. Kudzu isn’t a standalone treatment for alcoholism or reducing voluntary alcohol intake, but if your goal is to reduce alcohol cravings or cut back, it may be a helpful natural supplement.

For example, an older study published in 2005 found that kudzu extract reduced alcohol consumption in a group of heavy drinkers. In that study, participants who took kudzu extract consumed fewer beers and had lower alcohol intake measures compared to the placebo-treated group. All of the above mentioned mechanisms, with the exception of a disulfiram-like one, require repeated administration and time to develop. Since consuming alcohol while taking kudzu extract is not aversive, another explanation is necessary to account for the extremely fast onset of action observed in the present study. The correlational analysis of absolute amount of alcohol consumed and breath alcohol levels in this study indicates that the physiological effects and the rate of elimination of ingested alcohol are not altered by kudzu administration. This was demonstrated in our previous study (Penetar et al., 2011) where pharmacokinetic parameters such as peak concentration and elimination time were not affected by kudzu.