It works by activating specific brain receptors involved in the reward system. This mechanism helps ease the desire to drink, providing valuable support for those striving to maintain Halfway house sobriety. From reducing anxiety with passionflower to promoting liver health via milk thistle, these herbs can play a vital role in holistic wellness, especially during recovery phases.
Kudzu and Alcoholism
However, there are a lot of supplements that claim to contain it that are mostly cheap fillers. It is known to be extremely safe, with very few reported adverse side effects. In this article, I’m going to discuss how to use kudzu recovery for alcoholism.
1 Alcohol Consumption
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. Of course, it is entirely possible that any of the above mechanisms may also develop with repeated administration and complement the immediate altered absorption kudzu root for alcohol cravings effect that likely explains kudzu’s rapid onset of action. According to Dr David Penetar, external, a psychologist from Harvard Medical School who helped run that trial, it probably works by increasing blood flow to the brain.
Benefits
Before incorporating kudzu root into your wellness routine, it is crucial to consult with a healthcare professional to determine the most appropriate dosage and ensure it is safe for your circumstances. When used responsibly and with professional guidance, kudzu root may offer a natural and valuable contribution to your health and well-being. Keung, not directly involved in Lukas’ study, said he has extracted a compound from kudzu root that he hopes to turn into a drug for reducing alcoholics’ cravings.
- Other Chinese names for kudzu root include gǒu wáng gēn, meaning “dog-baby root”, and shan ge, meaning “mountain root”.
- In addition to its use in capsules and extracts, milk thistle can also be enjoyed as a tea, providing a comforting option for those looking to boost their recovery with natural remedies.
- In our most recent study (Penetar et al., 2011) we provided evidence that kudzu extract may alter blood ethanol levels after an acute drinking episode.
Modern research highlights kudzu’s possible roles in improving both physical and mental wellness. Kudzu is a climbing vine native to East Asia, traditionally used in Chinese medicine. Remember that it’s not a miracle product, and that to reduce anxiety it should be combined with psychotherapy, diet therapy and physical exercise. What’s more, the kudzu plant leaves, vine tips, and purple flower blossoms are also edible. The kudzu plant resembles poison ivy, so it’s important to know how to identify it correctly.
- When used responsibly and with professional guidance, kudzu root may offer a natural and valuable contribution to your health and well-being.
- Vital signs, measures of blood chemistry, liver function tests and urinalysis assessments were all normal.
In cases of alcoholism, the doses studied in scientific research were 1.5-3g of kudzu root extract taken in 3 doses per day over 1-4 weeks. A single dose of 2g of kudzu extract has also been used in other studies before a drinking session. In a (double-blind) study carried out by David M Penetar and his colleagues4, the influence of kudzu on alcohol usage was tested in 20 men. Some of them were given a dose of 2g of kudzu extract with an active isoflavones content of 520mg almost three hours before a drinking session in which up they could choose to consume up to 6 beers, water or fruit juices. The result showed that the group that had received kudzu significantly reduced their consumption of alcoholic drinks during the drinking session.
This interpretation of kudzu’s possible mechanism of action was also suggested by Wong et al. (2011) who postulated that kudzu alters peripheral and cerebral blood flow. Puerarin, one of the most abundant isoflavones in kudzu root extracts, is a known vasodilator and is approved for such use in China following coronary infarction and stroke (Wu et al., 2014). 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.
The isoflavones like puerarin in kudzu have been investigated for cardiovascular benefits. These could be attributed to the vasodilatory and antioxidant effects of kudzu. Research has found that kudzu can help improve insulin sensitivity, which can help regulate blood sugar levels.
Anxiety Management
It is quite likely that the desire to use alcohol in an outpatient setting cannot be captured with a single question; we also observed an absence of an effect on desire for alcohol in our previous study (Lukas et al., 2005). The major dependent variable was self-reported alcohol consumption as measured via the wrist actigraphy device. Using the continuous measure of alcohol consumption, drinking was quantified using a number of different variables as noted above. In addition, responses to the audible prompts multiple times a day were used to assess desire to consume alcohol.
In traditional herbal medicine, kudzu root extract has been suggested to have potential health benefits https://ecosoberhouse.com/ for alcoholism, hangovers, and also menopause. When given equal amounts of alcohol, kudzu- and placebo-treated individuals respond similarly (Penetar et al., 2011). Incorporating herbs into a recovery plan requires careful consideration and professional guidance. It is essential to consult with a healthcare provider to evaluate the safety and possible interactions with any prescribed medications, as some herbal remedies can have significant side effects or alter the effectiveness of drugs.
