There is also good evidence that drinking clear spirits reduces the severity of hangovers. In fact, traditional Chinese medicine has used the plant for over 2,500 years. There is no reason why you should worry about what AA members think about catnip, hops, St. John’s Wort, ashwagandha, milk thistle, kudzu, or any other supplement. For example, do not ask about where to find the best Valerian root for alcohol detox in an AA meeting.
I’ve since had similar experiences while drinking NA beers at bars, and if anything, watching the Jets fumble things would “sober” me up. IPA still share a lot of similarities with their boozy counterparts, coming in bottles or cans of the same size, and with labeling that looks right at home in a cooler of beverages at a party. Maybe even though I knew I wasn’t drinking beer with alcohol, my past associations with the beverage were powerful enough to override that knowledge and make me feel like I was drinking. Next, Dr. Lee contacted researchers at the Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies. He suggested that they test Kudzu to see if it would reduce alcohol consumption among their rats.
Modern studies and research on kudzu to reduce alcohol intake
More recently, kudzu root has made its way to Western countries as an herbal supplement. Given all of this, I’m now confident that something like the alcohol placebo effect observed in the laboratory is occurring for me when I “day drink.” I love this realization for what it reveals not just about NA beverages but about our world. There is something mysterious and beautiful about embracing the idea that our expectations influence us in such profound ways and that we herbs to curb alcohol cravings don’t need mind-altering substances to alter our minds. In a 2020 review in BMJ, Harvard professor and placebo expert Ted Kaptchuk found that placebo responses can account for 50 to 75 percent of the drug treatments for pain. Kaptchuk’s research also suggests that “open-placebo” treatments—when patients know they are receiving a placebo—are comparable in efficacy to deceptive placebo designs, when patients don’t know they are receiving a non-active pill or treatment.
- Mecamylamine, a nicotine antagonist, is a ganglionic cholinergic blocker, which was originally marketed for blood pressure lowering, and its use in smoking cessation blocks the rewarding effects of nicotine, and therefore, reduces the urge to smoke.
- DLPA (DL-phenylalanine) is a precursor to several neurotransmitters, including dopamine.
- However, more research is needed to fully understand the effects of kudzu on the body.
- 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.
- Capsule sets were individually packaged in small envelopes and marked on the outside with date and time of day to be consumed.
I will discuss how kudzu works, my experience with using powdered kudzu root for alcoholism, and recommendations for taking kudzu. Nor will it drastically enhance your quality of life after the first dose. However, if you want to cut down on drinking or detoxify your body during alcohol withdrawal, kudzu may be able to help. In this article, I’m going to discuss how to use kudzu recovery for alcoholism. Kudzu is an invasive weed that has also been used to treat alcoholism for well over one thousand years. Ondansetron, a highly selective 5HT3 receptor antagonist, has been shown to reduce cravings when it is combined with Naltrexone [24].
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The overall incidence of side effects (e.g., headaches, shakes, chills, nausea, etc.) in both groups ranged between 1.7 and 3%. None of the study participants reported any insomnia, sedation, dizziness, blurred vision, tinnitus, or altered libido. Participants filled out a daily diary every morning as soon as possible upon awakening. Three questions asked them to report how many alcoholic drinks, tobacco cigarettes and caffeinated beverages they consumed and two questions asked about bedtime and wake time.
However, it is critical to discuss supplements with your doctor before taking them. In addition to working with a traditional alcohol therapist or alcohol counselor, there are also digital prescription therapeutics, which are software solutions to help people overcome addictions. With the addition of AI technology, these digital prescription therapeutics apps will only become more effective. Psychotherapy is a critical and essential part of alcohol detox and recovery. A home-based alcohol rehab service may provide both a therapist and a doctor to manage the detox and recovery phase of overcoming alcohol abuse. Since reducing blood sugar spikes seems to help with cravings, it may be useful to consider a low-carb diet.
Will kudzu supplement pills make me drink less alcohol?
For example, if someone knocked on your door and shouted to you that there was a fire in your building and you needed to get out, your heart rate would go up; your hair might stand on end. When a person attends an AA meeting, or any other recovery meeting, they do not have any obligation to share medical treatment information with the group or other members. Any questions about medical treatment should be directed to a doctor, and not peer support meeting members. Fortunately, the larger organization does not have an official opinion on addiction resources. Narcotics Anonymous (NA), on the other hand, does have an official position against medical addiction treatments. Milk thistle, also known as blessed milk thistle, is a natural supplement that promotes cleansing of the liver.