Participants were instructed to always keep the beer glass on the table except when taking a sip. The scale was connected to a computer in an adjacent room that ran a customized program that sampled the scale at 5 Hz and detected any weight changes that exceeded 1 gm. Additional details and photos of the device can be found in Lukas et al. (2005). During the baseline session, the placebo-randomized group consumed 2.7 ± 0.78 beers before treatment and increased consumption to 3.4 ± 1.1 beers after treatment. The kudzu group significantly reduced consumption from 3.0 ± 1.7 at baseline to 1.9 ± 1.3 beers after treatment.

• However, in the group with the combined medication, decreasing leptin concentrations correlated significantly with the duration of abstinence [33].
• In addition, responses to the audible prompts multiple times a day were used to assess desire to consume alcohol.
• The finding that alcohol intake was reduced without affecting desire to use alcohol at first seemed counter-intuitive.
• Of the 60 articles, 47 assessed both the outcomes of cravings reduction and abstinence.

Increases in 5-HIAL have been shown to be correlated with decreased alcohol consumption in hamsters (Keung et al., 1995). Kudzu’s alteration of alcohol consumption may be through direct effects at brain benzodiazepine receptors on the GABAA complex. The study consisted herbs to curb alcohol cravings of a 2-week baseline period, 4 weeks of medication (subjects were randomized to either kudzu extract or placebo treatments) and a 2-week follow up period. The participants reported their desire for and consumption of alcohol for the duration of the study.

Kudzu Recovery: Conclusion

Today, the most popular ways to use kudzu root are as an herbal supplement or a root tea. More recently, kudzu root has made its way to Western countries as an herbal supplement. Overconsumption of alcohol has significant negative effects on an individual’s health and contributes to an enormous economic impact on society as a whole. Pharmacotherapies to curb excessive drinking are important for treating alcohol use disorders. Although I’m sure it would have helped me detoxify, I did not use kudzu after I quit drinking.

In addition to pharmaceutical products, there are also natural remedies for alcohol withdrawal that may help with the alcohol detox process. Vitamins, such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, and B vitamins, including thiamine and niacin, are essential. There are also food-based and plant-based products that help to support alcohol withdrawal at home.

What Are The Benefits Of Quitting Alcohol And Living An Alcohol Free Life?

In conclusion, this review underscores the ongoing challenges in treating AUD and highlights the potential of various medications in reducing cravings and maintaining long-term abstinence. Naltrexone and Acamprosate emerged as the most effective options, with other substances showing promise, but requiring future investigation through targeted RCTs. Additionally, anticonvulsants and certain psychotropic drugs may offer viable treatment alternatives. However, it is crucial to address the limitations of the mentioned studies and conduct comprehensive research to advance our understanding of cravings and optimize their assessment and treatment approaches.

While this outcome is interesting, we must consider the possibility that the therapy component may be the primary reason for the high success rate. Over the years, there have been efforts to study derivatives of ibogaine to find a safe way to use the drug in a controlled manner. The goal is to standardize a safe form that will meet the requirements of FDA approval. Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury or infection, but chronic inflammation can lead to various health challenges.