I’ve read numerous articles over the years promoting the natural herb Kudzu as an excellent way to reduce alcohol cravings.
Many of the articles touted it as a virtual miracle cure for alcoholism. While other articles warned that it was nothing short of quackery! Being the rather objective guy I am, I decided to look a bit further into it to decide what was true, and what was simply hype.
Although used for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), this herb has only recently gained a following in the west. A lot of this is due to the number of positives articles detailing its benefits in combating alcoholism. The articles touting Kudzu’s benefits appear mainly on TCM related websites, or sites selling the herb. So, take that for what it’s worth.
Essentially, Kudzu purportedly can cut the consumption of alcohol in half without the dangerous side-effects of drugs. Many people who have tried it report “feeling like they’ve had enough to drink” more quickly. Or, “not enjoying” an alcoholic drink as much as they used to.
My 2008 Experiment on Kudzu
I wanted to see for myself what – if any – benefit could be had from trying it. So, back in 2008 I experimented with the herb to see if it might help reduce my cravings for alcohol. At the time I was drinking alcohol 5 days a week, and probably consumed upwards of 30 or more drinks a week. Needless to say that’s a LOT more than is healthy.
So, I bought a 60-day supply of the herb, which was 120 capsules in total. I was to take 2 capsules twice a day, with food. This is good advice since Kudzu had a very noticeable (and somewhat unpleasant) taste.
After about a month of taking Kudzu I discovered that, for me personally, it did not reduce my alcohol cravings by any significant amount. I seemed to have almost (if not exactly the same) desire to drink as before. However, what it DID do was noticeably change the taste to the point where alcohol just wasn’t that enjoyable to drink.
Thus, I WAS drinking a little less because I wasn’t getting as much satisfaction from it as I did before. It wasn’t a big reduction, but I went from drinking 30 or so alcoholic drinks per week, down to approximately 20 per week while taking Kudzu.
Conclusion: Kudzu Isn’t a Miracle Herb, But It CAN Help
Needless to say, it is certainly beneficial to remove the “pleasure” part of drinking from the equation. So, if you’re looking for a way to reduce your alcohol intake, and you don’t want to risk the dangerous side effects of prescription drugs, then you may want to add Kudzu supplements to your diet.
It helped me a little bit, and perhaps it can do the same for you. Of course, please talk with your doctor before taking this or any other supplement. ♦