Kudzu supplement, excellent for alcohol withdrawal

Several clinical trials have confirmed the safety of kudzu, with no evidence of particular side-effects. However, it’s important to choose standardised extracts with a validated isoflavone content specification, as is the case with Kudzu Extract.

We recommend taking 1500mg-3000mg of standardised extract of kudzu a day, comprising at least 8% isoflavones, which corresponds to 3-6 capsules of Kudzu Extract.

This dose is suitable for quitting smoking (withdrawal) or curbing alcohol consumption.

The oldest known reference to kudzu is in Shih Ching, a collection of Chinese songs and poems written more than three thousand years ago (5). It is also one of the plants mentioned in the book ‘The Divine Farmer's Materia Medica’ (Shen Nung Pen Ts’ao Ching), considered to be the first Chinese pharmacopoeia and the basis of subsequent study of traditional Chinese plants (6).

Kudzu also features in the books ‘The Shang Han Lung’ (Treatise On Cold Damage Disorders) dating from the 11th century, in Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang by the celebrated doctor Sūn Sīmião, and in the Treatise on the Spleen and Stomach from the 13th century, in which kudzu is indicated for preventing alcohol abuse (7).

It is also mentioned in the 16th century ‘Compendium of Materia Medica’ in relation to treating alcohol poisoning.

Traditional Chinese medicine is one of the world’s oldest and most complex systems of disease prevention and treatment. It combines manual techniques (such as acupuncture and massage) with diet, exercise and the use of medicinal plants, drawing on age-old empirical evidence. Close to 90 pages of the Japanese encyclopaedia Kojiruienare devoted to it.

Kudzu is known by many different names across the world:

• Gé, Ko (China)
• Kuzu, Yoshino kuzu (Japan)
• Ch'iri kkot, Chik (Korea)
• Tamyakhrua, Phakpeetpe (Thailand)
• Cát cán (Vietnam)
• Bitok (Malaysia)
• Tobi, Bitok (Indonesia)
• Baai, Tahaunon (Philippines)
• Wa yaka, Yaka, Nggariaka (Fiji)
• Baite, Bala, Magnania (New Caledonia)
• Horon (Papua New Guinea)
• Kudzu, Kudsu, One-foot-a-night-vine (United States).

Its Latin name is Pueraria lobata or Pueraria montana (var lobata).

Kudzu root is harvested between October and April, after which it is washed, de-husked and cut into 10cm pieces before being dried, reduced into powder, standardised to 40% isoflavones and then encapsulated.

Taking kudzu in capsule form avoids the problem of its bitter, slightly acidic taste, and ensures a guaranteed content of active ingredients.

Updated: 30/07/2018 Image Credit : Lee Coursey

Notes

This product should not be used to replace a varied, balanced diet or healthy lifestyle. Follow the advice on use, the recommended daily dose and the use-by date. Not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or for children under 15. Keep out of young children’s reach. Store in a cool, dry place.

This product’s capsules are made of pullulan, a natural polysaccharide obtained by fermenting tapioca or corn. Pullulan contains no animal ingredients and provides an excellent barrier to oxygen, helping to preserve the integrity of the capsule’s ingredients. It is also an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic materials.