Kudzu Extract Cut Binge Drinking in Phase 2b Trial of 120 Adults

A plant extract is showing early promise against heavy drinking. A phase 2b randomized trial from UCSF, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, tested a standardized kudzu extract in 120 adults with alcohol use disorder who binge drank at least once a week. The details make for compelling reading.

Participants took kudzu or placebo about two and a half hours before expected heavy drinking for twelve weeks, alongside brief weekly counselling. Binge days per week fell from 2.15 to 1.42 on kudzu, compared with 2.15 to 2.06 on placebo, and weeks with any binge dropped from 88 to 58 percent.

The advantage persisted three months after treatment ended, and side effects were no more common than with placebo. The authors caution that over-the-counter kudzu products may differ from the standardized extract used here, so people should not assume shop-bought supplements will work the same way. More updates are expected soon.