The Health Benefits Of Kudzu

Kudzu, or Pueraria lobata, is a vine native to the subtropical areas of Japan, China and Fiji. Although the people of those cultures have long valued kudzu for its nutritional value and health benefits, Americans have traditionally viewed kudzu as just an invasive plant. Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine, or TCM, use kudzu to treat various health conditions, including colds, fevers and eye pain. While modern research indicates that kudzu offers some health benefits, talk to your physician before taking any kudzu supplements.

Active Compounds

Drugs.com reports that kudzu contains a very high level of isoflavones as well as various flavonoids and isoflavonoids. According to J.K. Prassain's article in the "Maturitas" journal, flavonoids are plant metabolites that seem to affect the metabolic system in humans. Scientists believe the isoflavones also give kudzu some of its beneficial properties, including its anti-inflammatory and estrogenic effects. Other active compounds in kudzu include plant sterols and glycosides.

Alcoholism

Kudzu might help treat alcohol addiction. TCM practitioners have traditionally given intoxicated people doses of kudzu root tea to help them sober up, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. In an article for the "Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research" journal, S.E. Lukas reported that the isoflavones found in kudzu reduces alcohol consumption in laboratory animals. Lukas also notes that in one clinical study, heavy drinkers who took kudzu extract consumed fewer alcoholic drinks than the people who took a placebo. Those who took the kudzu also took more sips to finish their drinks. This indicates that kudzu supplements might help treat alcoholism, but more clinical studies need to verify these claims.

Menopausal Symptoms

The UPMC notes that the isoflavones found in kudzu are similar to those in soy. The soy isoflavones have a known estrogenic effect, or produce results similar to the estrogen hormone, but research on the kudzu isoflavones have had mixed results. According to Drugs.com, human subjects who consume kudzu extract report a reduction in the number of hot flashes they suffer each day. Other researchers have found no evidence that kudzo has any effects on menopausal symptoms, however. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center notes that consuming kudzu might alleviate some menopausal symptoms, particularly hot flashes and night sweats. Consult your doctor before using kudzu supplements to treat menopausal symptoms.

Improves Cardiovascular Health

Practitioners of TCM suggest a daily dosage of 30 to 120 mg of kudzu to treat cardiovascular disease, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Clinical trials indicate that consuming kudzu might reduce the frequency of angina, or chest pains, but more studies are needed to support this claim. According to J.K. Prassain, the flavonoids in kudzu reduce arterial pressure in lab animals who suffer from high blood pressure. The flavonoids also seem to reduce the plasma concentration of lipids. Because kudzu might affect prescription medications, talk to your health care provider before taking kudzu to treat heart disease.

Considerations

The UPMC suggests taking 9 to 15 g of kudzu every day in tea or tablet form. Drugs.com reports that kudzu has been consumed by humans for thousands of years with very few reported side effects. However, the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center warns that the estrogenic effects of kudzu means you shouldn't consume any of this herb if you suffer from a hormone-sensitive cancer such as breast cancer.