DO YOU find it hard to say no to alcohol, despite vowing to keep your drinking to a minimum?

If that's you, don't panic, there could be a pill to help!

New research has suggested that a herbal supplement could help people cut back on binge drinking by banishing cravings.

There were over 10,470 alcohol-related deaths in the UK in 2023 and it is estimated that around 1 million Brits are hospitalised each year due to drinking.

According to Alcohol Change UK, around 16.4 million adults drink in ways that could harm their health.

But now, a small study in the US has observed that taking a kudzu supplement - a plant long used in traditional medicine in East Asia - helped people with alcohol use disorder drink a third less frequently than those given a placebo.

And according to researchers, these benefits were still evident after three months.

What Is Kudzu and How Is It Used?

Kudzu is a vine native to several Asian countries, including China, Japan and Korea. Its roots have been used for centuries in Eastern medicine to treat a range of ailments, from fever to muscle pain. In recent decades, interest has grown in its potential to affect the brain's reward pathways, which may explain its impact on alcohol cravings.

In the UK, kudzu is sold as an over-the-counter supplement for around £20, which works out at roughly 60p a day. The product is typically marketed as a natural way to support liver health, menopause symptoms and general inflammation, although scientific evidence for many of these claims remains limited.

Details of the US Study Published in the American Journal of Psychiatry

The study followed 120 adults diagnosed with alcohol use disorder who reported binge drinking heavily at least once a week. For men, binge drinking was defined as five or more drinks on one occasion; for women, four or more drinks.

Participants were randomly assigned to two groups. One half received a kudzu supplement, the other half received a placebo. Both groups took the assigned treatment for 12 weeks, timing the dose about two and a half hours before they expected to binge drink. All participants also attended weekly counselling sessions, a standard component of many alcohol-reduction programmes.

Importantly, the supplement was not required daily. Participants were instructed to take kudzu whenever they felt a strong urge to drink heavily or experienced cravings.

Key Findings: Reduction in Binge Drinking Frequency

By the end of the 12-week treatment, the average number of binge-drinking days per week for the kudzu group fell from 2.15 to 1.42 - a reduction of almost 34 per cent. In contrast, the placebo group's binge-drinking days dropped only from 2.15 to 2.06, a 4 per cent change.

The proportion of weeks in which participants reported any binge drinking also declined markedly for the kudzu group, falling from 88 per cent of weeks to 58 per cent.

Three months after treatment ended, the kudzu group continued to report fewer binge-drinking days than the placebo group, suggesting a lasting effect beyond the active supplementation period.

Researchers noted that no serious side effects were reported by participants taking kudzu.

How the Findings Fit Within UK Drinking Guidelines

In the UK, binge drinking is defined as consuming eight or more units of alcohol in a single session for men, and six or more units for women. The Chief Medical Officers' guidelines advise that adults keep weekly consumption below 14 units and spread drinking over three or more days to minimise health risks.

The study's outcomes align with these public-health messages: fewer binge-drinking episodes reduce the risk of long-term conditions such as cancers of the mouth, throat and breast, as well as acute harms like accidents and injuries.

Expert Commentary and Cautions

Glenn-Milo Santos, the study's lead author and a professor of community health systems at the University of California, San Francisco, said: "Binge drinking is incredibly common, but we don't have many tools to offer people who want to cut back. Our goal is to expand that toolkit. What's exciting about this approach is that people can use it when they know they may be at risk of heavy drinking, rather than taking a medication every day."

While the results are promising, the researchers stress that the trial was small and that larger, more diverse studies are needed to confirm efficacy and safety. They also warned that not all kudzu products sold online are created equal; variations in strength and purity could affect outcomes.

Practical Takeaways for Readers

If you are considering kudzu as a supplement, keep the following points in mind:

  • Purchase from reputable retailers that provide clear dosage information.
  • Use the supplement only when you feel a strong craving, not as a daily preventive measure.
  • Combine kudzu with established support strategies, such as counselling or peer-support groups.
  • Monitor any side effects and consult a healthcare professional if you have liver disease or are taking other medications.

For UK drinkers, the cost of roughly 60p a day makes kudzu an inexpensive option to trial, but it should not replace professional advice or established treatment pathways.

What Comes Next: Research and Regulation

The authors of the study have called for larger randomised controlled trials in both the US and the UK to verify the findings across different populations. In the meantime, regulatory bodies such as the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) continue to classify kudzu as a food supplement, not a medicine, meaning it is not subject to the same rigorous safety testing as prescription drugs.

Consumers should stay alert for any future guidance from public-health agencies regarding the use of herbal supplements for alcohol reduction.

As the evidence base expands, healthcare providers may eventually incorporate kudzu into broader alcohol-harm-reduction programmes, offering an additional low-cost tool for people seeking to cut back on binge drinking.