Kudzu Supplement Cuts Binge Drinking in Small Study

A 12-week randomized trial of 120 adults with alcohol use disorder found kudzu reduced binge drinking days more than placebo.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Substance Abuse

Dried kudzu root slices and plant fibers on a pale wooden counter beside a glass of water and an unlabeled amber dropper bottle. — A 12-week randomized trial of 120 U.S. adults with alcohol use disorder found a kudzu supplement reduced binge drinking days more than placebo, with benefits lasting three months. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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In a small US study, adults with alcohol use disorder who took a kudzu supplement reduced their binge drinking days more than those given a placebo. The benefit was still present three months after treatment ended.

Why it matters

Alcohol use disorder remains a major public health problem with limited treatment options, and a low-cost supplement with no serious side effects reported could offer an additional tool. Researchers said reducing drinking during treatment may help participants rethink their relationship with alcohol and build confidence.

The trial enrolled 120 adults who binge drank at least once a week, and the kudzu group's binge days fell about 34% compared with 4% for placebo over 12 weeks. Whether these results hold in larger, more diverse populations has not yet been established.

The players

University of California, San Francisco

A public research university in San Francisco, California, and the institution of the lead researcher on this study.

The details

Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a kudzu supplement or a placebo for 12 weeks and also attended weekly counselling sessions. They were instructed to take the supplement when they felt an urge to drink heavily or had strong alcohol cravings, typically about two and a half hours before they expected to binge drink.

12 weeks: treatment period with kudzu or placebo and weekly counselling.
Three months after treatment: the kudzu group still had fewer binge drinking days than the placebo group.

Health Landscape

Alcohol-related deaths in the UK reached 10,470 in 2023, underscoring the scale of the problem this small trial addresses. Kudzu has a long history of traditional medicinal use in East Asia, but its role in treating alcohol use disorder remains experimental.

No serious side effects were reported by participants who took kudzu, and supplements cost about £20 in the UK, roughly 60p a day. Anyone considering kudzu for alcohol cravings should discuss it with a doctor first, since the evidence is limited to one small study.

The takeaway

A low-cost supplement showed a meaningful short-term reduction in binge drinking, but a single small trial is only a starting point. Readers interested in managing alcohol use should look to proven treatments while larger studies test whether kudzu can become a reliable option.