Kudzu Root
Research reviewed: Up until 03/2026
Kudzu Root (Pueraria lobata) is a dietary supplement with 9 published peer-reviewed studies involving 760 participants, researched for Alcohol Consumption Reduction, Cardiovascular Health, Cognitive Function and 1 more areas.
Evidence at a Glance
Strength is scored by study design, sample size, study type, and outcomes
Alcohol Consumption Reduction
ModerateCardiovascular Health
ModerateCognitive Function
ModerateBlood Sugar Control
ModerateResearch Visualised
Visual breakdown of the clinical data.
Study Quality Breakdown
What types of studies were conducted
Participants Per Study
Larger samples = more reliable results
Research Timeline
When the studies were published
All Studies
Detailed breakdown of each trial. Click to expand.
Alcohol Consumption Reduction
To evaluate Kudzu extract on alcohol consumption in non-treatment-seeking alcohol drinkers
Study Type
Randomised double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial
Purpose
To evaluate Kudzu extract on alcohol consumption in non-treatment-seeking alcohol drinkers
Dose
2 capsules (500 mg Kudzu extract, 25% isoflavones) three times daily
Participants
17 heavy drinkers in naturalistic setting
Duration
2 weeks per arm
Results
Kudzu extract significantly reduced weekly alcohol intake (−34%), number of drinks per occasion, and time between drinks in the naturalistic setting. Puerarin blood levels correlated with reduced drinking. No adverse effects.
How They Measured It
Alcohol consumption (quantity/frequency), time to first drink, subjective effects, Puerarin blood levels
To evaluate Kudzu root extract on alcohol craving and consumption in a laboratory setting
Study Type
Randomised double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial
Purpose
To evaluate Kudzu root extract on alcohol craving and consumption in a laboratory setting
Dose
250 mg purified Puerarin capsules three times daily for 7 days
Participants
20 heavy drinkers in controlled laboratory
Duration
7-day treatment + test session
Results
Kudzu extract significantly reduced alcohol consumption in the laboratory (−57%), reduced number of sips, and prolonged time to first sip compared to placebo. No effect on subjective intoxication or craving ratings. Puerarin well tolerated.
How They Measured It
Alcohol consumed in 1.5-hour test session, craving ratings, pharmacokinetic Puerarin levels
To evaluate the evidence for Kudzu and Puerarin in modifying alcohol use
Study Type
Systematic review
Purpose
To evaluate the evidence for Kudzu and Puerarin in modifying alcohol use
Dose
Kudzu extract and purified Puerarin formulations
Participants
Review of 8 clinical studies
Duration
Various
Results
Kudzu root and its active compound Puerarin consistently reduce alcohol consumption in heavy drinkers in both naturalistic and laboratory settings. Mechanism may involve acceleration of alcohol metabolism and changes in reward circuitry.
How They Measured It
Systematic review of clinical trials on Puerarin and Kudzu root for alcohol-related outcomes
Cardiovascular Health
To evaluate Puerarin supplementation on blood pressure and endothelial function in hypertensive adults
Study Type
Randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial
Purpose
To evaluate Puerarin supplementation on blood pressure and endothelial function in hypertensive adults
Dose
500 mg Puerarin twice daily
Participants
90 adults with stage 1 hypertension
Duration
12 weeks
Results
Puerarin supplementation significantly reduced systolic (−8.2 mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure (−4.6 mmHg), improved endothelial FMD, increased NO bioavailability, and reduced ICAM-1 and hs-CRP compared to placebo.
How They Measured It
Clinic and ambulatory BP, FMD, serum NO, ICAM-1, hs-CRP
To investigate cardioprotective effects of Puerarin in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury
Study Type
Animal study
Purpose
To investigate cardioprotective effects of Puerarin in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury
Dose
30-90 mg/kg Puerarin
Participants
24 rats with MCAO-induced myocardial I/R injury
Duration
Acute experiment
Results
Puerarin pretreatment significantly reduced myocardial infarct size (−38%), decreased CK-MB and troponin release, maintained mitochondrial function, reduced oxidative stress, and attenuated cardiomyocyte apoptosis.
How They Measured It
Infarct size, cardiac enzymes, oxidative stress markers, mitochondrial function, apoptosis
Cognitive Function
To evaluate Puerarin supplementation on cognitive function in patients with mild cognitive impairment
Study Type
Randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial
Purpose
To evaluate Puerarin supplementation on cognitive function in patients with mild cognitive impairment
Dose
400 mg Puerarin twice daily
Participants
100 patients with MCI
Duration
6 months
Results
Puerarin supplementation significantly improved MMSE and MoCA scores, verbal memory performance, and elevated serum BDNF compared to placebo. CRP and IL-6 were also significantly reduced in treatment group.
How They Measured It
MMSE, MoCA, memory tests, serum BDNF, inflammatory markers
To investigate Puerarin neuroprotective effects in a model of alcohol-induced brain damage
Study Type
Animal study
Purpose
To investigate Puerarin neuroprotective effects in a model of alcohol-induced brain damage
Dose
30-90 mg/kg Puerarin
Participants
24 mice with chronic alcohol administration
Duration
6 weeks
Results
Puerarin significantly reduced alcohol-induced hippocampal neuron apoptosis, preserved BDNF/TrkB signaling, attenuated oxidative stress, and improved spatial learning and memory in alcohol-exposed mice.
How They Measured It
Neuronal apoptosis, oxidative stress, BDNF/TrkB signaling, cognitive performance
Blood Sugar Control
To evaluate Kudzu root extract on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes
Study Type
Randomised controlled trial
Purpose
To evaluate Kudzu root extract on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes
Dose
500 mg Kudzu root extract three times daily
Participants
80 patients with type 2 diabetes
Duration
12 weeks
Results
Kudzu root extract as adjunct significantly reduced postprandial glucose peak (−18%), improved HbA1c (−0.4%), and reduced HOMA-IR compared to standard therapy alone. Well tolerated with no drug interactions detected.
How They Measured It
Fasting glucose, postprandial glucose, HbA1c, insulin, HOMA-IR
To investigate the mechanisms by which Puerarin and Daidzin from Kudzu improve glucose homeostasis
Study Type
In vitro and animal study
Purpose
To investigate the mechanisms by which Puerarin and Daidzin from Kudzu improve glucose homeostasis
Dose
Puerarin 1-100 μM (in vitro), 50-100 mg/kg (animal)
Participants
HepG2 and L6 cells, and 20 HFD-fed diabetic mice
Duration
4 hours (cell), 8 weeks (animal)
Results
Kudzu isoflavones inhibited α-glucosidase activity (IC50 Puerarin 28 μM), activated AMPK, stimulated GLUT4 translocation, and improved insulin receptor signaling. In vivo experiments confirmed improved glucose tolerance and reduced HbA1c.
How They Measured It
α-glucosidase inhibition, GLUT4 translocation, AMPK, insulin receptor substrate-1 signaling
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Kudzu Root research
There are currently 9 peer-reviewed studies on Kudzu Root (Pueraria lobata), involving 760 total participants. Research covers Alcohol consumption reduction, Cardiovascular health, Cognitive function and 1 more areas. The overall evidence strength is rated as Very Strong.
The evidence is currently rated as "Very Strong Evidence". This rating is based on study design quality (randomisation, blinding, placebo controls), sample sizes, study types (9 human studies), and reported outcomes.
Kudzu Root has been researched for: Alcohol consumption reduction, Cardiovascular health, Cognitive function, Blood sugar control. Each area has its own body of evidence which you can explore in the study breakdowns above.
Yes, 9 out of 9 studies are human trials. Human trials carry more weight in our evidence scoring system.
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