Kudzu, a climbing vine whose root is sold as a dietary supplement, is used for drinking reduction, heart health and menopause. In small studies, heavy drinkers drank modestly less, but their urge to drink was unchanged. Other benefits rest on single or low-quality studies. Oral use seems well tolerated for weeks to a few months, but may amplify alcohol's effects and interact with some drugs; long-term safety is unknown. (Full Review)
| Marker | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| ALT | <25 U/L | Liver injury signal |
| AST | <25 U/L | Liver injury signal |
| GGT | <20 U/L | Alcohol and liver stress |
| PEth | <20 ng/mL | Objective alcohol intake |
| Fasting glucose | 75–90 mg/dL | Glucose effect, hypoglycemia risk |
| HbA1c | 4.8–5.4% | Longer-term glucose |
| eGFR | >90 mL/min/1.73 m² | Kidney clearance of puerarin |
| INR (warfarin users) | Individual therapeutic range, usually 2.0–3.0 | Warfarin interaction |
| Estradiol (women) | Track change from own baseline | Estrogen-like effect |
Cadence: Baseline before starting; glucose 2–3 times weekly for the first 2 weeks on diabetes drugs; INR at 5–7 days on warfarin; liver enzymes and alcohol marker at 4–8 weeks, then every 3 months while use continues