Alcoholism takes many forms. One of the primary signals that one is an alcoholic is frequent "binge" drinking. The National Institute of Alcoholism and Alcohol has adopted the definition of binge drinking to be: a pattern of drinking alcohol that brings blood alcohol concentration up to 0.08 gram percent or above. This typically equates to consuming 5 or more drinks (for the average male) or 4 or more drinks (for the average female) within a 2 hour time span.
Of course not everyone who binge drinks is an alcoholic, but as the frequency of binge drinking increases, the likelihood of slipping into alcoholism also rises.
Though treating someone who is on the road to alcoholism with a hard-stop treatment center is certainly an option, there is a growing recognition of chemicals and supplements that incorporate those chemicals which can help reduce ones appetite for alcohol and thus lower the desire to binge.
Daidzin is one such chemical compound. It is considered an isoflavone and is found in both the Japanese plant Kudzu as well as in soybean leaves. The compound has antidipsotropic effects which means that it suppresses ethanol intake (the desire to drink alcohol). It has been used as a traditional Chinese herbal remedy for treating alcoholism.
Daidzin comes in a number of forms, including as an herbal extract of the Kudzu plant and more recently in a product known as Sobrexa.
In a study conducted by the Harvard Medical School, in which they gave a group of college students either a diadzin extract or a placebo and monitored their drinking over a two week period, they found that those taking the extract consumed significantly less alcohol even though they were exposed to the same opportunities. Dr. Scott Lukas stated, "The results were dramatic. Those who took the herbal extract drank significantly less than those on the placebo. They drank an average of one or two beers while the placebo group drank three or four."
Though the diadzin extract, and its associated forms, is not a complete cure to help stop drinking alcohol all together, it appears that it does significantly reduce one's desire to over-drink. If reducing the desire to binge drink can help one take control over their alcohol consumption, then looking into a diadzin treatment regiment may certainly be worthwhile.
The above article was contributed by The Last Call Program. The Last Call Program provides an at home alcohol treatment regimen that incorporates herbal supplements (including Sobrexa) as well as exercise programs and counseling. The Last Call Program was developed by Dr. Frank Gibson who ran the largest integrative clinic of its kind in the country.