Natural Cures for Alcohol Cravings

Alcoholic cravings, if left unattended, can lead to chronic dependency with life-threatening consequences on your physical, mental and social health. Therefore, you need treat and prevent alcohol cravings through medication, lifestyle support, counseling, and nutritional therapy. Certain herbs materials help alleviate and cure alcohol cravings through natural means.

St. John's Wort

• The extracts from the St. John's wort "hypericum perforatrum" flower, act as a common anti-depressive herbal treatment in Europe. St. John's wort extract elevates serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline levels in depressive individuals. A study published on the Oxford Journals website notes that hypericin, an active ingredient in St. John's wort, reduces alcohol cravings in laboratory animals. Dr. Amir H. Rezvani, Research Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina, School of Medicine believes that a strong biological link exists between depression and alcoholism. Similar to individuals suffering from depression, people with alcoholic cravings may exhibit low levels of pre-existing brain serotonin, further aggravated by alcohol abuse. Therefore, the antidepressant effects of St. John's wort could have a positive influence in curbing alcoholic cravings.

Milk Thistle

• Excessive alcohol consumption can adversely affect the healthy functioning of your liver. Milk thistle "silybum marianum," a commonly grown wild herb, in use in traditional medicinal treatments for over 2000 years, significantly improves liver function in alcoholism-related liver disease. The dried fruit of milk thistle contains silymarin, a flavonoid complex that helps to regenerate injured liver cells and counteract the harmful effects of alcohol abuse, states the Peace Health website. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center website, milk thistle has proven to improve liver function in mild cases of alcohol-related liver damage. Milk thistle does not cause any side effects, and a daily dosage of around 420 to 600 mg of silymarin extract derived from milk thistle can help treat liver dysfunction, resulting from excessive alcohol cravings.

Kudzu

• Kudzu "pueraria lobata," a vine used in traditional Chinese medicine, reduces alcohol cravings in human and animal studies. A clinical study published in the Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research journal, demonstrated the efficacy of kudzu extract on heavy alcohol drinkers. Kudzu works in a variety of ways to curb alcoholic addiction. It contains a variety of isoflavones, protein and starch that give a feeling of fullness and reduce the desire to consume alcohol in copious amounts. According to Scott Lukas, Professor of Psychiatry at McLean Hospital, Massachusetts, puerarin, an active ingredient in kudzu, increases blood flow to the brain and heart. He postulates that puerarin could similarly trigger a quick feeling of fullness in alcoholics, and thereby reduce their alcohol intake.