Kudzu root
Pueraria montana var. lobata · 葛根
Herbs & Roots. Chinese Medicine.
Also called Ge gen, Japanese arrowroot, Kudzu, Pueraria root
Pinyin: Gé gēn
Spanish: Kudzu
Weak estrogen-like effectsThe thick root of a climbing vine, used in Chinese medicine for fever with a stiff neck, neck pain and thirst.
Did you know? Kudzu was shown as a garden plant at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, and the US government later promoted it to stop soil erosion. It now covers millions of acres in the South.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Women's health. An 84-woman trial tested a kudzu flower and mandarin peel blend for hot flashes. Root-only trials are lacking, so the evidence is weak.Traditional proof
- Heart health. Chinese studies of puerarin, a kudzu chemical given by injection, were mostly small. Whole-root evidence is lacking.Traditional proof
- Muscles & exercise. Used in tradition for neck and shoulder stiffness. No good human trials exist for the root.Traditional proof
Parts of the body
Traditional use
Traditional Chinese Medicine has used kudzu root for fever with a stiff neck, neck and shoulder tension, thirst and diarrhea. It is part of the classic formula Ge Gen Tang (Kudzu Decoction).
How it is classified
- Herbal actions
- Diaphoretic, Antispasmodic, Circulatory. Energy: cooling.
- Chinese medicine
- 葛根 Release the exterior. Nature: cool. Flavour: sweet, pungent. Enters the Spleen and Stomach channels.
How people take it
Traditional doses are about 9 to 15 grams of dried root in a decoction. Kudzu root starch is also used as a thickener in cooking. Supplement doses vary by brand, and few human doses are established.
Decoction, capsule, powder and tea.
Where to get it
A vine native to East Asia. Roots are dug, sliced and dried, and sold as slices, powder, capsules and starch.
Be careful
Common side effects are mild, such as nausea or rash. Kudzu isoflavones may act like weak estrogens, so avoid it with hormone-sensitive cancer. Classic formulas like Ge Gen Tang also contain ephedra, so do not copy them at home.
Avoid if: pregnancy; breastfeeding; hormone-sensitive cancer.
Mixing with other things
- Works well together
Ge Gen Tang (Kudzu Decoction) pairs kudzu with white peony, cinnamon twig and licorice for neck stiffness with early cold symptoms.
- Works well together
Cinnamon twig (gui zhi) is in Ge Gen Tang, where it warms the body and releases the outer layer.
- Works well together
Licorice is also in Ge Gen Tang to balance the formula.
The honest take
Kudzu root has a long history, but good human studies are scarce. The best-known menopause trial tested the flower, not the root. Claims about hangovers or heart health rest mostly on small or low-quality work.