Japanese people often take kudzu root soup when they have a cold. Many people say, "If you have a cold, kudzu root soup". Since it is a traditional Chinese medicine, it may have an image of being beneficial to the body. There are many types of kudzu root soup. Also, it doesn't really work for everyone or type of cold.


We will introduce in detail the efficacy of kudzu root soup and the correct way to drink it.



Kudzu root soup familiar to Japanese

Commonly known as "cold medicine for the early stage of a cold", many Japanese people take it when cold symptoms begin to appear, and it is widely known as a general cold remedy. Kakkonto is a Chinese herbal medicine, not a cold medicine. Typically, kudzu root soup is made with 7 herbs. In Japan, kudzu soup in granule type, tablet type, and drink type is available from every pharmaceutical company such as Tsumura and Kracie.


Gegen soup is not only effective for colds, but also for unexpected symptoms.


The influence of kudzu root soup

Pudzu root soup has the function of warming the body.

When a cold has a fever, many people will naturally sweat a lot while sleeping, and then it will be relieved a lot. In Chinese medicine, sweating is considered an important process in the treatment of colds.

The chills or fever symptom at the beginning of a cold is a condition in which the body temperature rises to increase resistance to the cold. Kakkonto contains herbs that warm the body, sweat, and then reduce fever for healing.


Not only a cold but also this effect

Aside from cold symptoms, kudzu root soup is actually effective.

Kudzu root soup can relieve muscle tension from the back of the head to the nape and back. Therefore, it can be expected to be effective for stiff shoulders and headaches caused by stiff shoulders. In addition, maoto, one of the components of kudzu soup, has anti-allergic effects, so it is also effective for hives. It is also said to be effective against mastitis.

In addition, cinnamon bark, ephedra, and papaya can reduce inflammation near the body surface.

You can see that not only Kakkonto, but also one traditional Chinese medicine can be expected to be effective for various symptoms and diseases.



Types of kudzu soup

There are several types of kudzu soup in Japan. The mixing ratio of the seven crude drugs varies depending on the pharmaceutical company, so I want to choose one according to my constitution and symptoms. By the way, the medicinal kudzu root soup you buy in the hospital and the over-the-counter kudzu root soup you buy in the pharmacy have a different amount of crude drug, the commercial amount is about two-thirds.

If you want a milder effect, we recommend Kakkonto Soup available in the market.


Tsumura

The ingredients of Tsumura Kampo medicinal kudzu root soup are as follows.

  • Kacon 4.0g
  • King Xi 2.0g
  • Jujube 3.0g
  • Peony 2.0g
  • Ephedra 3.0g
  • Ginger 2.0g
  • Licorice 2.0g

The efficacy is relatively strong with the following symptoms, headache without spontaneous sweating, fever, chills, stiff shoulders, etc. .


Specifically, it is effective for rhinitis and cold, early stage of fever, conjunctivitis, keratitis, otitis media, tonsil inflammation, mastitis, lymphadenitis and other inflammatory diseases, frozen shoulder, upper limb neuralgia, and urticaria.


Classy

Next are the ingredients for Kracie's Kakkonto Soup.

  • Kacon 8.0g
  • King Xi 3.0g
  • Tai Su 4.0g
  • Peony 3.0g
  • Ephedra 4.0g
  • Ginger 1.0g
  • Licorice 2.0g

The effect is cold nose, cold, headache, stiff shoulders, muscle aches, pain in hands and shoulders.


Kotaro


It is an ingredient in Kotaro's Kudzu Soup.

  • Kacon 4.0g
  • King Xi 3.0g
  • Jujube 3.0g
  • Peony 2.0g
  • Ephedra 4.0g
  • Ginger 1.0g
  • Licorice 2.0g

The efficacy is headache, fever, chills, involuntary sweating, sore shoulders and back pain, diarrhea. There are nasal cold, cold, suppuration, tonsillitis, conjunctivitis, mastitis, fainting, urticaria, frozen shoulder, neuralgia, migraine.


The three companies’ Kakkonto have different proportions of ingredients, and doctors will prescribe suitable Kakkonto according to a person’s constitution and symptoms.



The difference between common cold medicine and kudzu root soup

Common cold medicines are symptomatic treatments that control the symptoms of the common cold, not cure it. By suppressing symptoms, it prevents physical exhaustion and has the function of maintaining rest. On the other hand, the traditional Chinese medicine Kakkonto raises body temperature to boost immunity and try to cure a cold.


If you do not feel the effect of using Kakkonto at the initial stage of cold symptoms, it is effective to use common cold medicine to suppress pain symptoms and rest. Arguably that's how drugs are used.



Correct usage of kudzu root soup

Pudzu root soup is the point of taking it correctly at the right time to maximize the effect. In addition, not only kudzu soup, but also common medicines, even over-the-counter medicines, may have unexpected side effects if the correct dosage and frequency of administration are not observed.


When taking traditional Chinese medicine or medicine, be sure to read the precautions carefully and follow the instructions.


Drink at the beginning of a cold

It is very important to drink kudzu root soup at the beginning of a cold. By drinking kudzu soup when the virus has invaded the body and has not yet spread in large numbers, it can raise body temperature and fight off the virus. It is said that when the body temperature reaches 37 to 38 degrees Celsius, the body's immunity will increase by 5 times.


Even if you take Kakkonto after the virus in your body increases to a certain extent, the effect will be halved. It can be difficult to pinpoint at which stage a cold begins to catch the infection, but Gerenne Soup is at the stage where you feel subtle changes, such as "you have a problem with your nose or throat" or "you feel like you have a problem with your body".Let's drink.

After the throat is swollen or chilly, it's too late.


Drink before meals

If possible, take kudzu root soup before meals. As with all traditional Chinese medicines, drink water or plain water on an empty stomach. For general cold medicine, if you take it on an empty stomach, people with weak stomach may have stomach discomfort, but Chinese medicine is taken before or between meals.


If you feel sick after eating, you can take it after meals. Early drinking kudzu root soup will be more effective.



When kudzu root soup is not suitable

Kudzu root soup is an herb that is effective when taken in the early stages of a cold, but taking kudzu root soup does not immediately cure any cold. Also, depending on your symptoms and constitution, Kakkonto Root Decoction may not be suitable.

In some cases, you should take another herbal medicine or medicine instead of Ge Gen Tang.


People with poor circulation

Gegen Decoction Raises body temperature and suppresses cold virus. It is a traditional Chinese medicine suitable for young and middle-aged people with physical strength and fever.

However, for people with poor blood circulation, the body temperature does not easily rise even after taking kudzu soup, so it may be difficult to feel the effect.


Seniors

Similar to people with poor blood circulation, it is difficult for elderly people with poor constitution to raise their body temperature even if they take kudzu soup, so they may feel that it has no effect. However, this does not mean that kudzu root soup is completely ineffective for people with poor blood circulation and the elderly.

It is best to drink kudzu soup with plain hot water to warm your body and create an environment where you can easily raise your body temperature.


I have a fever

Even if you have a cold and have a fever, kudzu root soup is not suitable. A fever means your body is already fighting the virus. If you further warm your body with kudzu soup, your energy will be exhausted.

If you have a sore throat or fever, you may need to take cold medicine or other traditional Chinese medicine to control common symptoms.



It is very important to take kudzu root soup correctly

Pudzu root soup has long been popular as a cold remedy that we are all too familiar with. It is made with 7 herbs, but dosage may vary by pharmaceutical company. Kakkonto is most effective when taken at the onset of a cold. Drinking alcohol is effective when you have throat or nose problems. Please drink water or plain water on an empty stomach.