Kava Kava

[DaiTheMod]

Hi, does anyone have any experience with Kava tea? I know it's used a lot in Oceania for the treatment of anxiety/stress but has been prohibited in the UK since ?2002. I keep seeing links between kava kava use and liver damage and wondered if anyone had ever used it.

[Kitkat]

You can buy Kava in this country in tea, tincture or tablet form. :encouragement:

[Morris1954]

I was recommended to use Kava Kava tea to help stabilise my hormones, I can't say I had any side effects, and just felt quite chilled post drinking.

A bit like taking a lot of calm tablets, maybe like all things side effects are noted in the odd person, or with overuse. Not everything suits everyone.

[Louise]

On the outside Kava kava looks like a great way to naturally de-stress.

I have to admit, I know next to nothing about this root, only what I have read on the internet. The evidence for and against it, is much like the evidence for all herbal remedies. If you decided to try Kava Kava, like with anything, please do your own investigations and make your decision on what you have learnt.

This is what I understand,
Kava is made from the root of the Kava plant and is very popular in the Pacific Islands. It is said to bring heightened attention, clarity of mind along with relaxation. A relaxation that has been compared, and fared well against benzodiazepines.
The taste is described as a subtle earthy flavour, pleasant to drink, and not overpowering.

Marketed as a herbal remedy for stress, anxiety and insomnia, it is the compounds known as kavalactones that are responsible for the psychoactive affect, which leads to a reduction in anxiety. In addition to the aforementioned benefits, kava has also been linked to benefits in menopausal symptoms, attention disorders and an increase in libido for women.

With regards to liver damage, it seems there is little evidence to prove an outright causal link, it seems arguments around this subject suggest that Kava is unpredictable, dose-independent and not re-producible, therefore any cause of liver damage may be down to the individuals metabolic differences. I also read that when using Kava in any other form than in it's natural state, may contain toxins as part of the mix, be that tea, tincture or tablet form, it may be any number of these toxins that may contribute to liver damage.

Based on what I have read, Kava, much like like all herbal therapies should be taken with great caution for those people taking prescription medication.

I have read that the dehydrated mixes and powders are not as effective as fresh Kava, and the concentrated extracts can be mixed with harmful chemicals. Fresh is best, which may be a problem obtaining it outside of the Pacific Islands.


Research 1 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22319018) Rowe, A and Ramzan, I, (2012)

Research 2 (http://www.pubpdf.com/pub/21756963/Proposal-for-a-kava-quality-standardization-code) Teschke, R and Lebot, V., (2011)

Research 3 (http://pacifichealthdialog.org.fj/Volume2010/No220Pacific20Public20Health201/Original20Papers/Kava20drinking20in20Vanuatu20a20hospital20based20s urvey.pdf) Grace, RF (2003)

[DaiTheMod]

Thanks KitKat for your response. I shall look into it further :)

[DaiTheMod]

Thanks all.

[Tom32]

Hey! Kava Kava looks quite interesting, I'm all for a bit of relaxation and stress reduction.

Have you tried Ashwagandha? The name alone is reason to take it...it sounds cool:cool:
It's a supplement that is for stress and anxiety and seems to have a big following.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ashwagandha-Certified-Association-Supplement-Somnifera/dp/B017UDQWWE/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1480525709&sr=8-3&keywords=kava+kava

[DaiTheMod]

Hey! Kava Kava looks quite interesting, I'm all for a bit of relaxation and stress reduction.

Have you tried Ashwagandha? The name alone is reason to take it...it sounds cool:cool:
It's a supplement that is for stress and anxiety and seems to have a big following.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ashwagandha-Certified-Association-Supplement-Somnifera/dp/B017UDQWWE/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1480525709&sr=8-3&keywords=kava+kava

I haven't heard of it, but I'll certainly have a look at it. Thanks Tom.

[Yogi001]

It might be worth considering Blue Vervain, you can buy it in good health food shops or online.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Health-Personal-Care/Herb-Pharm-Blue-Vervain-Extract/B000155JR8/ref=pd_sbs_121_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=MJQB30X80MMQP0Y10X15

It is great for de-stressing, and relaxation, but unlike Kava, it may make you a little sleepy, more to do with feeling relaxed.
Other benefits:
Liver cleanser
Reduces sugar cravings
Balances female hormones
Calms the nervous system
Reduces tension carried in the neck and shoulders
Reduces stress.

[J-jay]

I had a quick look around the net for this tea and found 'Yogi' do a Kava tea with excellent feedback but noticed it was available in the US, so I checked out the UK site, only to find it is not available here.

If this tea is safe, why is harder to get Kava in the UK?

[Kellyjames]

Has anyone tried this yet?

[Shelley]

It does seem to be difficult to buy, there must be some truth to the claim it can cause some people liver problems maybe :concern: