What is Kava?
Kava is a tropical evergreen shrub with heart-shaped leaves and woody stems. Its scientific name is Piper methysticum.
Kava is a depressant drug, which means it slows down the messages travelling between the brain and the body. Kava is made from the root or stump of the kava (Piper methysticum)
Kava comes in different forms including:
• Brownish-coloured drink
• Brown powder
• Capsules
• Extracts
• drops.2
Other names
Kava kava, kawa, waka, lewena, yaqona, grog (Fiji), sakau (Pohnpei), ‘awa (Hawaii), ‘ava (Samoa) and wati (New Guinea).
Effects of kava
The effects depend on a number of factors, such as your kava's age, cultivar, form and method of consumption, but in general kava produces relaxation and mild cheerfulness without diminishing mental clarity. At first it makes one mentally relaxed and yet alert, it then brings deeper muscle relaxation which is often followed by sedation and sleepiness.
Is kava safe?
Yes, in its traditional form noble kava roots have an excellent safety record and can be used safely by healthy adults.
However, not all kava sold today is noble or traditional. Some kava products may come in non-traditional forms and contain unsuitable parts of the plant, poor quality plant material and/or other additives, including drugs and botanical that may or may not interact with kava. It is possible that using such products is not as safe as the use of traditional kava roots.
Note that just like many other plants, kava can negatively interact with certain medications (e.g. benzodiazapines) and recreational drugs (e.g. alcohol). It is best to consult your doctor if you take any medications and it's a good idea not to mix kava with any other recreational substances.
Does kava have any medicinal qualities?
Kava has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. It's the most important natural remedy across most of the Pacific. Traditionally, it's been used to treat a great number of health conditions including: infections, inflammations, gastrointestinal upsets, respiratory ailments, skin diseases and topical wounds, and as an analgesic.
Today kava is primarily known for its anti-anxiety properties. According to numerous studies (including placebo controlled clinical trials) kava appears to be reliable and effective in treating non-psychotic anxiety and generalized anxiety.
It is also likely to be effective for treating sleep disorders, mild depression and stress.
Some of the most recently undertaken research projects have hinted at kava's potential for the treatment and prevention of numerous forms and types of cancer (in particular: lung cancer, colon cancer and bladder cancer).
Does kava have any side effects?
Noble kava roots are not associated with any serious side effects. Minor side effects include: stomach upsets (usually following excessive consumption or improper preparation), dehydration (kava is a strong diuretic) and (following long term consumption) a fully reversible dry skin condition known in Fiji as kani kani.
A tiny number of kava users can experience an allergic reaction to kava. In most cases it's minor and manifests itself into red and itchy skin.
General Guidelines.
One thing to note before you decide to purchase any kava online is that this industry is still small, with relatively few serious and dedicated vendors and little customer awareness. Instead, much kava is sold by random head shops, "health stores" and other potentially unreliable, clueless or even dishonest re-sellers. This is why it's very important to do research before you purchase your kava.