Kava Kava is a plant extract from the South Seas. There also known as intoxicating pepper, Kava Kava (Kawa-Kawa) is a proven remedy of many indigenous people. The effect of Kava Kava is very similar to valerian: it has a calming effect and relieves anxiety. From 2002 to 2015, kava kava was mostly banned due to difficult-to-calculate, sometimes severe side effects. It is now being used again as a relaxant, but with tightened usage information.
What is kava kava?
Kava kava is the extract from the root of a plant called narcotic pepper (Piper methysticum), which is native to the South Seas. Kava Kava is a shrub that grows up to several meters high and has a succulent root. Kava Kava has been used as a natural relaxant for 3000 years. Sometimes called cava cava, it is still part of traditional and mostly religious rituals in many tribes.
Mainly men drink the powder of the kava kava root as a drink to relax and loosen muscles. The calming effect of cava cava is said to promote restful sleep. To prepare this drink, the powder extracted from the roots of the kava kava plant is infused with water or alcohol. The extract can also be obtained by chewing the fresh root.
As a dietary supplement, Kava Kava is mostly available in Germany in the form of capsules. Kava Kava is said to be non-addictive. Occasionally, kava kava is used supportively in withdrawal treatments for alcohol addicts.
What are the effects of kava kava?
Unlike badrian or St. John’s wort, kava kava has a depressant rather than an uplifting and stimulating effect on mood. Kava kava is primarily used as a mild psychodrug for anxiety.
The most common use of kava kava is for anxiety, tension, and restlessness, and to improve general well-being. Kava kava root is said to have a calming, anxiety-relieving, muscle-relaxing as well as antidepressant effect. South Sea peoples use kava kava chewed or ground primarily as a soothing drug with relaxing effects.
Dosage and intake of kava kava.
The actual effect of kava kava root is due to the kava pyrones. These are contained in the rootstock and are composed of oxygenated compounds. The only disadvantage of the kava pyrones and reason for the long unexplored effect is their hardly water-soluble property. For this reason, natural kava kava preparations are made either in combination with ethanol and water or acetone and water.
Kava Kava should be taken for a maximum period of twelve weeks. The daily intake of 120 milligrams of Kava Kava is considered the recommended dosage, but this should be taken with caution. This is because Kava Kava should not be taken, for example, if you have liver disease, during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
The side effects of Kava Kava
As with many products, side effects may occur with Kava Kava. The side effects often associated with taking Kava Kava are problems and damage to the liver. These also led to the controversial ban of Kava Kava. However, these side effects have never been proven. However, it is recommended not to take Kava Kava in case of existing diseases of the liver.
Other side effects may manifest themselves in the form of mild gastrointestinal discomfort as well as skin redness, swelling, itching. However, with proper use, the side effects can usually be largely excluded.
Problems with Kava Kava
Kava Kava preparations were widely used and considered problem-free for a long time, as no serious side effects were recorded in clinical studies. However, reports of isolated cases of significant side effects, such as problems with the liver, that occurred in people who had taken Kava Kava preparations began to accumulate.
The side effects eventually led to a ban on kava kava in 2002, which was not lifted until 2015. Since then, manufacturers have been allowed to sell kava kava products again with warnings regarding the side effects. In addition, the directions for use regarding dosage and duration of use have been revised and expanded.
