Kava: Herbal Miracle or Toxic Plant? a Look at the Facts

Kava has been around for many years and has been used by people around the world as a muscle relaxer, a social drink, and a treatment for anxiety and depression. Traditional kava is served as a tea by the pacific islanders but can also be found in pill form. Kava pills are often marketed as a healthy herbal supplement to treat problems like depression, but concerns over health risks and side effects have caused a significant decrease in the availability of these pills. It's important to consider both the benefits and the side effects of any supplement.

Benefits

Kava has been used for centuries for both social and medicinal purposes. The main active ingredients in kava root are called kavalactones. This chemical compound has been extensively studied in laboratory studies. It has been found to reduce convulsions, promote sleep, and relax muscles in animals. There is also indication of pain-relieving properties (umm.edu). When drinking kava tea, one of the first things we notice is a numbing of the mouth; because of this numbing effect, some cultures have used kava for a mild anesthetic. Most notable, however, ar the psychological effects. Kava is very relaxing and has similarities to the effects of alcohol but without the loss of cognitive function. Studies have found that kava has a very similar result to valium in the treatment of anxiety and depression. Additionally, kava may offer the same benefits as prescription drugs while lacking some of the negative side effects. "A 2004 study found that 300 mg of kava may improve mood and cognitive performance. That is significant because some prescription drugs used to treat anxiety, such as benzodiazepines (like Valium and alprazolam or Xanax), tend to decrease cognitive function" (umm.edu).

Side Effects

Reported side effects can range from mild to severe. The most notable side effect when drinking the tea is the instant mouth numbing. Some may also feel light headed and relaxed, but not drowsy. Drinking a lot of the tea in a short period of time can lead to a temporary reddening of the skin like a rash, but this subsides within a few hours. On the more serious side, studies have indicated possible liver damage associated with kava use. Fears of liver toxicity caused the removal of kava pills from shelves in the US and the all out banning of kava sales in Germany. One important note is that the findings that indicate liver toxicity were primarily pills and not the traditional preparation. Further study has found that the toxic elements are found in the leaves and stems of the plant and not in the root. Traditional preparation involves using only the dried and ground root powder, but some companies have taken the short cut route of including leaves and stems, creating a product with significant health issues. There is no complete consensus at this point about potential health risks, but it is evident that some products are a greater risk for health problems than others, and traditional kava root powder is a safer option than unknown pills. As a result of new information, Germany has scaled back its ban, and kava is being looked at worldwide for it's health benefits with less fear of negative side effects. If kava sounds interesting, try it in moderation, and make sure you purchase from a reputable seller that uses root only.

Forms and Varieties

As mentioned above, the product is sold in pill form as well as a powder for making tea, additionally, some companies sell other products like canned drinks with kava in them. These products, however, likely do not have enough of the kavalectones to have much effect, and may have a greater risk of including toxic leaf extract. In terms of varieties, there are several. The most commonly sold variety is "Melomelo Kava" native to Vanuatu followed closely by the somewhat stronger kava of Fiji. Many varieties exist offering different strengths both of flavor and effect, but they all do essentially the same thing.

Useful Information

If you don't live in an area where kava is common, buying online is the best option. Ensure that the vender sells only pure root powder. Remember to shop around, but don't assume the cheapest is the best value; remember quality above price. Also understand that making kava tea is not easy. The tea is prepared and served at room temperature, so there is no heating water, but there is a lot of soaking and straining which takes quite some time if you do it right. Most important: buy a strainer bag! These are sold for around five dollars by the sane people that sell the powder. Good kava tea cannot be made with coffee filters or any other method; trying this will simply waste your time, money, and kava powder. Check with your doctor about drug interactions, and possible health risks involved, use responsibly in moderation, and enjoy.

Sources:

www.ikec.org/publications/docs/PressRelease-EuropeanKavaUnjustified.pdf

www.nakamalathome.com/.../europe-lifts-kava-ban-and-south-pacific-hopeful-for-resumed-kava-trade.html

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/kava-kava-000259.htm