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kava
kava
piper
methysticum
Kava falls into a class uniquely its own. I know of no
other herb like it (nothing I've ever come across
could even remotely qualify as a "substitute" for kava), and
consider it one of the nature's most exquisite gifts.
Though it’s gained (and lost) immense popularity over
the last several years (both lauded as "nature's
miracle cure for stress and anxiety" and defamed as hepatotoxic), I've always found myself disdainful of
the marketing used to sell it to the public.
While kava kava doubtless holds immense power for
relieving stress and tension, its ongoing daily use as
a "supplement" has never sat well with me.
I've always felt kava is best enjoyed intentionally,
and not as just a part of a daily supplement routine.
Kava is, in my opinion, primarily suited to treating
acute stress that settles into the musculature of the
body. It is most effective when your mind is
overwhelmed and your body is tightly strung from a
crazy hectic day and that's what's making you unable
to relax.
The best way I can describe the effects of kava kava
is to compare it to lying on a sunny beach with
nothing pressing to do or think about and being so
laid back it feels as if you've sunk halfway into the
sand. Kava puts you there. What is so
distinct about kava kava is that it's so promptly and
significantly relaxant; mental stress subsides as a
result of relaxation, not sedation. In
fact, while the body lets go, mental acuity
remains...you can definitely take kava and still be
cognitively functional. This is, however, dose
dependent... small doses of kava relax the body and
notably clear the mind, medium doses calm the mind and
have a much more pronounced relaxant action on the
muscles, and large doses still the mind and make the
limbs a bit wobbly. Think of kava after a crazy
day at work, traffic all the way home with honking
horns, people cutting you off, and an inability to
physically let go when you do finally get home (with
every bit of your body screaming Yikes!”). It is a
perfect replacement for (and a much better option to)
the archetypal "after work drink". Kava kava puts the
body at peace.
Kava is native to the islands of the South Pacific;
Fiji, Hawaii, Vanuatu are all know for their excellent
kava kava. Studying island traditions
surrounding the plant reinforce the notion of kava's
ability to induce a peaceful spirit. Kava is
regarded as sacred throughout its range, but, for the
most part, its use is not solely relegated to
ceremony; it has a strong tradition as a recreational
beverage consumed freely at social gatherings, where
those under the enchantment of kava converse and share
their thoughts and stories. Traditionally, kava is
given to feuding parties before they talk, in order to
diffuse pre-existing hostility. This use was not
solely reserved for the cessation of wars between
different island cultures, but was also invoked when
spousal or community conflicts had everyone involved
all angst ridden to the point where it became
difficult to resolve anything. Kava helps to
diffuse the underlying "Err!" so that feuding
parties can come together without being primed for
conflict. Think of it in situations where your
approach to settle a dispute involves making it clear
that they're wrong and you're right. It is said
that "hate cannot exist in the presence of kava".
While this may be an ideological overstatement, kava
is clearly a plant of friendship and camaraderie.
So, although it is currently touted as an anti-anxiety
herb (which it is), I don't think of kava as an herb
to be taken in rote daily doses for chronic anxiety.
Maybe short term, but it’s best, I believe, when taken
purposefully because you like and want some (or need some… kava
can be helpful in quitting tobacco or other vices),
rather than as a "daily supplement" because you are
tense all the time. The problem with using kava
on a regular basis is that it is strong, and can
become escapist, or used as a crutch. Rather than make
changes to address underlying issues that are creating
stress and tension, you let the kava melt it away.
One example of this could perhaps be using kava to
relax tension and spasms due to magnesium deficiency;
it's strong enough to work, but it won't resolve the
underlying deficiency. So, use kava, but also
look into underlying issues and be sure to address
those in addition to using kava for more immediate
relief.
Kava is a member of the pepper family, so, as can be
expected, it has a strong and penetrating taste.
It is peppery, bitter-spicy, tingly and numbing (I've
sometimes said it tastes like spicy, soapy dirt), and
within a minute of taking a kava extract or tea, the
mouth will become tingly, then numb. Though at
first not savory, the taste isn't especially bad (you
might even get to like it), and (if you don't) the
numbing effect makes it tolerable, as you can't taste
it within a minute anyway.
But we'd be remiss to neglect (as is so often done)
some of the other things kava is exceptional at
addressing...
In eclectic medicine, kava was extolled as a reliever
of pain, inflammation, tension and spasm in the
urinary tract. Kava is also among the herbs recommended for interstitial cystitis, with some
extolling its virtues, though 7Song has told me that
he's seen aggravations caused by it (aggravations
being not uncommon in interstitial cystitis).
I've used it in a few cases and it seems generally
to be a more effective relaxant/antispasmodic than
wild yam or lobelia (though lobelia seems more
specific for severe spasms in the moment they're
bending you over). Eclectics
recommended it highly for enuresis, King's stating "It
is a remedy for nocturnal incontinence of urine in the
young and old, when due most largely to muscular
weakness." Interestingly, many eclectic accounts
specifically mention its use for weakness and laxity
of urinary tissues, despite its rather marked relaxant
effects. Also indicated for pyuria (mucous/pus
in the urine), these uses all suggest an astringency
not so strongly noted outside the urinary tract.
Herbalist David Winston uses kava for
fibromyalgia, often combining it with ashwagandha and
black cohosh tinctures. Ellingwood reported of
its use in rheumatism, combined with black cohosh as
well. Facial, dental and other neuralgias are
another indication. I've also used it for
toothaches. Pain with restlessness and anxiety
is a specific indication.
I've heard debate about whether or not kava might be
considered an "aphrodisiac". That is a
problematic term, at best, but I can say that if sex,
or interest in sex, is inhibited by anxiety and muscle
tension, kava could certainly be helpful. Its
spicy flavor also indicates that it stimulates
peripheral circulation, which can also be helpful.
So, for cool, tense, anxious people, sounds good.
People already sufficiently mellow have claimed it
"puts them to sleep."
Ellingwood wrote of its topical use, the tincture
diluted either with water of glycerin (1 part kava
tincture, 2 parts glycerin), for pruritis of the vulva
and anus (my suspicion here is that its acting both by
numbing the affected area and also as an antifungal,
yeast killer, which would make it useful for itching
associated with candida rashes. I've seen cases
people have tried this with extremely impressive
results.
(I feel obligated, here, to acknowledge that yes, I
did tell these people that applying kava tincture -
even diluted - in such locales would very likely hurt
like hell. Of course, any alcohol would, but
alcohol impregnated with hot spicy kava? Pretty
much everyone agreed, after the fact, that indeed it
did. One woman said that it made her gain a new
appreciation for the numbness that sets in shortly
after taking it, which, taken orally, she'd never
really liked. So far, no one who's tried it has
had anything less than very impressive results.
But, that's not a whole lot of people (it's a bit of a
hard sell), though a couple have said that it work so
much better than anything else they'd tried that it
was worth the momentary agony. But we needn't
subject out sensitive mucosal tissue to high proof
alcohol to attain this virtue; suppositories with kava infused in
cocoa butter, should extract the kava well, but
eliminate the YEEOOOWWW!!! of the alcohol.
The Physio-Medicalists shunned kava, William Cook
wrote in his Compend of the New Materia Medica
that "The toxic power of kava kava is pronounced, and
it begets a form of drowsy intoxication, for which the
natives of New Zealand and other isles use it, and
Europeans follow their example. When first taken it
produces a burning sensation and an increased flow of
saliva and urine, followed by numbness that is marked
and a depression of all the functions. It causes
complete loss of sensibility in the mouth, throat, eye
and other parts to which it may be applied; and
constitutionally it produces general insensibility,
diminishes and finally destroys reflex action, and
causes death by paralysis. It first excites and then
reduces the heart action; first stimulates and then
diminishes respiration, and ends by paralyzing this
function. Its principal effect is upon the spinal
cord, and with this the sensory nerves. Any relief it
gives is the relief of sensory paralysis."
I love you, William Cook, but think your admirable
insight missed the mark here. Evidently T. J.
Lyle agreed with me; as he deemed kava "a stimulating
and relaxing diuretic, tonic, alterant and nervine."
preparations...
Personally, chewing small pieces of the
root has come to be my favorite way to use it, though
admittedly some don't share my appreciation for its
flavor. There are also some rather strong fibers
(called makas)
in the root that require spitting out, as they don't
break down much as the root does, and contain less
desirable kavalactones.
Water based preparations of kava aren't generally made
as infusions or decoctions. Instead, coarsely
powdered dried kava root is placed in a bag (a nut
milk bag, a doubled up clean nylon stocking, or a
tripled up muslin hop/grain bag) and
kneaded into water
(some people also add coconut water). The
water can be warm, but shouldn't be hotter then you
can have your hands in; we're not making tea.
Ratios vary based on individual tolerance and the
kava you're using, but a starting point might be 2-3
heaping tablespoons of powdered kava per cup of
water. Knead the kava in the water to separate
the powdered pulp from the fibrous makas. This
will take a few minutes. You can repeat again
in clean water, and either combine the two
extractions, or start drinking the first then follow
with the second some time later. Kava prepared
this way yield a muddy, sediment laden drink that is
best stirred or swirled and downed in one go (so the
suspended powder doesn't settle). A lot of
people like to make kava chais and other flavored
drinks, but I suggest getting to know kava on its
own first.
A very
authentic traditional recipe involves chewing up a lot
of fresh kava kava root, spitting the masticated pulp
out into a bowl with water, letting it steep
a bit, then straining and drinking (sounds real
appetizing, eh?). Actually, this method is the
best way I know of to prepare it, though it requires
fresh kava root and an avid chewer. I've tried it and loved it; it
was the best kava experience I've ever had… though it does make it a
difficult thing to offer visiting friends and
family. "Oh, hi! I just chewed up some kava,
would you like some?"
There are now a number of instant and "micronized"
kavas that can simply be stirred into water.
These are of highly varying quality. Any kava
can be ground to a very fine "micronized" powder,
but this will include the fibrous makas that are
strained out in traditional preparations. Some
instant kavas are made from kava with the makas
removed, or from traditional preparations evaporated
down to a dry powder. These latter are the
instant kavas you want.
Tinctures are
extremely useful and effective, and convey kava's
virtues quite well (though only use noble kava
varieties; more on that below). If using dried root,
1:5 tinctures made with 65% -
75% alcohol seems best to me; for fresh I use pure 95%
grain alcohol at 1:2.
I also need to wholeheartedly extol the virtues of
infused kava oil. Take roots ground to a
coarse powder, and cover them in oil (I don't
generally weight or measure for oils, so just
eyeball it). Olive oil is of course OK, but a
nice massage blend is 3 parts almond oil and 1 part
sesame oil. I infuse the oil for days; even a
week. It should darken and smell rich and
earthy. Apply liberally. It's really
just flat out incredible. Credit for this idea goes to Rob
Montgomery, who was the original purveyor of the
cool stuff offered through the Botanical
Preservation Corps, and who I got the idea from
(though I'm sure others have also made this). Kava oil really relaxes
muscles; its very nice for a massage... it kind of
takes the fight out of them when they would rather
tense up than let go. In this regard, it has also proven to be very
helpful (applied all over) when tension interferes with intimacy.
If held tension is chronic, daily
application in the area(s) affected make sense. Tight neck and upper
shoulders every day? Apply some kava oil,
every day. Tight lower back every day?
Apply some kava oil, every day. Recognize the pattern. Break
the pattern.
considerations and contraindications:
On the whole, don’t use during pregnancy. Don't
drive or operate dangerous stuff if you are
oversedated by Kava; coordination is markedly
impaired at high dosages. This needn’t be limited to
“heavy machinery”, a skateboard could be problematic
as well. Be responsible, start at low doses and get
a feel for how you react to it… some people seem to
be especially sensitive to kava and so a little goes
a long way. Also, different kavas can differ in
their effect, with some being more mood modifying,
while others are more powerful relaxant to the body.
Don't mix with alcohol or other drugs
(one
study)
suggests that kava varieties known as "tudei" or
"Isa" that are high in flavokavain B can lower the
threshold in which acetaminophen causes liver
damage). Using a lot of kava too often can dry
out the skin and induce severe dermatitis (this has
been associated with kava varieties high in the
kavalactones Desmethoxyyangonin/DMY,
Dihydromethysticin/DHM and Yangonin/Y); this will go
away after kava abuse is stopped. You'd probably
have to go way overboard for this to be a concern,
though if you already had psoriasis or eczema, you’d
be more susceptible to this side effect.
Some people try kava and get headaches and/or
digestive distress that can last into the next day
like a "hangover". While this could be an
indication that kava doesn't suit your constitution,
it may also be that the kava you have is a tudei
variety like Isa, which contains flavokavain B.
"Tudei" actually derives from "two day", implying
"you can feel this kava for two days".
Unfortunately, it doesn't mean the positive
qualities we commonly associate with kava, but the
lingering side effects some people feel. I've
met people who tried kava and had this reaction to
it, but have no idea what kind of kava they were
using, because unlike coffee and cannabis and even
apples, we just call kava "kava" and rarely to
products tell you which variety or chemotype they're
made from. If you've had this reaction and you
feel up to "risking" kava again, you can try to find
a "noble" kava; one that has a long history of use
and that has been deemed a prize variety of kava in
the pacific island cultures that grow it.
Incidentally: testing of noble kava varieties on
different islands has shown that they don't contain
flavokavain B.
The Kava Society of
New Zealand says "Even though it is still unclear
exactly how harmful tudei kavas are (and it is
possible that they are not necessarily more
dangerous than alcohol or popular painkillers), they
are certainly capable of causing a number of
undesirable side-effects (such as nausea, "kava
hangover" or dermopathy) and certainly unsuitable
for regular consumption."
Several years ago now, kava was in the news, associated with
serious liver disease, failure and even fatalities,
and now information on kava is often accompanied by
warnings about liver problems. This has had most
herbalists rather confused, as the herb has a long
history of safe usage with no serious complications.
As more was learned about the nature of the "adverse
event reports", it became clear than in several of the
incidences, alcohol and other drugs (both
pharmaceutical and recreational) may have played a role, and
many herbalists based their defense of kava on the
known hepatotoxic actions of these other substances.
Still, such severe side effects and fatalities are
nothing to be shrugged at, and shouldn't be dismissed
too readily just because you like an herb.
While the cause of these reactions is still unclear, a
number of possibilities have been presented:
In many commercial products, kava leaves and stems
were used in addition to the root, and
these parts of the plant contain a liver toxic
alkaloid, pipermethystine, not present in the roots.
This alkaloid "significantly decreased cellular ATP
levels, mitochondrial membrane potential, and
induced apoptosis as measured by the release of
caspase-3 after 24 h of treatment. These
observations suggest that PM, rather than
kavalactones, is capable of causing cell death,
probably in part by disrupting mitochondrial
function (see
more)." In studies comparing the effect
of pipermethystine to various kavalactones,
toxicity was readily observed in the former, but not
the latter. So, basically, supplements companies were trying to
increase profits
by using the less expensive, discarded leaves and
stems, even though traditional south pacific cultures
uniformly express that only the root is fit for use.
I know kava growers and distributors who have
confirmed that companies were trying to buy these
plant parts. In light of this, declaring kava kava
(the plant as a
whole) to be toxic would be just like declaring rhubarb
(the plant as a whole) to be toxic, rather that
recognizing that the roots and leaves of rhubarb are
toxic, but the stems aren't in any way.
There may be a problem with the highly
concentrated Kava extracts being marketed at the time.
Kava extracts concentrated and sometimes reduced
down to a paste of kavalactones do not fully
represent kava the plant... I feel that when we
alter a plant's natural balance of compounds and
concentrate them intensely, we may also alter the
plant's relative safety; the unnatural
concentration of one major constituent or group of
constituents may present dangers or side effects not
found in the plant in its natural state. It's
also the case that some solvents used to extract and
concentrate kavalactones
in a preparation also concentrate the liver toxic
alkaloid found in leaves and stem peelings, as well as
other compounds like flavokavain B (we know from
research that tudei kava extracted in water have far
less flavokavian B in them than those extracted by
acetone or ethanol). I also just get the
shudders at using acetane and hexane as solvents for
herbs.
It
is quite possible that roots may have become moldy at some
point in the processing (this is far more likely
when dealing with the large quantities of roots
needed for commercial preparations), resulting in
contamination by hepatotoxic mycotoxins. Even in smaller
quantities (a few pounds) mold on the fresh roots
can be common if shipping takes too long (which
requires those of us far away from the east coast to
splurge on overnight shipping, though I've had kava
arrive fine in 2-3 days).
Another theory regrading liver toxicty is
that the use of "non-noble"
tudei kavas ("noble"
kava implies a tried and true time tested strain)
may possess constituents, such as kavaflavone B, not
found in noble
varieties. Kava researcher
Chris Xing,
PhD states "Kava was used as an anxiolytic for quite
a number of years, and it was pulled out of market
because there were rare hepatotoxic cases observed
among kava users. Recently it was found that... its
hepatotoxic risk is probably due to a wrong
cultivar, not recommended for traditional use...
these tudei kavas contain a higher level of a
certain type of chemical that can deplete
glutathiones that compromise liver function, or
detoxification function, which may contribute to the
observed hepatoxicity among kava users."
Another kava researcher, Mathias Schmidt, offers
slightly different reasoning for avoiding non-noble/tudei
kavas, related to both the possible liver toxicity
of flavokavain B and the kava "hangover" which gives
rise to the name "tudei" (two-day) kava:
"Why
avoid two-day kava?
Simply because there is enough evidence to stick to
the experience with roots and peeled rootstock of
noble kava, which has been
proven safe:
 Two-day kava causes
hangover, headaches and nausea
As
soon as two-day kava entered
the EU markets, the cases of liver toxicity appeared
out of nowhere, all related to the same product, the
one containing the two-day kava material.
When two-day kava was
exported to New Caledonia in huge quantities, case
reports of liver toxicity were observed there as
well.
For me that’s convincing enough to
use noble-kava only, and to
orient myself at the traditions in the countries of
origin. Why should we use varieties, which have been
avoided by the local people for Centuries?
Two-day has only been
marketed for about 18 years, with accumulating
reports of having untoward effects. Isa has been
used for less time, and was never intended to be
spread for consumption when it reached Hawai’i for
research purposes... So for me the question is: Why
should we drink second rate junk instead of the good
stuff?"
So yeah: avoid regular use
of non-noble/tudei kavas and the variety Isa.
My suggestion is that if you use kava, stick to noble
kava kava varieties from reputable sellers
(adulteration of noble kavas with Isa is not
uncommon), or herbal extracts that you know are made
from these. I find water, fatty liquids like
cream and various "nut' milks, oils for topical use
and ethanol (though this will concentrate flavokavain B in tudei kavas, so again don;t use
those) acceptable menstruums.
While I have no fears
whatsoever about the kava kava I use, it’s up to each individual
to decide for themselves what they feel comfortable
with. I hope this information helps you make
more educated decisions.
kava sources...
You can purchase fresh or fresh milled frozen kava root from
Tane & Maureen Data at
Adaptations in
Hawaii.
Ask which varieties are available; prefer
not to buy Isa
(or other tudei) kavas. Dried kava is still
certainly wonderful, and
Gourmet Hawaiian Kava
offers only noble Hawaiian 'awa varieties in course
ground or a high quality instant powder (free of the
fibrous makas). For awesome quality kava from
Fiji, Vanuatu or the Solomon Islands, check
out
Art of Kava.
These are suppliers I'm aware of that either grow
their own kava or buy directly (and ethically) from
growers.
additional links...
(and yes, I know some of these need fixing...)
Hawaiian 'Awa: Views of an Ethnobotanical Treasure
Part 1
Part 2
New Science may Boost Kava
Market (chris
xing, phd)
Kava and the Risk of Liver
Toxicity:Past, Current, and Future
(rolf teschke, md)
Herbal hepatotoxicity by kava:
Update on pipermethystine, flavokavain B,and mould
hepatotoxins as primarily assumed culprits
(teschkea, qiub, lebot
W.H.O. Says Kava is Safe!
(Kona Kava Farm)
W.H.O. Says Kava is Safe, Australia Bans It
(Kona Kava
Farm)
More Evidence Against Liver Toxicity!
(Kona Kava
Farm)
Update on the Alleged Liver
Toxicity of Kava
(HerbPharm)
Kava-Kava doesn't seem to be liver-toxic at all
(guido mase)
Safety of ethanolic kava
extract: Results of a study of chronic toxicity in
rats
Effects of kava alkaloid,
pipermethystine, and kavalactones on oxidative stress
and cytochrome P450 in F-344 rats
In Vitro Toxicity of Kava
Alkaloid, Pipermethystine,in HepG2 Cells as Compared
to Kavalactones
Emerging controversy around
tudei kava
(kava guru)
Kava Kava
(wikipedia)
Kava lactones & the
kava-kava controversy
(***note that this
appears to have been written before the understanding
of adulteration of kava root with leaves/stems)
Kava Kava in King's American
Dispensatory
(Felter & Llyod)
Kava Kava in American Materia
Medica
(Finley Ellingwood)
Properties and Uses of Piper
Methysticum (John King)
Kava Kava in
Boericke's Homeoapthic Materia
Medica
©
jim mcdonald
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