What Are The Benefits Of Kava?

Inhabitants of the South Pacific have long touted the benefits of the Piper methysticum plant, whose roots they use to make a beverage of ceremonial, social and medicinal value: kava. Though the benefits of kava are manifold, the Food and Drug Administration warns that the supplement's side effects include potential liver failure. Before using any kava supplement, consult a health care professional to discuss the safety of the product.

Fights Anxiety

Kava's primary and most well-studied benefit is its effect on anxiety. Kava-lactones, the active chemical components in most kava extracts, reduce symptoms related to mild or moderate anxiety without inhibiting alertness or reaction time, according to information presented by the University of Michigan Health System website. A review published in the February 2000 issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology supported those findings, concluding that kava extract is superior to placebos and worthy of investigation as an herbal anxiety treatment.

Promotes Sleep

For people who have problems falling or staying asleep, kava may help by inducing a feeling of contentment or relaxation. A study on the sleep-wakefulness-rhythm in animals found that kava extract affects the limbic system, particularly the amygdala. The study, which was published in a German research journal, concluded that kava's effect on these emotion-regulating brain structures is the source of its ability to promote sleep. Though it is one of the traditional benefits attributed to kava, the herb's use as a sleep aid has less scientific support than its use in treating anxiety, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center website.

Eases Symptoms of Menopause

Evidence suggests that kava eases symptoms associated with menopause. For example, "Maturitas" published a study in 2001 that found kava extremely effective in reducing menopausal anxiety during hormone replacement therapy. A German study published in "Fortschritte der Medizin" concluded that kava is useful in treating symptoms of menopause, including depressed mood. Kava may also reduce the discomfort of hot flashes and solve menopause-related sleep problems.