You would need to visit the sunny South Pacific to see yellow-blossomed kava kava in its native habitat. Kava kava's Latin name, Piper methysticum, means intoxicating pepper, reflecting its ability to induce a stress-free tranquility while maintaining alertness and clear thinking. According to the kava kava advocacy group Nakamal@Home, you can dig up some roots and make your own kava kava beverage, but kava kava's pungent, earthy taste might persuade you to try pills or extracts instead.
Botany
Todd Caldecott, clinical herbalist and Ayurvedic practitioner in Vancouver, Canada, describes kava kava as a robust shrub that grows up to 10 feet tall, with broad, heart-shaped leaves and small, yellow flowers. The roots are white, but roots richer in kavalactones, kava kava's active ingredient, become dark yellow. Wild kava kava thrives on stony ground 500 to 900 feet above sea level, but kava kava farms now operate at all elevations.
Brewing
Traditionally, in Vanuatu, fresh kava kava root was cut into bite-sized pieces and given to girls from the village who chewed them up and spit the mash into a large, ceremonial bowl. Coconut milk or rain water was then added and the mixture was strained through hibiscus bark cloth. The beverage was served warm in coconut shells.
If you decide to brew your own beverage with kava kava tea, extract, or powdered root, which are commercially available, be prepared for a strong, peppery, earthy taste experience.
If you can find fresh rootstock, you prepare it the way native kava makers do it now. Crush the roots on a "kava-board" with a pestle, or use a food processor, and add water. Strain through cheese cloth. No fermentation is required. Kava is non-alcoholic.
Uses
In the U.S., kava kava is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration only as a dietary supplement. Kava kava's active ingredients, kavalactones, relieve anxiety, protect against some seizures, relax muscle spasms and alleviate pain. Ancient Tongans used kava kava to experience heightened intimacy and social bonding worth exploring, as described in 1999 by Harry Feldman, an anthropologist at the Australian National University.
Products
According to the "Vitamins & Health Supplements Guide," standardized kava kava extracts contain 100 or 200 mg per capsule or pill and are available as a dietary supplement. A daily dose should not exceed 240 mg, which should be divided into three portions and taken with meals. Dr Ray Sahelian, health care author and herbal medicine specialist, describes a supplement for occasional use containing 100 mg of kava kava extract and 12 additional herbs and explains that it can be used to relieve stress and promote healthy sleep.
Cautions
Dr Sahelian assures users that occasional low doses of kava kava are safe and effective. However, higher doses and chronic use have been linked to liver damage, which required a liver transplant in one case. At least one person has died from a kava kava overdose. Dr Hyla Cass, former UCLA School of Medicine Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, describes kava kava as safe and effective, but she warns against concurrent use of alcohol and other liver-toxic drugs with kava kava. Preexisting liver disease and a rare genetic susceptibility to kavalactones can also make kava kava use hazardous.
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