Health Risks of Kava Kava

For years, Pacific Islanders have used the roots of Piper methysticum, or kava kava, for both medicinal and ceremonial purposes. Kava kava is a large shrub that grows in the islands of the Pacific and purportedly treats anxiety, nervous disorders and insomnia. Despite its possible benefits, kava kava may cause life-threatening side effects. You should never take this or any other herbal supplement without discussing it with your physician first.

Kava Kava

Kava is a large shrub that grows in the Pacific Islands and is characterized by large, heart-shaped green leaves, long slender flowers and thick hairy branches. Pacific Islanders have used kava as a ceremonial drink for hundreds of years because of it relaxation effects, reportedly similar to those of alcohol.

Uses

Herbalists commonly grind the shrub's root for medicinal use to treat epilepsy, migraines, psychosis, anxiety, insomnia, chronic tuberculosis, chronic fatigue syndrome and muscle pain, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Some people also use kava as an ointment to promote wound healing and reduce pain in skin diseases such as leprosy.

Liver Toxicity

In November of 2002, the FDA issued a consumer warning stating that 11 patients who used kava kava supplements had experienced total liver failure and subsequently undergone liver transplants. Liver-related risks associated with the herb have caused countries such as Switzerland, Canada, France and the United Kingdom to issue warnings on products containing kava or remove them from shelves entirely, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The National Institutes of Health explains that kava kava is likely unsafe when taken by mouth and encourages people not to use it.

Drug Interactions

Kava kava works by affecting the central nervous system, and this can increase the effects of anesthesia, benzodiazepines and central nervous system depressants. Kava kava also affects drugs that are changed by the liver, such as antipsychotic medications, diazepam, glipizide, torsemide and many others. Kava's potential to harm the liver means that taking it with other medications that can also cause liver problems, such as acetaminophen, amioderone and methotrexate, can potentiate these effects.

Considerations

People should not take kava kava without a physician's supervision. If you have cirrhosis, hepatitis or any other liver damage, you should not take kava kava. The FDA does not regulate the safety, purity or effectiveness of herbal supplements, and some may contain traces of toxic metals.