Once an obscure dietary supplement only known to the islanders in the South Pacific, many Americans have been introduced to kava kava. Although limited clinical research exists on kava, this dietary supplement has shown promise to treat stress and anxiety. As with any dietary supplement, consult your health care provide before purchasing or using kava.
Traditional Uses
Although the kava plant, Piper methysticum, has made it from the islands of Hawaii, Tonga, Pohnpei and Fiji to the shelves of health food stores, it has ceremonial uses that reach back to the South Pacific. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, kava has been used as a ceremonial drink in the Pacific islands for several centuries. It is enjoyed at celebrations, memorials and special occasions. It is supposedly the social equivalent to wine in France and has effects that are similar to an alcoholic beverage.
Treatment for Anxiety
Kava has received attention because it may help treat and reduce your stress and anxiety levels. Kava, whether as a beverage or in a concentrated capsule form, is thought to increase your sense of well-being, elevate your mood and feeling of contentment, and generally relax you. It has mild to moderate sedative effects when used in moderate amounts. UMMC reports that it reduces anxiety in a similar fashion to prescription benzodiazepines. Kava, unlike prescription benzodiazepines, purportedly calms brain-wave activity but does not suppress your cognitive function.
Safety
There is concern that kava causes serious liver damage. If you have existing liver or kidney damage, you should not use kava. Even if you do not, you should only use kava under the supervision of a qualified medical professional. At least 25 reports exist that link kava with liver impairments, including hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver failure. While alcohol is associated with the same type of serious side effects, you should still take the potential of liver damage very seriously. If you are taking kava and begin to experience symptoms of liver damage, such as fatigue, stomach pain and nausea, and especially if you observe that your skin is yellow or if the whites of your eyes are yellow, which could indicate jaundice, you should immediately contact your doctor.
Substitution for Prescription Drugs
Vanderbilt University reports that kava may have significant potential to be a substitute for prescription benzodiazepines. Unlike prescription benzodiazepines, kava does not have addictive physical and psychological qualities that can lead to serious, even life-threatening withdrawal side effects. This potentially makes kava a valuable substitute, addition or alternative treatment for benzodiazepines. Not enough clinical research currently exists on kava to recommend a definite dosage. The current suggested dose for the treatment of anxiety is 150 to 300 mg of kava one to three times a day.
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