It is normal to feel nervous and worried from time to time. However, for people with an anxiety disorder, these feelings occur most or all of the time, often for no particular reason. Anxiety is a distressing condition that can adversely affect your quality of life. If you are suffering from an anxiety disorder, know that it can be treated. Your doctor may refer you for a type of psychotherapy known as cognitive behavioral therapy or you may be given anti-anxiety medicines. An herb known as kava may also help to alleviate anxiety, although there are safety concerns associated with its use. Get medical advice before taking kava.
Properties and Potential Benefits
Kava is a type of pepper native to the islands of the South Pacific. Also known as intoxicating long pepper or Piper methysticum, it is sometimes used as an alternative medicine for insomnia and anxiety. It contains numerous active ingredients, but the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center notes that constituents known as kavapyrones may confer its therapeutic effects by stimulating the production of the "feel good" brain chemical serotonin, although this has not been proven.
Safety Concerns
Kava may cause liver toxicity and has been linked to serious liver damage and even death. As a result, its sale has been banned by several European countries and Canada. However, is available in the United States. MedlinePlus advises against using this herb, and highlights the importance of regular liver function tests if you do decide to go ahead and use kava. Don't use kava if you have liver problems or if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Keep in mind that kava may interact with other drugs you may be taking, including sedatives.
Effectiveness
Despite kava's safety issues, data from clinical studies suggest that it is effective. An analysis of data from 24 studies evaluating the efficacy of herbal remedies for anxiety, published in the October 2010 issue of "Nutrition Journal," concludes that strong evidence exists for the use of kava as a treatment for anxiety symptoms. A medical review article published in the August 2009 issue of the "Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine" also concludes that evidence exists to support the use of kava in the treatment of anxiety.
Administration
Kava may be taken as an herbal tincture, a tea or in capsules. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that 100 mg to 200 mg, taken two to four times daily, has been used to treat mild-to-moderate anxiety. However, get medical advice before taking these amounts.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Anxiety
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Kava
- MedlinePlus: Kava
- "Nutrition Journal"; Nutritional and Herbal Supplements for Anxiety and Anxiety-Related Disorders: Systematic Review; S.E. Lakhan and K.F. Vieira; October 2010
- "Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine"; Kava and St. John's Wort: Current Evidence for Use in Mood and Anxiety Disorders; J. Sarris and D.J. Kavanagh; August 2009
