What is kava kava?

Kava kava is a plant native to the South Pacific islands, and its root is used for medicinal and ceremonial purposes. The root contains compounds called kavalactones, which are believed to have relaxing and anxiolytic effects.

How does it work?

The active ingredients in kava kava, such as kavalactones, are thought to have a calming effect on the nervous system, reducing anxiety and promoting relaxation. They may also have pain-relieving and anticonvulsant properties.

What are the active ingredients that are important for its medicinal properties?

The active ingredients in kava kava are a group of compounds called kavalactones, which are believed to be responsible for the plant's medicinal properties.

What forms does it come in?

Kava kava is available in various forms including capsules, extracts, tinctures, teas, and topical creams.

When was it first used for medicinal purposes?

Kava kava has been used for medicinal purposes for hundreds of years in the South Pacific, where the plant is native.

Summary:

Kava kava is a plant native to the South Pacific that has been used for medicinal purposes for hundreds of years. The root of the plant is used to make a tea-like beverage or used in other forms like capsules, extracts, tinctures, teas, and topical creams. The active ingredients in kava kava, called kavalactones, are believed to have a calming effect on the nervous system and reduce anxiety, as well as potentially having pain-relieving and anticonvulsant properties. It has been shown to help with anxiety, stress, insomnia, depression, menstrual cramps, and headaches. Kava kava is generally well-tolerated, but some possible side effects include drowsiness, dry mouth, nausea, skin rashes, loss of appetite, headache, dizziness, and liver damage (rare). The recommended daily dose varies based on the form and strength of the product, and it is best to follow the recommended dose on the product label and consult with a healthcare professional before using kava kava. It can be taken at any time of day, but it is recommended to take it with food to reduce the risk of upset stomach.

What does Kava Kava help with?

Kava is a root drink from the Pacific Islands. Islanders have shared it in social and calming rituals for hundreds of years. Today it also comes as capsules, tinctures and drink powders.

Anxiety is where the human evidence is strongest, with many randomised trials behind it. The other uses on this page rest on smaller, mixed or lab-only work. Each one below carries its own grade.

• Anxiety, including ongoing anxiety that lasts for months
  Strong evidence — multiple randomised trials in people with anxiety. Many randomised trials tested kava in people with anxiety. Anxiety scores fell, and the effect looked close to low-dose prescription drugs. In lab studies, kavalactones acted on GABA receptors, the brain's calming system.
  Evidence grade A · Traditional tier T3
• Anxiety and mood swings around menopause
  Good evidence — several trials in women during and after menopause. Several trials tested kava in women going through or past menopause. Anxiety symptoms and overall wellbeing improved. This is one non-hormone option some women look at.
  Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T3
• Trouble falling asleep when your mind will not switch off
  Early evidence — human studies, mostly in stress-linked poor sleep. Human studies reported better sleep quality with kava. The gains showed up mainly in people whose poor sleep came from stress or worry. Users did not report the morning grogginess common with sedative drugs.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T3
• Everyday stress and nervous tension
  Early evidence — read across from human anxiety trials; no separate stress trial on file. The calming effect seen in anxiety trials covers the same feelings: a restless mind, tight muscles, a clenched jaw. Reports put the onset at about an hour. Some people take it before a speech or a hard talk for that reason.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T3
• Low mood that comes along with anxiety
  Early evidence — modest mood gains in people with mixed anxiety and low mood. In people with both anxiety and low mood, studies found small mood gains. Researchers think dopamine pathways may add to the GABA effect. That is a proposed mechanism, not a proven one.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T3
• Easing the jitters of mild alcohol withdrawal
  Early evidence — a small number of clinical trials, as an add-on only. A small number of clinical trials looked at kava during mild to moderate alcohol withdrawal. Anxiety and restlessness eased in those studies. Both alcohol and kava act on GABA systems, which is the proposed reason.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T3
• Feeling self-conscious or blocked in social settings
  Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — tradition and user reports; no trial on file in social anxiety. Pacific Islanders have long shared kava to lower social barriers and open people up. User reports are strong. No trial on file tested kava for social anxiety, so this rests on tradition and broad anxiety research.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T3
• Tight shoulders, tension headaches and a can't-sit-still feeling
  Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — lab work on kavalactones only; no human trial on file for this use. Lab work points to some kavalactones relaxing muscle directly. That would be separate from the brain-calming effect. No human trial on file tested kava for muscle tension on its own.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T3

What Kava Kava has not been shown to do

• Kava has not been shown to work on its own as a treatment for depression.
• It has not been shown to help insomnia caused by a primary sleep disorder rather than stress or worry.
• In alcohol withdrawal, the trials used kava as an add-on, not as a stand-in for medical care.
• No human trial on file tested kava for muscle tension or tension headaches alone.

How to read this:

A means steady results from randomised human trials. B means at least one good human trial. C means small, mixed or early human studies. D means the human evidence is weak or clashing. Insufficient means no human study on file. The file does not record trial sizes or doses for kava, so none appear here. This page lists options and what studies found. It is not medical advice, and it is not a promise of results for you.

What does it help prevent?

• Substance abuse
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Cognitive decline
• Alzheimer's disease
• Depression
• Anxiety and stress
• Insomnia
• Headaches
• Menstrual cramps
• Chronic fatigue syndrome

Which foods are rich in it?

Kava Kava is not commonly found in food sources.

What are possible side effects?

Kava Kava is generally well-tolerated, but some possible side effects include:

• Drowsiness
• Dry mouth
• Nausea
• Skin rashes
• Loss of appetite
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Gastrointestinal upset
• Memory
• Liver damage (rare)

What’s the recommended daily dose?

The recommended daily dose of Kava Kava varies based on the form and strength of the product. It is important to follow the recommended dose on the product label and consult with a healthcare professional before using Kava Kava.

How many days does it take to work?

The time it takes for Kava Kava to work varies from person to person, but it typically takes several days of regular use to notice a reduction in symptoms.

What time of day is best to take it?

Kava Kava can be taken at any time of day, but it is best to consult with a healthcare professional for individualized recommendations.

Is it best to take it with or without food?

The effect of taking kava kava with or without food is not well-established, but it is typically recommended to take it with food to reduce the risk of upset stomach.

Recommended use for insomnia

• Time it takes to work: approximately 4 to 8 weeks
• Dosage for 18yrs old and up: 120 mg to 180 mg per day