Michael, Thanks for the quick shipment on my latest order of Kava. I use it on a regular basis to help relax and also to control my "restless leg syndrome". Thanks for the quality product and great service. -Jacob B.

Kava's active ingredients are found in the plant's dense, fleshy roots (some weigh up to 22 pounds), which contain kavalactones and other components that can have a therapeutic effect. Scientists believe that kava works by acting on the limbic system, an ancient part of the brain that controls emotions, among its other functions. Unlike prescription tranquilizers, kava doesn't appear to dull the mind, and, according to some studies, it can even improve alertness and reaction time. Before the current warnings, European physicians prescribed it frequently because it's generally not addictive, and those who take it aren't likely to build up a tolerance to it.

Specifically, kava may help to:

Ease stress-induced anxiety and panic. Several studies have shown that kava is very useful for relieving anxiety and the symptoms associated with it, such as nervousness, restlessness, and dizziness. It can also relieve the heart palpitations and intense periods of anxiety associated with panic attacks.

Combat anxiety associated with depression. Kava can be used alone, or with St. John's wort, ginkgo biloba, or 5-HTP to relieve anxiety in those with mild to moderate depression.

Induce sleep in people with insomnia. Insomniacs often find that kava relaxes them sufficiently to enable them to fall asleep. Kava is often rotated with other sedating herbs, such as chamomile, passionflower, and valerian.

Relieve muscle aches and chronic pain. Kava is thought to have muscle-relaxing properties, and may therefore help reduce muscle spasms. Proponents suggest it can be useful in treating the chronic muscle pain and stiffness associated with fibromyalgia.

Calm those trying to stop smoking or drinking. Kava has a relaxing effect on those trying to stop tobacco or alcohol use.

Control epileptic seizures. In cases where stress and anxiety are known to trigger epileptic attacks, kava may serve to prevent seizures as effectively as certain prescription anticonvulsants. Never stop or reduce the dosage of a prescription medication without consulting your doctor first, however.

Improve recovery from stroke. Very early studies indicate that kava may help stroke patients recover by minimizing the amount of permanent brain damage that can occur.
Note: Kava has also been found to be useful for a number of other disorders, many of which have been linked to anxiety and stress. For a complete list of these ailments, see our Dosage Recommendations Chart for Kava.

How to Take Kava

Kava is available as a whole root and powder. Kava lactones are insoluble in water and are destroyed by heat. Ideally the herb should be first powdered and then infused only in COLD water for a few minutes. It must then be carefully squeezed through a cloth to release the activity constituents from the root stock fiber. Another method of taking Kava is as an alcoholic extract. In this, not all Kava products are the same the wide difference in price reflects the concentration of kava-lactones in the standardized products. Again the dosage range is wide, ranging from 10 to 30 drops as a single dose of the standardized extract taken as needed or three times daily.

Proper Dosage

Because of its relative safety, the effective daily dose of kava is wide ranging from 70 mg to 200 mg of kavalactones, which are recognized as the major biochemical anti-anxiety constituents. To promote a deep restful sleep one should take a dose of from 150 mg to 200 mg. approximately 20 or 30 minutes before retiring.

A study of 58 patients in 1991 suffering from anxiety found that the effective daily dose of kava was 70 mg.1 Another study in the same year demonstrated the effectiveness of Kava in relieving some of the discomfort of menopausal women, including hot flashes, insomnia and general nervousness with 100 mg of kavalactones daily.2

Generally, 2-4 bowls of properly prepared ground kava kava should yield these affects.

Psychotropic Effects

Kava is a very experiential herb. Taking it is like imbibing the soothing, spiritual essence of the South Pacific Islands on a mild warm sunny day accompanied by a pleasant westerly breeze. Its effects when properly ingested are almost instantaneous. In the above doses, it will soon induce an immediate sense of ease, warmth and relaxation that continues to increase over a span of several hours. There is never any accompanied drowsiness or disorientation, just a sense of ease and well being, It does not interfere with one's ability to focus, concentrate or otherwise navigate. Dr. James Duke, botanist, ethnobotanist, author of the Green Pharmacy (publ by Rodale) nevertheless recommends that it not he taken when indulging in alcohol beverages or when driving. An early observer (Hocart) exclaimed "As I experienced it, it gives a pleasant, warm, and cheerful, but lazy feeling, sociable though not hilarious or loquacious; the reason is not obscured."3

Toxicity, Side Effects and Contraindications

Moderate use as described has not shown any harmful reactions. However, habitual overuse in high doses, much higher than indicated above, can lead to lack of motivation, weakness, leg paralysis and a peculiar scaly skin rash. It is not habit forming. In all cases studied, all observed symptoms have been found to he completely reversible when Kava consumption is discontinued.

With all of its positive benefits and virtual absence of negative effects, more than one herbalist have exclaimed, "kava is simply too good to be legal." The fact of the matter is that it is legal, it is safe and truly a remedy for the stress filled nineties.

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Herbal Remedies Under the Microscope - USA Launches Studies, Reviews Foreign Data
Source: USA Today

The use of herbal remedies has become so widespread in this country - an estimated 50 million people have taken botanical supplements - that it is raising concerns among scientists and federal health officials.

On Monday, the Presidential Commission on Dietary Supplement Labels called for more research on all dietary supplements - vitamins, minerals, botanical supplements and amino acids.

The fact is, thousands of studies already have been done on herbal supplements such as gingko, St. John's wort and saw palmetto. But most have been done abroad, and many scientists and doctors here are unfamiliar with them or feel those studies need to be replicated in the United States.

Donald Brown, a leading herbal expert and a doctor of naturopathic medicine in Seattle, say it's "arrogant" to assume that U.S. research is automatically better than research done abroad. "There are good studies and bad studies coming out of those countries," he says, "just like there are good studies and bad studies here."

Richard Rivlin, program director of the clinical nutrition research unit at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and New York Hospital, says he doesn't think it's necessary "to totally duplicate everything done in Europe. (But) we have to be sure that some of the data meet our standards."

Many herbs not only have been well-researched, Brown says, but also have been used by millions of people. Gingko is one such herb. He thinks it sets the "gold standard" for research that proves it can help combat age-related mental decline for older people by increasing blood flow to the brain and improving brain related activity.

Still, he believes there are only a handful of herbs - including gingko, saw palmetto, St. John's wort and milk thistle - that have been well enough researched to be integrated into mainstream medicine.

Europe and Asia have been marketing supplements and using them as "phytomedicines" for years, so there has been a significant amount of research there, says Bernadette Marriott, director of the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health.

"The difficulty is the accessibility of that research," she says. Her office is charged with identifying the gaps in the data and then promoting solid studies to fill those gaps, she says.

"If there is skepticism about European (research), there really shouldn't be," Marriott says. But scientists here need to look carefully at each study to see how long the research was conducted, how many people participated and what the quality controls were in terms of the supplement that was given.

KAVA KAVA
A member of the pepper family, this herb grows in the South Pacific, where indigenous people drink it every night as a relaxant.

USES: To combat mild to moderate anxiety
RESEARCH: German studies have shown it has effects comparable to standard anti-anxiety drugs. It's not believed to have addictive properties.
CONCERNS: Shouldn't be used by pregnant or nursing women, or people taking antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications.