Kava is a herb from Piper methysticum, a plant belonging to the pepper family, grown in Western pacific islands. The name kava is derived from Polynesian word ‘awa’, which means bitter. Kava is a popular social drink in the South Pacific.
Origin/Where is it grown?
Historically, kava was planted in the Pacific islands of Hawaii, Federated States of Micronesia, Vanuatu, Fiji, the Samoas and Tonga. The plant, also known as asava pepper or intoxicating pepper, can grow to an average height of six feet, with heart-shaped leaves that stretch 10 inches wide.
Effects of Kava
How euphoric does it feel?
The mild euphoric effects created by kava come from desmethoxyyangonin, one of the major kavalactones that uplifts dopamine levels. It does not directly affect the central nervous system and there is no change in perception of reality. It numbs the tongue for 1-2 minutes, and kicks in its relaxing effects within 15 – 20 minutes. Euphoric and uplifting effects last for 1 – 3 hours, while relaxing effects can last longer, eventually making you sleepy. Though appreciated for how it feels, it does not taste great; kava ground root tea tastes very earthy, like muddy water.
Health effects:
Keep the kava intake moderate to stay away from any negative health effects. Kava extracts have been used safely under medical supervision for upto 6 months. Though, too much of its consumption can cause liver damage, loss of balance, double vision, sleepiness and dry skin, over the long term. Driving should be avoided while under kava effects.
Precautions
Pregnancy: Kava might prove harmful for pregnant mothers, it can affect the uterus. It can also pass to breast-fed infants though mother’s milk.
Depression: Kava can worsen the symptoms of depression.
Liver problems: People with liver disease history should avoid taking it. Kava can even affect a healthy liver, especially when taken too much.
Parkinson’s disease: Kava can make Parkinson’s disease worse.
Interaction with medicines: Kava interacts with certain medicines, like Xanax, sedative medications, Levodopa and the medications changed by liver.
Driving: People under the effects of kava should avoid operating machinery and driving vehicles.
Types of Kava
Heady, Heavy, and Balanced:
Heady Kavas are considered good for daytime as they produce energy and euphoria. Heavy Kavas is better suited for evening or night use as they relax your body and make you feel sleepy. Balanced Kavas fall in-between these two classes, good for any time use.
Reading its chemotype and effects:
Chemotype is a 6-digit number that lists in order of higher to lower the six active ingredients, kavalactones, to show if a kave is heady, heavy, or balanced.
Each kavalactone is assigned a number between 1 and 6. Kavain, known for mood elevation, is represented by the #4. So if that appears towards the beginning of the chemotype, that cultivar is likely to be a heady one.
If the earlier numbers in the chemotype are 2 or 5, those represent Dihydrokavain (DHK) and Dihydromethysticin (DHM), ingredients that produce sedating effects. If the numbers 2 and/or 5 are included in the first three digits it shows a heavy variety.
Medium Ground Kava Root, Micronized/Instant and Kava Concentrate:
Medium ground kava is a ground root, like coffee, prepared in the most traditional way using a muslin cloth, and it involves steeping in water, kneading and straining to make a kava tea. Micronized kava is a refined powder that is instant in nature. But this is harsher on the stomach than the other types of kava. A kava concentrate is a flavored cordial made with kava extract, just some water needs to be added to make a drink.
Noble Vs Tudei:
Additionally, there are over 103 varieties, grouped into two main categories: Noble Kava and Tudei Kava. Tudei kava can cause nausea and lethargy for up to 2 days, so its export is banned in some South Pacific Island countries.
Best brands for instant euphoria
Top 4 brands
Wakacon Kawa: It’s considered having the least side effects as it’s made of only crown and lateral roots; leaves and stems, which can affect the liver and kidneys, are not contained in this product. It’s also known for its low price.
Kavafied Kava: This kava is known for its smoothness and characteristic taste. Though this product is not evaluated by FDA, it can be consumed by following the general guideline of not drinking too much.
Kalm Micronized Powder: It’s an instant powder, so saves from the hassle of preparations. Coarse fibers are especially removed, which makes it more soluble in any liquid.
Noble Kava Root Powder: This powder has the highest concentration of Kavalactones in Noble lateral roots, though the manufacturer didn’t specify the strain nor do they have a certificate of analysis.
Some factors to evaluate the quality of kava:
Older kava plants are better quality-wise, hence more expensive. Only kava plant roots are consumable, especially crown and lateral roots, but some vendors add leaves and stems to increase the weight of the product, which are toxic. Tudei kava, which is cheap but has side effects, is though mostly banned for consumption, some vendors add a little quantity of tudei kava in their product to have bigger profit margins. All of these impurities can be detected by testing kava; so, consumers should try to buy a properly tested kava only.
Where to buy:
A consumer should try to buy from a specialized kava vendor, instead of going to generic herbal brands, head shops and dietary supplemental vendors. Some of the good vendors are; The Kava Roots, Gourmet Hawaiian Kava, Bula Kava House, The Kava Society, Kavafied, Kalm with Kava, Kava Time, and Fiji Fresh Kava.
Legality:
Kava is legal in most countries, including America. Poland is the only country that has banned kava plants. Germany once put a ban on it, which was lifted later on.
Why is it consumed?
Historically, kava has been used as a herbal remedy because of its sedative, anesthetic, euphoriant, and psychotropic properties like Kratom. You can check the similarities between Kava and Kratom. It can relax and calm you down and make you feel good. The herb has been used to treat everything from migraines and insomnia to infections and rheumatism. Some cultures traditionally use kava for religious and cultural events, like weddings, political events, funerals and royal events.
How is it consumed?
It is consumed in the form of tea, which is prepared from ground-up roots of a kava plant added to water. These days, kava is also available in the form of concentrated tablets to manipulate the dosage.
Conclusion:
Kava, when consumed in moderate quantities, can be used as a herbal remedy for some health-related issues like anxiety. It’s a better alternative to alcohol. The consumer should decide for what purpose does he need to consume kava, and should choose a product accordingly.
Though legal in most of the countries, it should be consumed with some precautions, like pregnant and breast-feeding mothers and depression and Parkinson’s diseases patients should not take it. It should not be taken along with certain medicines as it can react with them. Driving should be avoided while under kava effects.
