# Kava



## sssig (Mar 2, 2009)

Has anyone ever tried this? It supposedly helps with SA and has been used for thousands of years by pacific islanders.


----------



## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

I think it is only sold in health food stores. :stu


----------



## sssig (Mar 2, 2009)

^online aswell. But i just tried to research it and i didnt find too much. No real reviews , so i was wondering if anyone here has


----------



## Happ2beme (Jul 13, 2009)

Yes, I've tried it. 

It tastes like dirt.

First you'll notice the dirt taste and bitterness. Then the tip of your tongue gets numb. Then the bitterness seems to go away as the whole inside of your mouth feels numb.

You'll get a numbing high. Once was enough of a trial for me. I bet if the pacific islanders had a cold Bud instead, they'd be just as happy.

My friends make it a dailey treat.


----------



## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

You're better off going to a health food store then. You never know what you could get online.

Kava Kana apparently can lead to liver issues - I was advised against it for being on Paxil. It wasn't worth the chance when Paxil was doing the job.


----------



## wxolue (Nov 26, 2008)

Heres what I know:

Its illegal in most of Europe because it has been proven to cause liver failure. However, the studies that concluded this were done on the plant. The root, which is what gives you the kava kava affect (the plant is sometimes added to make more use of the otherwise useless plant) will not hurt your liver. If you buy some, make sure it is only the root, or root extract.

It tastes like crap. But you can mix it with juice or add sugar to take the edge off.

It gives you a numbing feeling that really relaxes your muscles. The only way to see if it helps is to try it!


----------



## Dezty (Oct 27, 2009)

I have tried kava capsules but it did not help,only gave me pain in the head.


----------



## Vini Vidi Vici (Jul 4, 2009)

i tried it and it was amazing, made me feel stoned, dizzy, a little nauseated, but killed alot of my social and other anxiety. however i found it hard to concentrate or remember anything...didnt work to well in math. i used the WHOLE HEALTH brand


----------



## Keith (Aug 30, 2008)

Ive tried the liquid extract I didnt feel any effects, i think the powder is the way to go


----------



## euphoria (Jan 21, 2009)

I've heard kava root is the best way to go. I wouldn't bother with capsules, extracts, and so on; traditional root preparation has a much better safety record.

This overview of kava is somewhat worrying:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-kava.html

As is this:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3374423

Even putting the modern extracts' issues aside, kava could be inherently toxic when used heavily. The descriptions of heavy kava users aren't something any sane person would aspire to. Perhaps green tea or N-acetyl-cysteine could protect the liver when using kava, but that's pure speculation (and liver toxicity isn't the only reported negative effect).

The jury's still out on kava, but I think non-regular use with the traditional preparation is likely to be perfectly safe if you avoid alcohol and are aware that it can interact with meds, supplements & drugs.


----------



## Dezty (Oct 27, 2009)

You can read about kava here
http://www.konakavafarm.com/kava-capsules.html


----------



## xboxfreak (Jul 22, 2008)

http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/forum/f11/kava-kava-45974

If you use the root, there should not be any risk of liver damage. The problem was with extracts. Pacific Islanders have been using lots of Kava for many many years and have had no history of liver disease/damage. Check out that thread for more information.


----------



## superhappyfunchica (Sep 26, 2009)

i've taken the "happy camper" pills and they make me feel a little dizzy and light-headed, more loose, which is good. but not really worth the price!


----------

