• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Kava kava

Sarah94

Senior Member
Messages
1,087
Location
UK
Ok ive read mixed things about kava kava root. @Hip said that kava kava is not addictive and you dont build up a tolerance. But have seen other people saying that it was addictive for them?

Also, I've seen reports that it can be very bad for your liver?
 

andyguitar

Moderator
Messages
6,595
Location
South east England
Not seen any credible reports about it being addictive, but I suppose that it would be possible to become psychologically dependent on it. That can happen with pretty much anything. If you are worried about it being toxic go for a small dose and don't take it for months on end.
 

Hope4

Desert of SW USA
Messages
473
@Sarah Metcalf I've heard people say they like taking kava kava. I've tried it a few times, even taking only half a capsule before retiring. It made me feel drugged, sort of "knocked out", and I had a strange drugged feeling for all the next day, and into the day after. I don't remember the name of the brand or the amounts in the capsules.

I can't say anything about its effects on the liver. Sorry.
 

ljimbo423

Senior Member
Messages
4,705
Location
United States, New Hampshire
Ok ive read mixed things about kava kava root. @Hip said that kava kava is not addictive and you dont build up a tolerance. But have seen other people saying that it was addictive for them?

Also, I've seen reports that it can be very bad for your liver?


I use to make Kava tea every night for 1-2 years and drank 2-3 strong cups. I never became addicted to it, I just liked the relaxed mellow feeling it gave me.

I stopped drinking it for some reason, I don't remember now why, it was a long time ago. Quitting wasn't an issue at all.

EDIT- I didn't build up a tolerance either. Even after 1-2 years of drinking it almost daily.
 

boolybooly

Senior Member
Messages
161
Location
Northants UK
I tried Kava and still have a tincture in my herb cabinet.

I read online about the liver thing and then twigged that might explain why whenever I took it my stools turned out yellow. Same with cashews which have a toxin in them.

I decided this was not a good thing and so I quit using it.

I found an alternative which is hop tea with marigold, damiana and bucchu, proportions 8:4:2:1 by volume of dry herb. This mix is a very mild tranquiliser (hops) and nerve tonic (damiana) with immune tonic (marigold) and urinary antiseptic and anti-infective (bucchu). I find it helps especially during a rubbish patch.

Another one is cramp bark tincture, which is a mild but effective anxiolytic especially good at alleviating cramps. Though attention to mineral balance is always recommended for cramps (especially Ca / Mg & Na / K).

Kava tincture, I discovered, is very good for gently euthenasing fish with minimal suffering. Tells you something...
 
Last edited: