Kava Kava (Piper methysticum)

[nemertes]

Back with a question. How do I know that the kava is good quality? I already bought the kava roots but they no way can give me this thing I see in the pictures of powder. I hear that for some takes long to act. So how would I know that this works? And what is the taste? I get not really bitter taste (i'm currently chewing some roots) and no numbness in the mouth. So is this just bad quality? Thanks

[optimistic realist]

Not sure if chewing roots works. I think Kava needs to build up in your system to work. Taking one dose once may not have much effect. I took large doses at first and then less later. Good luck!

[sleepytime]

Originally Posted by nemertes

Back with a question. How do I know that the kava is good quality? I already bought the kava roots but they no way can give me this thing I see in the pictures of powder. I hear that for some takes long to act. So how would I know that this works? And what is the taste? I get not really bitter taste (i'm currently chewing some roots) and no numbness in the mouth. So is this just bad quality? Thanks

There are a lot of bad/ineffective kava products out there. I find the best way to make sure you're buying a quality product is to join a kava forum where serious kava drinkers share their experiences with various kava products. This is the forum I use:

http://kavalounge.yuku.com/

The kava that I most often see recommended for anxiety on there is 'Fuu' by bulakavahouse. I haven't tried it myself yet, but it's next on my list.

[SteveHI]

As a vendor myself, it is always tricky picking out the best kava products as I analyze them like crazy. Many commercial products such as the canned drinks are typically too weak to really do anything and more about marketing. Other products are great and hit a home run.

I agree with Sleepytime : http://kavalounge.yuku.com/ has some nice unadulterated views regarding products. I have also posted a blog discussing the different types of products to choose from:
1) Commerical Kava Kava Drinks (ie. kava in a can or bottle)
2) Kava Root (bags of ground dry powder)
3) Herbal tinctures
4) Ingest (such as a kava brownie, candy bar, or candy)
http://kavakavacandy.com/best-kava-o...d-what-to-buy/

After playing with drinks, powders, and different sources of kava, I became good at identifying decent sources of kava and also bad sources. Also, if you really want to look into the nitty gritty, a Certificate of analysis can be used, but that is mainly for manufacturing purposes and lactone profiling. My latest creation is a kava candy...the strength is not mind blowing, but it is helping people (according to the yuku forum & review posts). I like to say that the candy will bring you from a 9 on the anxiety scale to a 5. It won't make everything go away, but it will help you get out of the "red zone" as I like to call it. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. I am out in Aiea, Hawaii and can be reached via the contact info on the website. Aloha!

BTW: another good site for reviews is: http://kavasseur.blogspot.com/

[jonjacob]

i have tried several kava products and never really got much in terms of results from them but recently I got this tincture from HerbPharma or something like that. Its like $50 freakin bucks tho and not really worth that kind of money as I personally need to take about 5x the recommended dose to feel it properly, ie. the bottle lasts about 15 uses so thats pretty damn expensive for a supplement when my entire 90 1mg xanax a month costs me like $3 (- insurance premium of course but im on other stuff it works itself out). That tincture will work for you likely tho

[evieb73]

Reassuring to see the feedback on the konakava as it was also the first batch of kava that I ordered, it arrived a couple of weeks ago and I was excited to try it. My tongue went slightly numb but that really was the only effect.
I have also ordered the instant quick kava and another powder from the vanuatu kava store after seeing good reviews on the kavasseur website.
I ordered this on 3rd Sept and am still waiting for it to arrive. It is driving me slightly demented now as I was off work sick and have just started a different job which is still anxiety provoking so have been on a px of lorazepam 1 per day which will run out tom and I don't want to continue to take!
I have high hopes for Kava esp the aspects where it makes you feel freer to talk as my raised anxiety has escalated due to low self esteem and giving up drinking which I used to do to socially lubricate, the anxiety is impacting on my social life and friendships which is making me unhappy. I am going back to yoga which is starting up again tom eve and this is a really good move as is the new job! I am always worrying people will judge me because I have had to quit drinking!

[SteveHI]

There are some good threads on Yuku about reverse tolerance and kava products.

http://kavalounge.yuku.com/topic/688...e#.UGK0tlEQexI

If you are wondering how your body is going to react or should react, the site is good because it seems that many people have different results and reactions depending upon the type of kava.

[mark555666]

This works for me but can I take this with SSRI's? Is it safe?

[SteveHI]

I would not recommend kava with SSRI...as much as I like kava and think it can benefit, you probably don't want to mess with your current situation. If SSRI are not working well for you, you might want to talk with your physician and ask if kava is a good alternative.

Here is another link from yuku about SSRI and kava - hope this is helpful:
http://kavalounge.yuku.com/topic/56#.UImvwYamUrU

[mark555666]

My liver hurts don't take this.

I have to edit this: kava kava works but subtle. Its not that for liver I think but I took so much **** lately.

[birdofhermes]

Originally Posted by sleepytime

Experiment 1:

Well I tried some of the kona kava root powder tonight. I used 2 tablespoons, put in a the blender for a couple of minutes, then strained it through a muslin bag.

It had no noticable effect on me at all. Either this brand of kava isn't very potent, I didn't use enough root powder, or I experienced the 'reverse tolerance' I've been reading about.

Next time I'll try 3-4 tablespoons and post the result.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Update: Experiment 2:

Ok...So I gave my kona kava root powder another go...this time I took 3 tablespoons but I'm sitting here with no noticable effects once again. According to a lot of forums this brand of kava is extremely weak and doesn't give you anything like a real kava experience at all, I'm beginning to believe that too

Next time I'll go for 5 tablespoons and actually use it before a social event, not sitting at home waiting for some kind of buzz ....I'll update again once I do that.

Yeah, Kona Kava just doesn't seem to have the same potency as some of the Vanuatu types have. I'd recommend Nakamal At Home. I've always had good luck with them. Their instant powders are pretty good too, those are the ones I usually go for. Kava ain't cheap.

[SteveHI]

There are also some kava extracts that are pretty good. My friend in Hilo owns Paradise Kava and he is really great to work with. If you check out Yuku kava forum he has a lot of post and feedback there. The CO2 extract that he has is really good. You just put a gram under your tongue and it is smooth and potent.

[Irvine]

Anyone tried smoking it? Is it smokeable?

[SomniferumPapi]

Originally Posted by SkeithKid

Anyone tried smoking it? Is it smokeable?

I doubt it would be enjoyable, even the extracts. It will be harsh smoke and probably numb your lungs up lol collapsing and sh*t. I've heard of someone smoking Kava Golden Paste off foil and they said it worked but its just not worth it for the health consequences especially because you'll be smoking lecithin haha. Kava root powder will just be dumb to smoke since you'll need way too much of it IF it even works.

Golden Kava Paste always works for me. but of course, getting the root is more economical in the long run

[Beamer]

kava isn't very potent and may be very hard on the liver. There's some research that suggests that the liver damage mostly results from specific extraction methods and that buying pure, unadulterated kava root might not carry the same risks. That's not proven as far as I know, though.

You can actually get trashed on the stuff, and that's not contradicting what i said earlier about potency, because you have to take a ****ton ridicuload to reach that point.

Some people are saying you have to take it for awhile and let it build up in your system. I'm not an expert, but based on my personal experience and limited research, that's not accurate at all. This isn't an antidepressant. It works more or less the same way that alcohol or benzos do. The effects have a relatively short duration, and you'll build a tolerance to them pretty quickly. That last part is the reason I've never stuck with kava as an anxiety supplement for long. It works well the first couple times you take it (as long as you take a bunch), but it stops working pretty quickly after that, and you have to wait for your tolerance to go back down for it to work again.

[CharlieRobinson]

Hello,

A lot of information is provided here. But I really don't know much about kava I have been using kava supplements which I bought from Mobu Herbals but I when I searched for the side effects of kava in google I found there can be some complication with it.

I am using Kava Calm lotion from Mobu Herbals and I seems to work great. But I am worried that are there be any side effects with it if I could continue to use it for a long period. I have included a link to the product and I would like the people here to review and provide me any useful advices.

Should I really discontinue using it or it is just good to go !!

[jj28west]

Respectfully disagree here.

For years I would agree with these comments but after some research and trial and error I have discovered Kava that would be described as "potent".

I also experienced a reverse tolerance effect that I did not believe was valid until it happened to me personally.

Have patience and respect and not abuse this plant and you will be rewarded.

Originally Posted by Beamer

kava isn't very potent and may be very hard on the liver. There's some research that suggests that the liver damage mostly results from specific extraction methods and that buying pure, unadulterated kava root might not carry the same risks. That's not proven as far as I know, though.

You can actually get trashed on the stuff, and that's not contradicting what i said earlier about potency, because you have to take a ****ton ridicuload to reach that point.

Some people are saying you have to take it for awhile and let it build up in your system. I'm not an expert, but based on my personal experience and limited research, that's not accurate at all. This isn't an antidepressant. It works more or less the same way that alcohol or benzos do. The effects have a relatively short duration, and you'll build a tolerance to them pretty quickly. That last part is the reason I've never stuck with kava as an anxiety supplement for long. It works well the first couple times you take it (as long as you take a bunch), but it stops working pretty quickly after that, and you have to wait for your tolerance to go back down for it to work again.

[deep215]

Dear friends im 33 m from India, i am on antidepressants for last 12-13 years for general anxiety disorder,depression,ocd,the med im taking is as follows-fluvoxamine- 150 mg/day,venlafluvoxamine xr-150mg/day,& clonazepam 1.5 mg,these med i m taking regularly for last 8 years,it irritates when i think of these,some times i think im living dual personality as people in my surrounding except my family members do not know about this when ever i think of my future with these med, i feel very bad,i m getting tired day by day,my immune system has became very poor,some times with other disease i get confused,beside this i am also suffering from irritable bowel syndrome which keep my my stomach upset,i m also worried specially about clonazepam which im taking 1.5mg daily for sleeping,u people can better understand me, i want to get rid of all these specially clonazepam,i have a little daughter of 3 yr age, i do not see my future very bright,you people were talking about NAG, turmeric,slack seed oil will it work for me also,kindly advice me.

[corvus1972]

I tried 84% kavaloctone capsules and felt nothing. I opened up a capsule and poured some of the powder on my tongue and yes it got numb. But when I swallowed the capsule, I got no reaction. It was as if once it got to my stomach it disappeared...lol

[Rayay]

I tried Kava to help with SAD, it didn't work for me but I would recomend it to anyone looking for something to help. It really wasn't what I was looking for but I would prepare the powder in milk at high doses and it gave me the feeling of being drunk and tasted aweful! I did