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Kava, or by its Latin name Piper Methysticum, is a crop produced in the western Pacific and popular among the Pacific Island cultures, especially in Polynesia, Melanesia, and Vanuatu. It is also known as yaqona in Fiji, ‘awa in Hawaii, and sakau in Pohnpei.
Kava kava is both the name of the drink produced for pleasure and medicinal purposes and the root from which it is made. |
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Is Kava a Supplement or a Drug?
The Pacific region cultures have been using this root for millennia with excellent health benefits and yet there is still a huge controversy in the Western world over the use of the product relating to liver damage. This has lead to the supplement being banned in several countries. The effects produced by drinking Kava are quite interesting, but do these properties make Kava Kava a good nutritional supplement?
The root is always consumed as a liquid, having first been chewed and the mulch mixed with water or otherwise ground or pound into a mulch like substance that is mixed with a smaller amount of water. In the Pacific cultures, it is important to drink the liquid as quickly as possible to get the full effect, preferably on an empty stomach. The drink will then be followed by tea or a meal. Kava has components referred to as kavalactones, which produce psychotropic effects. Depending on the potency of the drink, onset of effects begin within about 20 to 30 minutes and can last from just one or two hours up to eight hours or more. Fresh Kava Kava is always more potent than dried product.
The pungent gray or tan root can evoke a very interesting response in users, beginning with numbness of the lips and tongue, caused by contraction of the blood vessel and is usually followed by very upbeat, euphoric behavior. A person will then experience a calming effect, a sense of well-being, clear thinking, and a relaxing of muscles. Usually, there is notable sleepiness, and strong mixes can cause immediate sleep, though not ending in a ‘hangover’. Also, if too much is consumed, nausea or vomiting may be experienced.
Because of its calming effects, Kava has been introduced into Western society as a natural stress reliever. However, despite the safe use in Eastern cultures for centuries, there is a belief among most of the Western scientific community that the plant causes liver damage. Many studies seem to be proving otherwise, showing that it is the processing and additive chemicals in the resulting drug that are causing such liver failure. However, there are still bans in place in several countries, including Canada and the Netherlands.
Should the supplement prove to be safe, it is not habit forming and can be used to relieve stress and anxiety. Interestingly, when sleeping right after ingestion, the sleep experienced is a deep, dreamless rest (another positive side effect). However, for days after drinking Kava, many report experiencing abnormally vivid dreams. In studies in Scotland and the South Pacific, some studies show promise that Kava Kava can both inhibit the growth of and destroy ovarian cancer cells and leukemia.
Although the supplement is not often associated with weight loss, it is sometimes an additive in many diet pills as a means of speeding up the metabolism for a period of time.
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