Kava
When supplementing Kava, initially an extract known as WS1490 should be sought out. 300mg of this extract daily (in three divided doses of 100mg) appears to be reliable and effective for the treatment of anxiety and other cognitive issues. Doses of up to 800mg of the WS1490 extract have been tolerated for short periods of time.
Otherwise, supplementation of any product conferring 250mg collective kavalactones (the active ingredients) is used.
Although it is usually taken at multiple times throughout the day with meals, if a single dose per day is being used it tends to be used prior to sleep.
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Human Effect Matrix
The Human Effect Matrix looks at human studies (it excludes animal and in vitro studies) to tell you what effects kava has on your body, and how strong these effects are.
| Grade | Level of Evidence [show legend] |
|---|---|
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Robust research conducted with repeated double-blind clinical trials |
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Multiple studies where at least two are double-blind and placebo controlled |
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Single double-blind study or multiple cohort studies |
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Uncontrolled or observational studies only |
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Level of Evidence
?
The amount of high quality evidence. The more
evidence, the more we can trust the results.
|
Outcome |
Magnitude of effect
?
The direction and size of the supplement's impact on
each outcome. Some supplements can have an increasing effect, others have a decreasing effect, and others have no effect.
|
Consistency of research results
?
Scientific research does not always agree. HIGH or
VERY HIGH means that most of the scientific research agrees.
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Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Notable
|
Very High See all 8 studies |
Appears to be quite reliable and effective in treating non-psychotic anxiety, with less reliability on the topic of generalized anxiety (which lavender shows some promise for). It is possible that long-term usage of kava may have similar side-effects as long term usage of benzodiazepines (note demonstrated, but wholly logical) and most studies on kava are of a few weeks in duration without any problems.
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|
|
|
Notable
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Very High See all 4 studies |
The increase in well being appears to be quite large, but secondary to reducing anxiety. At least one study has noted that, in healthy persons subject to a minor stressor (testing) that kava enhanced cheerfulness
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|
|
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Notable
|
- See study |
The one study to measure reaction time noted an astounding decreased (approximately 40% reduction), which needs to be replicated
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Minor
|
- See study |
Aggressive symptoms of anxiety have been noted to be decreased following kava ingestion, an outright reduction of anxiety (without treating anxiety) is uncertain
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Minor
|
- See study |
Possibly secondary to the antianxiety effects, kava taken prior to a test is able to enhance cognition related to mood during the stressful test.
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Minor
|
Very High See 2 studies |
Depressive symptoms have been reduced vicariously through reductions in anxiety; per se antidepressant effects of kava uncertain
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Minor
|
Very High See 2 studies |
Sleep quality is enhanced via reducing the symptoms of anxiety which impair sleep
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|
- | Very High See 2 studies |
No significant influence on liver enzymes assuming the water extract (WS1490) is being used
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Minor
|
- See study |
One study has noted a reduction in blood pressure associated with kava, of minor magnitude
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Minor
|
Very High See 2 studies |
Possible antistress effects of kava that requires larger studies
|
Studies Excluded from Consideration
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Things to Note
Other Functions:
Primary Function:
Also Known As
Piper methysticum, Kava Pepper, Ava Pepper, Kava Kava, Intoxicating Pepper, Awa, rauschpfeffer, sakau, tonga, wurzelstock, yangona
Caution Notice
Kava and Kava containing products are suspected to interact adversely with drugs and other pharmaceuticals, caution should be used when pairing Kava with other compounds
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