kava

[dualstow]

Does anyone take this supplement?
I've found it to be a useful way to cut down on beer, because I don't dare to imbibe on days that I take kava.

However, while I'm certainly reducing calories by drinking less beer, the impact on my liver might actually be worse.

I think that deaths related to the ingestion of kava kava have been traced back to mold on the  product. Even so, you're not supposed to take kava kava daily+ long term.

[Benko]

http://examine.com/supplements/Kava

[barrett]

Dualstow, Are you taking kava for anxiety? I started taking L-Theanine for anxiety at the recommendation of a doctor. The results have been positive for me. Ditto for a couple of friends. Haven't noticed any negative side effects.

[dualstow]

I often take it for insomnia. I don't have real anxiety, but I have also taken it in lieu of alcohol as a social lubricant or before a potentially stressful event, and it was good. Wish I could take it daily.

Years ago, a friend of mine used to grow it on Tonga and he gave me a huge bag of the powdered form before I knew anything about its full effects. I don't think I'd heard of it back then. I made a hot drink out of it and it made my tongue numb!

[Mountaineer]

Not to take this thread in another direction (too far), but do you supplement takers supplement your supplements with supplements, and how do you know that you have sufficiently supplemented the supplements and not over or under supplemented the supplements? 

... Mountaineer

[WiseOne]

I looked into this supplement some time ago.  It's a benzodiazepine analog!  Not very strong but still quite useful.  I'm surprised it hasn't been listed as a category II or III drug, as the trend now is to do that if even one person reports some enjoyable effects in the initial clinical trials.

Alcohol will potentiate its effects, so you may not have to abstain completely but you should take it slowly and watch what effect it has.  Definitely limit use to no more than 1-2x/week, as dependency with anything that works on GABA receptors is no joke.  Benzodiazepine withdrawal can be worse than alcohol withdrawal, and even "safe" drugs like gabapentin can be very difficult to stop.

p.s. usual disclaimer about not being official medical advice :-)

[dualstow]

1-2/week? Aw, I'm going to miss it! But, I think I should cut back.
So much for my Yo Gabba Gabba receptors.

[MachineGhost]

Does anyone take this supplement?
I've found it to be a useful way to cut down on beer, because I don't dare to imbibe on days that I take kava.

I tried once because it was supposed to have muscle relaxant properties, but it gave me sinus headaches.  Which means it is probably a toxin/stimulant/adaptogen since I'm hypersensitive to all of those.

I also tried the benzos, only as a last resort.  After just two or three days I changed my mind and started having withdrawal symptoms severe enough I wanted to kill myself to escape the pain/fainting/naseua.  That stuff is deadly scary!  I cannot imagine how anyone can come off that stuff if they are on it long-term.  You just cannot live through it.  I've got a lot more sympathy for drug addicts due to this and a couple of other experiences that I'm sure are incredibly mild in comparison.  Do not flirt with disaster.  Do not pass go.

[dualstow]

I also tried the benzos, only as a last resort.

Valium?

As for kava, my friend who learned how to grow it saw firsthand what happens to people who drink it long term on Tonga and Fiji. Lots of old men with yellowish skin and nails. I think it's supposed to only be taken once in a while during special ceremonies.

Of course, once upon a time coffee was considered medicinal, and something to be taken occasionally and in small quantities. We humans can hardly help ourselves.

[MachineGhost]

I also tried the benzos, only as a last resort.

Valium?

As for kava, my friend who learned how to grow it saw firsthand what happens to people who drink it long term on Tonga and Fiji. Lots of old men with yellowish skin and nails. I think it's supposed to only be taken once in a while during special ceremonies.

Of course, once upon a time coffee was considered medicinal, and something to be taken occasionally and in small quantities. We humans can hardly help ourselves.

Valium is diazepam.  Valerian is to diazepam as kava kava is to benzos.

It seems like I tried a kava root extract standardized to 30% kavalactones.  I'm gonna guess this is way more stronger than just drinking the tea fixed traditionally.

[MachineGhost]

That is not correct. Valium is a benzodiazepine, just like Librium, Xanax and Halcion, among others. So your analogy to the supplements makes no sense.

Whoops, I stand corrected, sir!  <bows to the king>