Countless natural substances from the Far East contain powerful, mind-altering properties. Many of these substances were unknown to most of the Western world until a couple of decades ago, but they’re catching on rather quickly.
One of these natural substances is kava, which comes from the root of an evergreen plant commonly found in the South Pacific. It’s gaining popularity in the U.S., but what’s so attractive about it, and how does kava make you feel? We’re going to get into that and more below.
What is Kava?
Kava, a depressant, comes from an evergreen shrub (Piper methysticum) that grows in the wild on South Pacific islands. The kava plant is actually related to pepper plants (achoo!). Kava is prized for its roots—not its giant, heart-shaped leaves. In some cases, kava products are referred to as kava kava.
A common way of preparing kava for ingestion is by grinding the root materials down into a fine powder. For centuries, native populations used kava in beverages; kava drinks were commonly used in ceremonies and cultural gatherings. Besides kava tea, modern-day consumers can purchase kava capsules or extracts. Kava products can help you measure doses so you can find the amount that works best for your body.
What does kava do to the body?
Experts believe that kavalactones are the compounds in kava that make the magic happen. They appear to interact with GABA receptors in similar ways to Xanax, Klonopin, and other benzodiazepines. In other ways, kava acts similarly to alcohol. Kava contains around 15 different kavalactones (18 total), but only six are thought to be responsible for kava’s effects.
Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not recommend kava for any medicinal or therapeutic purposes, many use it to help treat insomnia and anxiety disorders.
How Does Kava Make You Feel?
Because kava is a depressant, its main effects are sedating and relaxing. It can relax your muscles and make you a little sleepy. For some people, kava reduces feeling in and around their mouth and throat. In the best-case scenario, kava makes you happy as a lark. It’s extremely rare for users to experience a jolt of energy from kava, but it may be more likely to happen with small doses.
Not everyone experiences relaxing and sedating effects from kava, though. You might feel overwhelming effects or only slight effects based on your body weight and the presence of any underlying health conditions.
Does kava get you high?
Kava has mildly euphoric effects, but not many people describe the sensation as being on a high. Some people who take large amounts of kava may experience a feeling that approaches something like a drug high, but plenty of risks come with that situation.
A kava kava high may cause you to feel extremely drowsy and nauseous. Some users have also reported experiencing abdominal and joint pain. For these reasons, we don’t recommend taking large amounts of kava to chase a high.
How long does it take for kava to kick in?
Most people begin to feel kava’s effects within 30 minutes of ingestion. Expect to get the peak effects around two hours after ingestion. You might feel the sensations of kava for up to four hours, but two to three hours is typical. There are scattered reports of “reverse tolerance” for kava, which means you may not feel the full effects until you’ve used it a few times.
Kava Feeling vs. Kratom Feeling: What’s the Difference?
As far as effects go, kava is relatively straightforward: consume it, and you’ll feel relaxed and a little sleepy. Kratom, though, is a bit more complicated.
Smaller doses of kratom (up to five grams) are associated with energizing effects. Users often feel mentally and physically stimulated. Kratom doses greater than five grams, however, are more likely to result in opioid-like effects. These are similar to kava’s effects, but larger kratom doses may also help relieve pain.
One key difference between kratom and kava is that kratom has the potential for tolerance, dependence, and even addiction. Because of that, kratom is banned in six states (Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin). There are no restrictions on kava in the U.S. Kava was briefly banned in some European states in 2001, but the ban was lifted less than two years later.
Want to learn more? Check out our full blog post on the differences between kava and kratom.
Potential Kava Benefits to Consider
The potential kava kava benefits you can experience are usually confined to its sedating and relaxing effects. There don’t seem to be any clear nutritional benefits to kava ingestion, but kava is free from calories or processed substances.
The most common benefits of kava reported among users include:
- Happiness
- Relaxed muscles
- Sociability (among introverts)
- Sleepiness
- Reduced anxiety
- Overall improved mood
The common thread among kava’s common effects is a marked sense of well-being and reduced stress. We can’t guarantee that you’ll feel these sensations. It’s always better to start with small doses and work up to your optimal dosage.
Kava Side Effects to Watch For
Unfortunately, kava use is not without potential drawbacks. As with almost any substance, you might feel some unpleasant side effects while you figure out how your body reacts to kava.
Acute side effects of kava can be generally described as intended effects taken to the extreme. You might feel dizzy, extremely drowsy, or unable to exert full control over your voluntary muscles. Nausea and tachycardia are common.
Apart from the acute effects, kava carries the potential for adverse long-term effects. The amount of time one needs to take kava to start seeing these effects varies, but six months seems to be the threshold for some people.
The most common long-term kava side effects include:
- Dry, scaly, or flaky skin
- Photophobia (sensitivity to light)
- Altered immune system function
- Malnutrition (usually related to appetite loss)
- Breathing difficulties
- Worsened symptoms of certain mental health conditions
- Liver damage
Kava may also interact with certain medications, including:
- Benzodiazepines and other anti-anxiety drugs
- Anticonvulsants (such as Dilantin, a medication commonly used to treat seizures)
- Diuretics
- Schizophrenia medications
- Antihistamines
- Parkinson’s disease drugs
- Liver medications
It’s best to consult your doctor before using kava. Additionally, you should refrain from kava use if you are pregnant, as it may increase the chances of miscarriage.
Explore Top Kava Products & Experience the Feeling Yourself
With rising drug costs and relatively limited access to quality health care in the U.S., it’s certainly no surprise that many people are exploring natural substances and their medicinal properties. Kava is one such substance. Its calming and relaxing effects make derived products highly sought-after.
Is kava a wonder drug, though? Probably not. Gold Dragon can’t endorse the use of kava to treat any physical illnesses or mental health conditions, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be helpful for you. Compared to many other natural substances, kava carries very little risk.
You might have questions about kava that we didn’t answer in this article. Before flipping through the pages of Gold Dragon’s online kava shop, feel free to drop our team a line if you want clarification on our products. We want our clients to feel empowered and safe, and we’ll do whatever it takes to help you get there.
