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Millions of people over
thousands of years have gotten profound effects from
using kava. In order to move kava even further along the
path as a beneficial alternative to synthetic drugs, it
is valuable to know about some of the successful
clinical studies that have demonstrated kava's
beneficial effects.
• In a double-blind,
placebo-controlled study of 84 patients suffering from
anxiety, a daily dose of 400 milligrams of purified
kavain (one of the six primary kavalactones) improved
vigilance, memory, and reaction time.
• In a study of 38
patients suffering from anxiety, kavain and oxazepam, a
benzodiazepine marketed under the trade name Serax, were
compared over a period of 4 weeks. Both reduced symptoms
of anxiety equally as measured by both the Self-Rating
Anxiety Scale and the Anxiety Status Inventory. Oxazepam,
unlike kavain, is addictive and produces side effects
such as drowsiness, dizziness, headaches, and vertigo.
This study makes it clear that kavalactones possess
anti-anxiety activity comparable to the benzodiazepines
but without the hazards.
• In a 4-week study of 58
patients suffering from anxiety, 29 were given 100
milligrams of a 70 percent kavalactone extract three
times daily, whereas the control group was given a
placebo. Those who took the kava extract reported a
significant reduction in anxiety after the first week
and said they felt markedly improved by the end of the
study. As with other studies, no adverse effects were
reported as a result of the kava use.
• In an 8-week study of 40
women with menopausal symptoms, half were given a daily
dose of 100 milligrams of kava extract standardized to a
70 percent kavalactone value, and half were given a
placebo. The group given the kava experienced a
significant reduction in menopausal symptoms, anxiety,
and depression, whereas the control group experienced no
significant change.
• In a study of 12
volunteers, the effects of a standardized kava extract
and oxazepam on mental function were compared. Using
several parameters, oxazepam was shown to decrease both
the quality and speed of responses to test questions,
whereas the kava extract did not adversely affect mental
function. In a word recognition test, oxazepam slowed
reaction time and reduced the number of correct answers,
whereas the kava extract slightly increased reaction
time and recognition. This supports the oft-repeated
claim of kava users that even when enough kava is
consumed to induce a significantly relaxed, easy state,
there is no impairment of mental function, including
memory or clarity of thought.
• In a battery of tests
given to 40 subjects, kava extract did not impair their
performance while driving an automobile or operating
heavy machinery. Unlike alcohol or the benzodiazepines,
kava taken in appropriate does not impair coordination,
visual perception, or judgment.
• Two groups of 29
patients were followed for 4 weeks. One group was given
100 milligrams of kava extract, equal to 70 milligrams
of kava lactones, three times daily. The other group was
given a placebo. The study concluded that the kava was
effective in mitigating anxiety and tension, without any
adverse effects.
• Unlike the
benzodiazepines, kava's effectiveness does not diminish
over time. Whereas a person taking Valium, Xanax, or
Serax may need to increase their daily dosage over time
to achieve the same anti-anxiety effect, a dose of kava
that works to control anxiety today will work equally
well 2 years from now, one study shows.
• Kava is currently being
investigated at Duke University and at the Columbia
Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City. Continuing
studies in those and other places will help to establish
kava as a beneficial anti-anxiety aid without harmful
side effects. The message is clear as a bell on a quiet
day. Kava is not only good for reverie, it is highly
beneficial medicine as well.
Excerpted from "Psyche
Delicacies" by Chris Kilham. |
