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Kava is remarkably safe,
but it may not necessarily be an altogether "free ride"
as some might hope. But as is our mantra: Kava
root has been used safely for over 3,000 years by the
entire population of Oceania without any significant
reported side-effects or dangers, even with heavy use
and daily use.
Kava potentiates
alcohol, which means that alcohol and kava can cause
unexpected effects, so one must be careful if the
decision to combine alcohol and kava is made. Kava can
often make one alcoholic drink feel like three, so it's
important to keep this vividly in mind. If you are currently
using anti-anxiety drugs or antidepressants, you should
consult a physician who is expert in the use of kava
before trying it on your own.
And this brings up a key point: We are not doctors and
cannot under any circumstance, offer any advice on the
dangers of kava, especially in relation to its effect on
the body. For example, we have never found any
evidence of harm resulting from kava use
during pregnancy and lactation, but we are also not
qualified to speak on such topics. As a rule,
pregnant and lactating women should avoid using kava
simply to err on the safe side.
And this is one example that can be
applied to any questions regarding the dangers of kava.
We'd love to answer, but we simply can't.
Something we did find extremely
interesting, though, if if used in great excess
(we're talking about consuming 8 ounces or more of kava
every day for many weeks), it can cause what is known as
kava-induced dermopathy. This is a patchy scaling of the skin.
We've personally seen this on some extremely heavy daily kava drinkers, but
the condition appears to be harmless, and
it goes away when kava use is suspended.
I was once a
guest on a national television newscast during which a
very well known doctor warned that kava can cause
yellowing of teeth, nails, and hair. This is a absolute fantasy.
There may be kava dangers, but none of those symptoms
are one of them.
Finally, if you are going to use kava in large quantities for
pleasure, I recommend that you do not operate a car or
heavy machinery at the same time. In June of 2000, a man
was arrested on Highway 101 in San Mateo County,
California after consuming 23 cups of kava (a feat in
itself). That's a
heck of a lot of kava. He was acquitted because jurors
were not familiar with kava, but he was driving
erratically enough for a police officer to notice.
In other words; always drink kava responsibly, treat it
with the respect it deserves, and absolutely positively
know your own limits.
NOTE: Some excerpts taken from from "Psyche Delicacies" by Chris Kilham. |
