The scientific name for kava is “Piper Methysticum,” meaning intoxicating pepper. It is called kava powder, but what you will buy to mix in your drink is not in powder form. To make a kava powder, first we need to get rid of all the unwanted parts of the plant. Specifically you want to use the roots of the plant. Using the stems and leaves or any low quality brands which uses leaves and stems, may give hazardous results. Your liver hates the stems and leaves of kava plants.

There is nothing toxic about a kava kava plant if you are using only the roots of using a kava powder which is reputed enough. People living in western part of Pacific Island has been using this for many years without any ill effects.

Mix kava kava powder in room temperature water and leave it to steep for about half and hour. You may mix 1 to 8 spoons of kava powder with one cup of water to make kava kava tea. There are many methods of mixing kava with water. Some mix one cup at a time. Others may mix large amounts for setting. The water is put into a bucket. Kava kava is put into a strainer. The most effective strainer for kava kava tea is lady’s panthose. But cloth type strainers will also do the job. You need to knead the strainer into the water to release all the kava.

Kava even in kava coffee can make you drunk, but has a difference. The similarities between alcohol and kava are :

1. Sleep inducing

2. Muscle relaxant

3. Relieves mental and social anxiety

The differences are :

1. Alcohol sleep is imbibing, kava sleep is restful. Most people say that kava sleep is more restful than normal sleep. Alcohol sleep on the other hand is not so restful.

2. Unlike alcohol, kava drink has no negative effects the following day.

3. Unlike alcohol, kava kava extract has not long term negative effect. It is not at all addictive.

4. Kava will help you to build a tolerance. Alcohol need to be drunk more for the effect. But kava will have the effect with every use.

5. Unlike alcohol, Kava has positive effects like mental clarity and increase in patience. You should also try kava coffee as well because it is healthier than regular coffee.

The kava lactones found in the stem of the kava plants provides the actual pleasure to the kava kava tea drinker. This helps to release tensions by acting on the nervous tissues. Past 3000 years kava had been a very popular drink in the Pacific Island as kava kava tea and kava coffee. People suffering from acute migraine and severe cramps have received a good relief by this. But most importantly it provides refreshment after a long tiring day. Based on various research and surveys conducted in Europe it has been found as one of the major stimulants which is very useful for mild tensions and tiredness. However the comparison between kava kava and mental stress relieving drugs are not yet complete.

The uses and utilities of kava kava:
As earlier discussed, kava is a purely herbal product which is popularly used in North America for releasing restlessness, tensions and sleeplessness. This is not strong but yet acts for curing many disorders and for centuries it is being used by the people of South Pacific for social, ceremonial and relaxation.
Even if kava kava tea, kava coffee or extract helps in pain removal but its method of working is not very popular. It gives a great relief in backache, headache, neck pain and several other kinds of muscle cramps. The components of this product are ideally meant for menopause, insomnia, stress and some major fatigues like asthma, urine infections etc.

The powdered form of kava leaves are sometimes taken on the tongue directly and sometimes it is prepared in the form of kava kava tea or kava coffee sometimes you might get it in the form of tablets and capsules.

Harmful effects of Kava kava:

Although it has been said that kava kava provides a lot relief for aches however it has some negative effects as well. Firstly regular use of kava kava in a higher proportion might damage your skin. In some cases liver problem as in hepatitis has been seen because of the excessive use of this herbal product and in fact too much using of it might even lead to muscle pressure.

It is always advisable to take kava kava in a moderate quantity because excessive drinking of it can relate to some unwanted diseases and lot of tensions unnecessarily. In fact this product is said not to be mixed with alcohol because if taken along with alcohol it might create some serious illness.

After many researches it was found that the implementation of kava kava at a controlled rate was not fatal. But still there continued some stomach aches, stressful and insomnia in that procedure. Moreover in general trials of kava consuming people are often found suffering from gastric, headaches and skin allergies.

Quantity to be consumed:

You should not exceed your dosage more than 140mg to 250mg that to be taken in 2 to 3 splits. In Europe people used to take approximately 210mg. However in the US the chemical composition of kava kava is around 30% to 50%.

Only few records say that medical disorders and kava kava are interrelated. In fact some major nervous disorders have been found amongst the U.S. patients when this product was mixed with the medicinal drugs like alprazolam, terazosin etc. However it was not even found that the disorientation was because of this union or some other reasons. However in Europe it was just revealed that kava gets very fatal if mixed with alcohol.

The plant is called Piper Methysticum and it is used to make the supplement and the drink, Kava Kava tea. The shrub of this piper is about six feet in height but is has a favorable condition that it can grow up to 20 feet.  Heart shaped leaves and small flowers are its features. The roots and the stumps of this plant are pounded, grounded or chewed and the pulp is then soaked into the cold water.

This Kava is sold in the form of tablets, capsules, soft-gel, kava kava tea, kava coffee, a tincture and also it is ground into a powdered form. To make sure about whether the healing and therapeutic powers are preserved with no added substances which may be harmful to the drinker, Kava is freeze dried.

Thus, now the Kava is a useful drink that greatly helps to relax and relieve the stress. But one thing to be remembered is that this kava kava extract should be taken with care like in taking the other supplements. But some of the reports say that liver damage is caused because of drinking too much. Rarely, it may also result in cirrhosis, hepatitis and liver failure. Double vision, loss of muscle control, hypertension and abnormalities in blood like blood clotting are some of the side effects caused because of this drink. Thus, this supplement can be taken only on when it is recommended. Additionally, it is important to consult the doctors and make sure that there will be no negative reactions to the pre-existing conditions and medications. Drinking of this Kava is not allowed for those people suffering from the Parkinson’s disease and kidney or liver disease. It is also not allowed for those nursing and pregnant.

In the modern world, many people turn their views to the newer natural methods. But, herbal medicines are widely used by panic and anxiety people. Let us see the benefits and risks of kava kava which acts as the natural anxiety solution.
What is Kava Kava?

It grows as a tall shrub in the islands of South pacific and it belongs to the member of pepper family. The various uses of this shrub are:

• Many traditional Polynesian cultures consider it as a sacred plant.
• It is used while doing prayers and during rituals.
• It is mainly used to recover from asthma, rheumatism to weary muscles and also in the case of sleeplessness.

The active components like kava lactones are found in the root of the plant. It affects the levels of neurotransmitters in the blood and also affects the body’s fight-or-flight part. In olden days, the kava root was in the form of beverage or chewing gum. Today, the kava kava is available in the form of capsule, tablet, kava kava tea and liquid extract forms.

Benefits:

It became the popular natural anxiety solution due to its state of relaxation without mental functioning, memory or alertness. It does not produce tolerance like other medications such as Xanax or Valium. The kava root is effective as per the clinical trials and it improves the mood, well-being and mental functions.

Risks:

The various side effects in kava kava are,

• Indigestion,
• Mouth numbness,
• Skin rash,
• Head ache,
• Drowsiness and
• Visual disturbances.

Some of the reports tell that kava kava extract results in liver toxicity including hepatitis, liver failure and cirrhosis. But, no clinical trails found the evidence for liver toxicity. This would mainly cause due to the liver disease, alcohol consumption, taking more doses and combining the herbs with medicines. It causes blood pressure, blood clotting in which the people are advised not to take in case of bleeding disorders or two weeks of surgery. Due to the effect in neurotransmitters kava kava should not be taken along with medications like anti-anxiety and anti-depressant. You can take only after getting advise from physician.

Kava Kava is not well known in the U.S., but it is well known in some places of America like Hawaii and California. Places that are really into alternative health are well versed in the health benefits that kava kava can offer. When I visited Hawaii, there were convenience stores that sold kava kava tea and kava coffee drinks. When I drank it at home, I noticed that it had a bitter taste. At first I didn’t feel any effects, but after about 30 minutes I felt a relaxing feeling going throughout my body.

It has a similar feeling in terms of the relaxing feeling that alcohol gives, but without the after effects. When I woke up in the morning, I had no ill aftereffects. Instead, I felt relaxed, calm and at peace. If I continue to use it, then I will use it in moderation. I have heard reports that overuse of kava kava extract can cause serious liver problems. It’s similar to alcohol because the liver will have to breakdown the parts of the plant.

Kava kava tea or kava coffee is really a great method of relaxing once in awhile if you do not want to use other unhealthy alternatives. I would like to recommend that you first make sure that you do not have any serious health issues. It would be best if you first get the recommendation from your doctor to ensure that you are not harming your body.