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Hopefully settle it now. Are there any true potentiators of kava ?

Plantacious

Kava Enthusiast
In "other botanical type" forums, there is a lot of talk about a lot of different potentiators.
There is some talk about potentiators in the kava community as well, but for every person that says that X is a potentiator, or Y is a potentiator,
someone else comes up and says that X is not, and Y is not, and so on. So that confuses me.
But I really trust the expertise of all the "veteran, experienced kava conoisseurs" that hang around this forum, so I was hoping to settle it once
and for all, at least for me, and hopefully a few others and newbies who read this thread and have the same question.
What is a true potentiator of kava ? I mainly use the Aluball, so I"m more interested in a potentiator that is applicable to Aluball, however if you
have one that only works with trad prep, that's fine too.
The potentiator can be a supplement, or a food you eat.
And please be specific, such as how much you use, any special preparation, and the timing. Like if that particular potentiator should be taken
before or after the kava, please specify that, as well as how many minutes before or after.
Thanks so much !
 

Alia

'Awa Grower/Collector
In "other botanical type" forums, there is a lot of talk about a lot of different potentiators.
There is some talk about potentiators in the kava community as well, but for every person that says that X is a potentiator, or Y is a potentiator,
someone else comes up and says that X is not, and Y is not, and so on. So that confuses me.
But I really trust the expertise of all the "veteran, experienced kava conoisseurs" that hang around this forum, so I was hoping to settle it once
and for all, at least for me, and hopefully a few others and newbies who read this thread and have the same question.
What is a true potentiator of kava ? I mainly use the Aluball, so I"m more interested in a potentiator that is applicable to Aluball, however if you
have one that only works with trad prep, that's fine too.
The potentiator can be a supplement, or a food you eat.
And please be specific, such as how much you use, any special preparation, and the timing. Like if that particular potentiator should be taken
before or after the kava, please specify that, as well as how many minutes before or after.
Thanks so much !
How about Sea Hibiscus ? Here are some interesting quotes from Phytomedicine January 2017, Vol. 24
on Traditional Kava Beverage ... (I added just the underlined part)
"Results: Traditional preparations of kava inhibit the growth of breast and colon cancer cells. ... the unfiltered preparations from Fiji were more active than the filtered. Phytochemical analysis indicated that filtering reduced most kavalactone and chalcone content. . ... growth inhibitory activity correlates with the content of these compounds. Unfiltered and filtered kava from Fiji(1) were more active on malignant than nonmalignant intestinal epithelial cells. Since kava is prepared in Micronesia by squeezing the extract through sea hibiscus bark, we assayed the growth inhibitory activity of combinations of kava and sea hibiscus sap and found that sea hibiscus enhanced the growth inhibitory effect of kava.
Conclusion: Our results show that traditional kava, alone or combined with sea hibiscus, displays activity against human cancer cells and indicate it will be worthwhile to develop and further analyze these preparations to prevent and treat colon and other cancers. Our findings suggest it is important to examine the activity of plants in the form that people consume them. "
 

verticity

I'm interested in things
From my experience, 2 things have a positive effect:

- Empty stomach before drinking kava
- Spicy and/or fatty foods after

In the case of food spiced with kava's cousin, black pepper (Piper nigrum), there's actually a reasonable possible biochemical explanation for the effect, that you are probably aware of from "other botanical type" fora, but the potentiation also seems to work just as well with nightshade family peppers (e.g., cayenne, jalapenos, etc.)...

Also caffeine can have sort of a negative reverse potentiating effect, in that (in my experience) kava sometimes seems to potentiate the unpleasant jittery effects of caffeinated beverages.
 

Plantacious

Kava Enthusiast
From my experience, 2 things have a positive effect:

- Empty stomach before drinking kava
- Spicy and/or fatty foods after

In the case of food spiced with kava's cousin, black pepper (Piper nigrum), there's actually a reasonable possible biochemical explanation for the effect, that you are probably aware of from "other botanical type" fora, but the potentiation also seems to work just as well with nightshade family peppers (e.g., cayenne, jalapenos, etc.)...
Ha. Reminds of how I heard one person describe the taste of kava. It's like drinking a mixture of pepper and dirt.
So if I add pepper to it, it'll taste more like pepper, and less like dirt, huh ?
So you get the added bonuses of both improved taste and potency.

When you say "spicy" foods, is that hot type spices, and any hot spice, or certain ones ?
What about lecithin ?
 
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verticity

I'm interested in things
Ha. Reminds of how I heard one person describe the taste of kava. It's like drinking a mixture of pepper and dirt.
So if I add pepper to it, it'll taste more like pepper, and less like dirt, huh ?
So you get the added bonuses of both improved taste and potency.

When you say "spicy" foods, is that hot type spices, and any hot spice, or certain ones ?
What about lecithin ?
Any spicy food is good, and also fat seems to help--for example: curry, spicy mexican food, or pizza with pepper flakes, etc. After drinking kava, not at the same time. The subjective experience I have is that the spicy hot sensation in the mouth actually kind of amplifies the heady effects of the kava.

Sometimes you see recommendations to mix in things like lechitin or coconut oil with the kava as emulsifiers. I've tried that with coconut oil, and all it really did was make the taste much worse and was not worth it IMO, so now I always just use a traditional water prep for the kava itself..
 

PapaMoi

Kava Enthusiast
In all seriousness, the best potentiator for kava in my experience is more kava. Once I get a good, thick buildup of those kavalactones in my bloodstream, it seems to work better and better over time. Also, hot herbal teas (chamomile, etc) kick it into high gear for me. And cheesy pizza after kava. Cheesy pizza helps everything though.
 

Plantacious

Kava Enthusiast
Any spicy food is good, and also fat seems to help--for example: curry, spicy mexican food, or pizza with pepper flakes, etc. After drinking kava, not at the same time. The subjective experience I have is that the spicy hot sensation in the mouth actually kind of amplifies the heady effects of the kava.
You gave me an idea. Since kava should be started on an empty stomach, and spices + food will potentiate it, I thought what if you take the spices and only the spices along with the kava. Since spices wouldn't technically count as food as far as our standards in this, but it should maintain its potency, maybe the spices and kava at the same time will give it a kick.
 
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Edward

Aluballin' in the UK
Kava Vendor
The only thing that makes much difference for me is just drinking it with milk. In a batch of 12 ounces I'll make 4 ounces skimmed milk.

I used to drink without milk and then the next morning a few times I drank some milk and got a big kava rush. So now when I drink the kava with milk I get the full effects straight away and find I can use less kava and experience fuller effects.
 

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
In all seriousness, the best potentiator for kava in my experience is more kava. Once I get a good, thick buildup of those kavalactones in my bloodstream, it seems to work better and better over time. Also, hot herbal teas (chamomile, etc) kick it into high gear for me. And cheesy pizza after kava. Cheesy pizza helps everything though.
Same here. For potentiated kava I add kava. Usually some co2 concentrate on top of a couple of good shells. Or a kalmikaze.
 

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
But when you potentiate your kava with kava, do you take your kava before you drink your kava, or after you drink your kava ?
I drink the grog first, then have the potentiator a few minutes later. I enjoy 15 - 30 minutes of potentiated kava and when that's over it plops me down from super calm to merely mellow.
 

Bob Cat

Newbie
I guess it depends what you are looking for and what kava does to or for you. Kava seems to be a big stimulation for me so I like to take it with chamomile tea and or California poppy tea. That takes the edge off so it is very enjoyable.
 

Plantacious

Kava Enthusiast
I admire anyone who can eat anything after kava. My stomach will barely tolerate water after a strong session.?
I thought the opposite was true for most people. If you get queasy after a session, for the majority, the best cure for that stomach, is a thick plate of food.
For me personally, basically anything non-kava will relieve the stomach - water, any food, ginger candy, tea, etc
 

Edward

Aluballin' in the UK
Kava Vendor
I thought the opposite was true for most people. If you get queasy after a session, for the majority, the best cure for that stomach, is a thick plate of food.
For me personally, basically anything non-kava will relieve the stomach - water, any food, ginger candy, tea, etc
I normally just sleep it off :)
 

Zaphod

Kava Lover
In "other botanical type" forums, there is a lot of talk about a lot of different potentiators.
There is some talk about potentiators in the kava community as well, but for every person that says that X is a potentiator, or Y is a potentiator,
someone else comes up and says that X is not, and Y is not, and so on. So that confuses me.
But I really trust the expertise of all the "veteran, experienced kava conoisseurs" that hang around this forum, so I was hoping to settle it once
and for all, at least for me, and hopefully a few others and newbies who read this thread and have the same question.
What is a true potentiator of kava ? I mainly use the Aluball, so I"m more interested in a potentiator that is applicable to Aluball, however if you
have one that only works with trad prep, that's fine too.
The potentiator can be a supplement, or a food you eat.
And please be specific, such as how much you use, any special preparation, and the timing. Like if that particular potentiator should be taken
before or after the kava, please specify that, as well as how many minutes before or after.
Thanks so much !
Somehow I missed this thread earlier but here are my takes:
(1) Definitely the empty stomach is plus, and even more so if it has been closer to 4hrs which should be well after the stomach is empty. 2-3 hrs is okay but it is much more pronounced at 4. This effects mostly the kavain rush. You will still get a nice KL relaxation, but maybe not the headiness. Drinking water/liquid even a few minutes before drinking your kava seems to have little effect so this applies only to food.
(2) I find fatty dairy products like cheese afterwords kick up the headiness.
(3) Spicy food, in my opinion, doesn't really kick up the kava but the addition of the endorphin rush of eating spicy food and the kava headiness can be intense. I find the same with adding caffeine or more specifically dark chocolate after having kava.
 

kasa_balavu

Yaqona Dina
So if I add pepper to it, it'll taste more like pepper, and less like dirt, huh ?
Hardcore kavasseurs who like the taste of kava often add dirt to it so it tastes more like dirt and less like pepper. #TrueStoryBro

It's widely accepted in Fiji that an oily, greasy meal after a kava session gives you an extra kick. Curry works perfectly.
 
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Dr.Krunk

Certified Quack
It’s a bit difficult for me to say whether spicy foods potentiates Kava considering essentially everything I eat is drowned in Tapatío, extra hot Valentina, or Siracha. I can say eating after a session does seem to increase the effects but also seems to diminish the duration of effects for me anyways.
 
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