Got a call from Doctor's, I have "elevated liver function"

[Nils]

I suggest you all get your liver checked instead of just hoping the studies saying it causes liver damage are false. I have only been using it 1-3 times a week since about April this year, and decided to get my liver function tested. Now my doctor has ordered me to stop taking it for a month and see how my levels are 1 month from now.

 

[The Kap'n]

Thank's for sharing that with us. So far everyone I've seen on these boards that have had their liver tested have gotten no bad reports. Definitely keep us in the loop. Are you taking any other medications?

 

[sɥɐʞɐs]

I'm certainly interested to see what happens after your next test. I'm also curious what strain of kava you drink most frequently and if you also drink alcohol or take anything else that could raise your levels. If you get a chance too, ask the doc how your numbers compare to that of someone who drinks alcohol several times a week.

thanks for the info

 

[jw2112]

I've been drinking lots of kava daily for 2 years. Male 44 yo almost don't drink any alcohol. Liver function never better. All blood and urine best in 15 years. Had checkup last week. V3 and KBR Fuji mostly. I take milk thistle, bp med and Lipitor.

Booya bula!


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[Nils]

Well, here is the list of supplements I take that I just sent to my doctor online. I forgot to mention occasional use of ibuprofen--which I know for a fact is bad for the liver, but I use that once a week at the most:

-1000mg fish oil (twice daily)
-Zing 25mg (daily)
-Magnesium 500g (twice daily)
-Vitamin D3 5000ui (daily)
-Metamucil fiber supplement (2-3 times a day)
-Phenibut 250-1000mg (once a week at the most, for anxiety)
-Melatonin 3mg (several times a week for when I have trouble sleeping)
-Piracetam 2g (occasional use for anxiety)

I highly doubt that the Piracetam is bad since I have been using that on and off for a few years, and gotten blood work while using it and had no problems. I've used melatonin for just about as long, 3 years. The only two new things that I have used since I last got blood work (a year ago) are Kava (started in April) and Phenibut (started in August), and I can't seem to find any conclusive info about phenibut's affect on the liver from googling, just some random forum posts of people claiming its bad for the liver. Still, I use phenibut once a week at the most, whereas I drink kava 1-3 times a week.

The kava I drink the most is "Wakacon Fiji Kava", but I also have tried N@H's Solomon's, Stone, and most recently WOW kava.

Also, I do not drink alcohol but I will ask my doctor how my levels compare to alcohol drinker's levels...and now to start drinking grapefruit juice since that is good for the liver!

 

[KavaKenji]

Hope all is well with your liver.

 

[violet]

How worrisome for you, Nils. I hope everything turns out alright. Could it possibly be dietary stress? Beyond supplements, excess carbohydrates and especially fructose can be pretty hard on the liver as well.

 

[kavadude]

Nils, I hope everything is well. How do you prepare your kava? Also I would avoid the grapefruit juice unless your doctor recommends it because, and @infraredz will hopefully be able to correct me if I am wrong or explain this better, because it also impacts the liver and causes increased enzymatic load. Please let us know how your testing goes.

 

[Nils]

Nils, I hope everything is well. How do you prepare your kava? Also I would avoid the grapefruit juice unless your doctor recommends it because, and @infraredz will hopefully be able to correct me if I am wrong or explain this better, because it also impacts the liver and causes increased enzymatic load. Please let us know how your testing goes.

I use a strainer bag, bought from N@H's website. I put it in the fridge for a few hours in water, then I strain/knead it for 10-15 mins, and I even use a very fine tea strainer to get rid of the extra kava sediment at the end. And thanks, I'll look into the grapefruit juice and will let you guys know my results 1 month from now.

EDIT: I Should also add that I drank some kava the night before my doctor's appt, which was in the morning the next day...could that have skewed my results at all you think?

 

[kavadude]

Yes, I bet it could have. I've had the same thing happen with alcohol before. An elevated enzyme level within a day after consumption would be less worrying than constant elevation, I would think.

 

[Akava]

I had the exact same thing! elevated function but within normal, got it tested a month later and i was fine, I think it was because the first i waited an hour after a shell to get tested, second time a day,

but you take a lot of other stuff, that probably has to do with it

 

[Buddhacide]

I've been drinking lots of kava daily for 2 years. Male 44 yo almost don't drink any alcohol. Liver function never better. All blood and urine best in 15 years. Had checkup last week. V3 and KBR Fuji mostly. I take milk thistle, bp med and Lipitor.

Booya bula!


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Hey man just curious, did they put you on lipitor recently? Kava can mess with your cholesterol levels. Lipitor can cause problems so make sure you actually have cholesterol problems before taking it.

 

[jw2112]

Been on for 14 years


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[jw2112]

Cholesterol was 172. Triglycerides down to 202 from 354.


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[Buddhacide]

K, I dont really know. I think kava caused a high reading for me. I'm due to go back for a re-exam though.

 

[Deleted User01]

Your spot on Buddhacide, Kava did raise my Cholesterol by about 20-40 points. I let my diet go a little bit but not that much. So I went on a low fat high fiber diet and will be tested again before Thanksgiving. I have been drinking booze for 40 years and Kava for about 7 months. I have normal liver function. As my doctor said, some people are susceptible and some are not (liver function). So my liver is ok but I am susceptible to high cholesterol. Keep us posted Nils. It seems like we are all human guinea pigs here at Kava Labs Central.

 

[ObiWan]

what specific value in your blood was not o.k.?
If it is only an increased Bilirubin level, that does not automatically indicate liver problems

 

[infraredz]

I'm curious too what the full panel results were.

Kavadude's right regarding the grapefruit juice. Furanocoumarins in the grapefruit juice are potent inhibitors of the CYP3A4 enzyme in the liver and gut. I would definitely recommend that people do not consume grapefruit juice concurrently with kava. With the BP med (which I'm guessing is a beta blocker) and the Lipitor, I'd be a little concerned and I'd be very concerned if you are taking lovastatin or simvastatin since there are major drug interactions. Depending on the beta blocker, there might also be drug interactions with that as well.

It's also worth mentioning that beta blockers can alter lipid metabolism in the body.

Also, just as a side note, I've always been a little concerned with that "Wakacon" stuff. I know it's a bit fallacious, but I've always thought that it is a much better idea to order from trusted, vetted and reputable vendors that participate here rather than some fly-by-night company.

 

[Deleted User01]

Based on all the stuff Infraredz just mentioned, it sounds like you should go to your Pharmacist, tell him your problem, give him your list of meds, and let him do some research for drug interactions. I'm not sure your typical doctor is in the know like the Pharmo guys are. And please keep us in the loop.

 

[Nils]

Hi guys, attached my test results to this post. The enzymes that are high are "aspartate aminotransferase" and "alanine aminotransferase"