Newbie Here Excited To Try Kava

[The Phenom]

Hello everyone! I ordered some micronized Nangol Noble from Bula Kava House and excited to try it when it comes. I’m a huge coffee/energy drink person and consume a few cups/bottles a day of the stuff. I’ve been doing this for several years now and lately I’ve developed severe anxiety, jitters and insomnia. I haven’t gotten a good nights sleep in months now. Even if I try and stop I get bad withdrawal symptoms. I need something to help with my anxiety and that’s where I found kava. I’m into natural supplements and kava looks legit and it works from what I researched. I don’t want to totally cut out caffeine from my life because it has some benefits but I wanted to know how I should implement kava into my daily life. Should I mix kava into my morning coffee? Or should I just use kava whenever I feel anxiety? Anxiety is usually worse in the afternoon/evening after the caffeine wears off and it affects my sleep. Please give me some advice and how much dosage I should take, thanks!

 

[Groggy]

Should I mix kava into my morning coffee? Or should I just use kava whenever I feel anxiety? Anxiety is usually worse in the afternoon/evening after the caffeine wears off and it affects my sleep. Please give me some advice and how much dosage I should take, thanks!

As much as coffee compliments kava (for many but not all), it is best to space them out, some (like me} are able to drink them back to back but I prefer them individually, specially when the purpose is anti anxiety. Kava is best in the evenings, everyone finds a different routine to match their lifestyle, but it is most commonly used in the early evening, before dinner. Always have an empty stomach for optimal results. Start with 1-2 tablespoons with 12 Fl oz water or juice. In the future buy medium grind and learn to love to prepare your grog, you'll have all the variety kava has to offer in medium grind. If you like the convenience of micro, buy instant kava, otherwise it is just a waste of money.

Welcome to kf.

 

[The Phenom]

As much as coffee compliments kava (for many but not all), it is best to space them out, some (like me} are able to drink them back to back but I prefer them individually, specially when the purpose is anti anxiety. Kava is best in the evenings, everyone finds a different routine to match their lifestyle, but it is most commonly used in the early evening, before dinner. Always have an empty stomach for optimal results. Start with 1-2 tablespoons with 12 Fl oz water or juice. In the future buy medium grind and learn to love to prepare your grog, you'll have all the variety kava has to offer in medium grind. If you like the convenience of micro, buy instant kava, otherwise it is just a waste of money.

Welcome to kf.

Thanks for the warm greeting Krunʞy! My anxiety is out of control that my mind isn’t able to calm down to enable me to get a good nights sleep. I’m hoping kava will help with that. When you say juice, do you mean coconut juice?

 

[Groggy]

Thanks for the warm greeting Krunʞy! My anxiety is out of control that my mind isn’t able to calm down to enable me to get a good nights sleep. I’m hoping kava will help with that. When you say juice, do you mean coconut juice?

I meant some sort of tropical type beverage (like V8 Splash) to mask the taste, until you get you used to kava's earthy taste, it is an acquired taste...

 

[greenbeen]

As much as coffee compliments kava (for many but not all), it is best to space them out, some (like me} are able to drink them back to back but I prefer them individually, specially when the purpose is anti anxiety. Kava is best in the evenings, everyone finds a different routine to match their lifestyle, but it is most commonly used in the early evening, before dinner. Always have an empty stomach for optimal results. Start with 1-2 tablespoons with 12 Fl oz water or juice. In the future buy medium grind and learn to love to prepare your grog, you'll have all the variety kava has to offer in medium grind. If you like the convenience of micro, buy instant kava, otherwise it is just a waste of money.

Welcome to kf.

Does micro have less effects then regular grog?

 

[Groggy]

Does micro have less effects then regular grog?

No, it is just harder to digest because of the extra fiber, if anything it may be stronger, but with everything amplified it may cause more severe dermo or side effects...everyone is different. Some people do fine with micro.

 

[The Phenom]

I meant some sort of tropical type beverage (like V8 Splash) to mask the taste, until you get you used to kava's earthy taste, it is an acquired taste...

Okay I see. So my kava got delivered yesterday afternoon. I took 1 tablespoon in 8oz of water on an empty stomach just before dinner. I immediately felt the numbness in the mouth like how everyone said but it quickly went away after 10-15 minutes. I did notice some tiny brown fibers and even some black ones. Those are makas and the skin of the root right? Are those normal with micronized and how does BKH micro compare to the rest of the brands? After chugging down the kava I felt a little warm feeling but nothing major but I did feel some anxiety relief but only a little. After I ate dinner, this time I mixed 2 tablespoons with 16oz of coconut juice and some collagen powder. The coconut juice helped with the taste a little. I really didn’t feel much or anything or at all this time, probably because I had just eaten dinner. Sleep was same as before, not very good but did improve a little. My sleep has been so bad that even a little better quality goes a long way. Today I will probably try 2 tablespoons before I have something to eat to see if I can get stronger effects. By the way I didn’t drink any coffee yesterday. I want to see if the caffeine withdrawal symptoms of severe anxiety and headaches still show up after going a day without caffeine. So far no headaches. I wonder if people have successfully used kava to counteract caffeine withdrawal symptoms and then eventually come off it? I’ll update more later.

 

[kw2292]

Kava can inhibit the removal of certain things cleared by your liver including caffeine. This is why for many spacing out works best, but for some it can amplify effects of caffeine when treated respectfully (moderately).

For a sleep quality perspective that can definitely play a role if you don’t give your body enough time to remove the caffeine from your system. There’s lots of info on this forum id bet if you search back.

 

[JohnMichael]

Okay I see. So my kava got delivered yesterday afternoon. I took 1 tablespoon in 8oz of water on an empty stomach just before dinner. I immediately felt the numbness in the mouth like how everyone said but it quickly went away after 10-15 minutes. I did notice some tiny brown fibers and even some black ones. Those are makas and the skin of the root right? Are those normal with micronized and how does BKH micro compare to the rest of the brands? After chugging down the kava I felt a little warm feeling but nothing major but I did feel some anxiety relief but only a little. After I ate dinner, this time I mixed 2 tablespoons with 16oz of coconut juice and some collagen powder. The coconut juice helped with the taste a little. I really didn’t feel much or anything or at all this time, probably because I had just eaten dinner. Sleep was same as before, not very good but did improve a little. My sleep has been so bad that even a little better quality goes a long way. Today I will probably try 2 tablespoons before I have something to eat to see if I can get stronger effects. By the way I didn’t drink any coffee yesterday. I want to see if the caffeine withdrawal symptoms of severe anxiety and headaches still show up after going a day without caffeine. So far no headaches. I wonder if people have successfully used kava to counteract caffeine withdrawal symptoms and then eventually come off it? I’ll update more later.

When you're going through this initial period of reverse tolerance, it may be helpful to hold one mouthful of kava for a minute or two before swallowing. Instead of gulping the shell, take a mouthful, hold for a couple minutes, then swallow. This allows a lot of kavalactones to impact your brain directly instead of the route of through the stomach. In my first two weeks of getting to know kava, I held each mouthful for a couple minutes and it really helped getting the full experience going. For the last eight years I have typically just drunk it in one go. Good luck!

 

[The Phenom]

Kava can inhibit the removal of certain things cleared by your liver including caffeine. This is why for many spacing out works best, but for some it can amplify effects of caffeine when treated respectfully (moderately).

For a sleep quality perspective that can definitely play a role if you don’t give your body enough time to remove the caffeine from your system. There’s lots of info on this forum id bet if you search back.

When you're going through this initial period of reverse tolerance, it may be helpful to hold one mouthful of kava for a minute or two before swallowing. Instead of gulping the shell, take a mouthful, hold for a couple minutes, then swallow. This allows a lot of kavalactones to impact your brain directly instead of the route of through the stomach. In my first two weeks of getting to know kava, I held each mouthful for a couple minutes and it really helped getting the full experience going. For the last eight years I have typically just drunk it in one go. Good luck!

Just wanted to give a quick update. Been another 2 days of trying kava and to my surprise I haven’t had any caffeine withdrawal symptoms. Usually on the 2nd day of no caffeine I get a really bad headache and jitters. Well I’m on my 3rd day now of no caffeine and absolutely no headache or withdrawal symptoms so far! I will see how far I can go without caffeine but this is so crazy. I have tried for 5+ years to get off caffeine and I might have done it with kava in just a few days. As for the actual effects of feeling relaxed and less anxiety. I’m seeing a slight difference but nothing major. What I believe is happening is that my brain has been so simulated over these years due to caffeine addiction that it’s going to take a while for the kava to get rid of it. I guess this is what you folks call “reverse tolerance”. I know it takes 1-2 weeks of no caffeine to reset your brain so I will definitely see more effects of the kava after 2 weeks if this holds true. I tried holding the kava in my mouth before swallowing but I don’t think it made much of a difference, my mouth just got numb more but I will continue to try it. Thanks for your folks help! I’ll update again if anything major happens.

 

[Groggy]

Just wanted to give a quick update. Been another 2 days of trying kava and to my surprise I haven’t had any caffeine withdrawal symptoms. Usually on the 2nd day of no caffeine I get a really bad headache and jitters. Well I’m on my 3rd day now of no caffeine and absolutely no headache or withdrawal symptoms so far! I will see how far I can go without caffeine but this is so crazy. I have tried for 5+ years to get off caffeine and I might have done it with kava in just a few days. As for the actual effects of feeling relaxed and less anxiety. I’m seeing a slight difference but nothing major. What I believe is happening is that my brain has been so simulated over these years due to caffeine addiction that it’s going to take a while for the kava to get rid of it. I guess this is what you folks call “reverse tolerance”. I know it takes 1-2 weeks of no caffeine to reset your brain so I will definitely see more effects of the kava after 2 weeks if this holds true. I tried holding the kava in my mouth before swallowing but I don’t think it made much of a difference, my mouth just got numb more but I will continue to try it. Thanks for your folks help! I’ll update again if anything major happens.

You can use more liquid and more tablespoons as well, the 1-2 tbsp. to 12 FL oz. is a basic guideline, example; I prep 1/4 cup to 400-600 ml of water. You can adjust the strength.