Question about dosages...

[kavakan]

Hey all, I'm a TOTAL NOOB to Kava. I mean, I used to drink it here and there with some of my Tongan buddies back in college... but never to the extent of actually feeling any effects. Anyway, I'm looking at Kava as a possible alternative to alcohol. I run a business and find myself using alcohol in the evening mostly to "wind down" before bed. I'm thinking Kava would be a great substitute for that effect without as many health side effects.

Okay, back to the point: I made my first mix tonight using about 1 tbsp of what I think is medium grain to 1 cup of water for a total of 8 cups. I'm taking it easy since I'm not familiar with the effects and, admittedly, I'm afraid of ending up sleeping on the floor because of paralysis, lol! For those of you that are daily drinkers, what is your typical mix ratio (kava to water) and how many glasses do you normally drink in a "session"??

ALL advice is appreciated. Thanks

 

[Groggy]

Good morning Kavakan, welcome to the forum!
Did you use a strainer for the tbs you used? Typically it is not recommended to drink medium grind without doing that, it can cause some stomach discomfort. I am sure you will get many more responses through out the day. A typical session for me is 1/3 cup of medium grind kava (6 tbs) to about 2 cups of warm water, prepared traditionally.
If you prefer to skip the traditional preparation, many vendors here offer Micronized and instant kavas which eliminate the need for traditional prep.

 

[Deleted User01]

Welcome to the forum. You are turning to Kava for the exact same reason that I did. Taking alcohol out of the daily diet is a good thing for many reasons and you might even lose a few pounds. You will also find that Kava sleep is waayyyyy better than alcohol sleep. I don't too much traditional prep but what KrunkyMonkey said sounds about right. One thing you can also do is make a bigger batch and store it in lock top beer bottles. It's true that the taste degrades over time but the convenience factor overcomes that in my book. You might also find yourself sippin' on a bottle at work when things are a little stressful.

 

[I don't know]

I like about 1 tablespoon of medium grind to 4 oz. For micro or instant I use about 1 teaspoon for 4 oz. Having too much liquid can cause a bloated feeling. Wait 20-30 min betweens servings. I usually have 3-4 servings. Of course, drink plenty of water by itself to prevent dehydration. Balanced and heavy or sedative kavas help me to sleep well provided I dont drink too much liquid close to bedtime.

 

[kavakan]

Welcome to the forum. You are turning to Kava for the exact same reason that I did. Taking alcohol out of the daily diet is a good thing for many reasons and you might even lose a few pounds. You will also find that Kava sleep is waayyyyy better than alcohol sleep. I don't too much traditional prep but what KrunkyMonkey said sounds about right. One thing you can also do is make a bigger batch and store it in lock top beer bottles. It's true that the taste degrades over time but the convenience factor overcomes that in my book. You might also find yourself sippin' on a bottle at work when things are a little stressful.

Thanks for the tip! Yes, I actually made a large pitcher of it last night... but apparently my ratios were way to thin (1 tbsp: 1 cup). Seems everyone on here does about 2-3 tbsp: 1 cup. Anyway, I'm learning. Will have to order some lock top beer bottles off of Amazon here soon. Thanks for all the replies. It's helpful.

 

[nosuni]

I like using 3-4 HEAPING tablespoons split between two aluballs, with 350ml of water. I hardly ever strain anymore.

 

[chandra]

I usually do 3-4 heaping tablespoons to a cup of water. When I get done prepping my first wash, I put it back in hot water and let it sit for awhile. Later on, I'll prep that for a second wash. Don't be afraid of overdoing it. It isn't like drugs or alcohol. If you drink too much you may experience nausea or being lazy. I think everyone has to take it a little too far once or twice to learn where their limits are. You can also prep a fairly strong batch and drink a small amount every 30 minutes or so. It's much harder to overdo it that way.

 

[kavakan]

put it back in hot water and let it sit for awhile. Later on, I'll prep that for a second wash. Don't be afraid of overdoing it. It isn't like drugs or alcohol. If you drink too much you may experience nausea or being lazy.

This is great! So basically your first cup/wash is relatively strong and you still have enough prepped for a milder second cup if you want it. Correct?

Good to know I can't end up in an ambulance getting my stomach pumped, too

Thanks for all that. Going to make a batch here in a couple hours. Appreciate all of you.

 

[Edward]

I pop mine in a blender, 6 to 8 tbsps. depending on the root with 4 cups water and I also add some milk as I find it helps the kava work better. After I have strained this I drink 1 cup every 45 mins to an hour. I like a nicely stretched out session . If I have less time I will just make up less cups but use a similar ratio or I have micros and instants around too. I come from a 25 year career of heavy drinking and used to drink alcohol every night. When I first started drinking kava I was out for the big rush and I'd mix it strong and chug it quick. Since I stopped drinking alcohol at all I've mellowed out a bit but still mix the kava strong, just spread it out a bit more.

 

[Summer]

My general rule of thumb is 6 tablespoons medium grind to 2 cups water.

 

[frosty]

Hey I just experienced kava last night for the first time, a friend of mine ordered some Nambawan and said he felt no effects so since I have a lot of experience with entheogens and medicines I thought I would experiment with it. From reading around on here I came up with a dose of 1/2 cup which I put into a nylon and washed 3x and consumed over the course of a couple of hours to Strong effect, 2nd day same dosage not feeling effects as potent but I'd say day 1 was pretty powerful but kind in a plant kind of way, you can always start lower if you're hesitant and keep drinking until you get the desired effects, took me a while but I had a full stomach.