Talk of GABA receptors?

[Shredder]

I think I read somewhere before on the net that long term kava use can result in the growth of GABA receptors, or rather, the number your brain possesses....

I was just wondering if any of you have ever done any research into the long term effects kava has on the brain. I'm not worried or anything like that. In fact, just the opposite. I was hoping to hear of something amazing other than reverse tolerance...

There's a lot of terminology that I don't exactly understand... Like, GABA antagonists, and if kava is one or not. Shit like that... But I would love to learn and be enlightened on the subject if any of you reading this know and have done the homework.

Before I joined this forum I read a few of the threads on here, and there was some discussion where a few members mentioned that kava had helped them so much with their chronic pain, and even anxiety, that they couldn't remember the last time that those things bothered them...

Of course, these were kava veterans of at least a few years if memory serves correctly. Anyhow, if you guys have any cool knowledge to share with me regarding long term use of kava, hell even some of your own anecdotes, please share them with me.

 

[starscolliding]

Well the quick answer is that any substance (alcohol, benzodiazapines) that affect the gaba a receptor site, typically becomes physically addictive to the point where you have to taper very carefully to get off, and even with the best taper it can be very painful. Once you are on something like that, your receptor sites don't function normally, and they desire the substance you've been taking rather than responding to normal life events like reading, meditation, a short walk, etc. Instead you become a slave to the chemical if you don't want to feel anxious.

Several studies show Kava to not be gabaergic and one or two say that it is. People on this forum argue about it a little bit here and there. The ones that say it isn't, I believe, outweigh the ones that say it is.

And it is my experience that you can take a lot of Kava for weeks and then stop on a dime and it is no problem. Others here have done tons of Kava for months and then stopped on a dime also with no problem. There is no addiction that anyone can find. One person, on this forum, I believe, said it is like cheese. He likes cheese. If there is cheese around he will eat it. He might look forward to cheese. If there is no cheese around, life is okay, too. I thought that was pretty funny. Note that anything, including cheese and something like decaf coffee, can become mentally addictive (via association), but I'm talking about physical addiction - i.e., your brain is being rewired, here.

And to go farther, as you mention, some say that Kava can repair Gaba receptor sites. I think only one or two studies show that, I don't think we can take that as 100% for sure mandated by law and science until there is more analysis, but it is looking good for that to be true. And that means people tapering or going off Benzo's or alchohol or other things, may benefit from moderate Kava usage.

All told that makes Kava extremely safe and healthy compared to other strong stress relieving alternatives.

 

[Prince Philip]

I really try to be addicted to kava, because I'm a better person when I have circulating kavalactones. But, last night, I could only drink one shell. I wanted to drink more, I really did. I was just tired and cold and didn't want to deal with it.

 

[Shredder]

Yea it's kind of weird cause sometimes I have a similar experience, Philip. I'll get hungry, and since I'm on an empty stomach at this point, I'll remind myself to go and make a kava drink, but then I won't... Like it's a chore or something.

I swear it has to be some form of self sabotage. We never wanna take our medicine. Be it in physical form, or any other.

And thanks for that great answer Starscolliding! I'm always looking for more knowledge on the subject.