What convinced you of Kava's safety?

[Sam Handwich]

Hello, just wondering if anyone wants to share what it was that convinced them that kava is safe. I have researched this as far as Google will get me and was nearly totally convinced that the great liver scare was just a scare and that traditionally prepared noble root is totally safe. Then, this weekend while having my first ever alcohol free new years as an adult I noticed that I started getting a strong metallic taste in my mouth when drinking kava that lasts for hours afterwards. I went straight to Google to check my symptoms (bad idea, I know) and promptly found that this can be a symptom of liver or kidney trouble. This completely freaked me out and sent me into a panic of kava safety research and health anxiety. So, what convinced you that kava safety is not a worry? I'd really like to get back to thinking that way, it really stinks when the one think that provided anxiety relief starts causing it

 

[The Kap'n]

The fact that I've been drinking kava every single day for over a decade. The only time I ever had to question the safety of kava is when I decided on a tudei only diet. Never again.

Of course it's always good to have any issues checked out by a licensed physician. To my knowledge we don't have an MD on the board yet, so as to the metallic taste in your mouth, I haven't the first clue. I personally haven't had that issue. I have had all the issues that are normally seen with tudei consumption (because I was definitely consuming tudei) and some on top of that. Added painful urination, bleeding skin, and horrendous lethargy to the list.

All in all everyone reacts differently. If you have issues that don't show up here normally I'd suggest getting it looked at.

 

[TheKavaSociety]

The fact that it's been used in large quantities by many people for centuries. But this only applies to traditional kava (dried or fresh).
Clinical trials have demonstrated that short-term pure kava use is perfectly safe. Nobody has rigorously studied kava's precise very long term health effects.

And by "safe" I mean that it doesn't seem to negatively and/or significantly affect physical health. It might have some long-term neurological or other health effects (both positive and negative), but overall it seems much safer than booze or sugar.

 

[kasa_balavu]

Hello, just wondering if anyone wants to share what it was that convinced them that kava is safe.

Fijian here. I was never convinced that it wasn't.
When news arrived that kava had been banned in Europe, we chalked it up to either...
1. the "value-adding" that the germans did. Something in their process or delivery system was causing the liver damage.
2. the use of stuff that we had never previously used to make kava... like leaves and peelings.

It was inconceivable to us that this drink that Fijians had drunk since forever without ill effect other than kanikani (dermo) could cause liver damage and death.

 

[HeadHodge]

I never really cared, because it was obvious after minimal research that any kava I consume would be magnitudes safer than the abusive habits I've had for alcohol consumption for many many years.

I was actually more worried that kava would be addictive and I didn't want to substitute alcohol (which is very addictive for me) with something just as bad. I had looked into Ktom at the same time I had first looked into kava and on hindsight, am glad I did my research first before deciding between the two. If I were a religious person, I would thank god every day for the old Yuku forums.

 

[Sam Handwich]

Thank you all for the replies, this is exactly the type of response I was hoping for. I too have traded alcohol for kava, 4 months in this week. I have found that kava has been a wonderful replacement for alcohol and I really haven't had any cravings to go back. Being one who worries I just really wish that it wasn't so easy to find such bad press on kava. Perhaps some day an infallible study on long term daily use will be performed. Until then I really appreciate the support and information available on this forum.

 

[Zac Imiola (Herbalist)]

I used to get that mettalic taste loong after a DMT trip. K@ also tasted metalic at first
Have you looked into the Chinese medicine definition of Imbalance of Metal? could link to the kidneys and kava could be aggravating it? I dont know though? Google is the worst thing for this... lol

 

[Sam Handwich]

I used to get that mettalic taste loong after a DMT trip. K***** also tasted metalic at first
Have you looked into the Chinese medicine definition of Imbalance of Metal? could link to the kidneys and kava could be aggravating it? I dont know though? Google is the worst thing for this... lol

I have not heard of that, but you may be on to something. Some of the research I have done indicates that low zinc levels can cause a metallic taste. The taste is there at low levels pretty much all of the time, and through experimenting I have found that it doesn't seem to be aggravated by kava candies or my GHK Mahakea but does get much worse if I have some of this kava king Vanuatu blend that I still have laying around. I think I may go to the doc for a physical and blood work up just to be sure, maybe they can check for mineral deficiencies while their at it.

 

[blindy107]

The fact that @upsidedownshakas is alive. Once I heard that some big pharm company was involved in the original "scare" I assumed something fishy was going on.

 

[Sam Handwich]

The fact that @upsidedownshakas is alive. Once I heard that some big pharm company was involved in the original "scare" I assumed something fishy was going on.

Good point, that and @Kapmcrunk - every day for a decade! That's the type of info I like to hear. I often click on members avatars just to see how long they have been a member, then I assume they have been drinking kava for at least that long. Isn't there an annual member survey? I thought I remembered reading a post by @Deleted User about it. I'd love to see the results if they are available to members.

 

[Zac Imiola (Herbalist)]

Yeah our 2015 kava survey is around here somewhere ... that shows alot of saftey ... shakas liver tests are on here as well. My lazy ass was supposed to compile all these thints for situations like this but my motivation and body don't correspond the way they should...

 

[Sam Handwich]

Yeah our 2015 kava survey is around here somewhere ... that shows alot of saftey ... shakas liver tests are on here as well. My lazy ass was supposed to compile all these thints for situations like this but my motivation and body don't correspond the way they should...

A compilation of this data would be truly appreciated, I think it would be great for peace of mind for new members like me and anyone else who comes here looking for real world information on kava safety.

 

[Zac Imiola (Herbalist)]

Allways take note of the difference between an herb CAUSING an im balance and an herb AGITATING an existing imbalance previously unnoticed... for example K@ didn't give me low blood sugar but it exaggerated my tendency to have it due to my diet... in a sense it was a final straw... the reason for this is... A cannabis lowers blood sugar . B low carb intake C. Matcha lowers blood sugar and D. K@ lowers bloodsugar ... mix all this with an underweight individual such as myself and it's a recipe for blood sugar issues

 

[The Kap'n]

http://kavaforums.com/forum/threads/kava-census-2015-results.5461/

 

[Sam Handwich]

Awesome! Thanks for the link Kapm.

 

[Sam Handwich]

Just thought I'd update this post with the news from my doc after Fridays physical. Liver and kidney functions are completely normal. Guess I really shouldn't be surprised. I'll post the actual numbers on the Liver Tests thread as soon as I receive the paperwork. Thanks all for your input on my question, this is an awesome forum!