Newbie gives super premium kava a try / What do you mean by "heady"?

[Toby]

Hello, all! I'm new here.
I didn't know what I was doing when it comes to kava. My kava history:

• a few shells during an evening at Nakava, North America's first kava bar, run by Nakamal at Home, which was cool. (felt good enough I guess)
  
• 1 packet of Kava King drink mix that I received as a free sample (didn't feel anything)
  
• kava candy (mixed results), but when I felt it, it felt amazing

I decided to give kava a serious try so I ordered micronized boroguru from GHK. I want that warm feeling + slight feelings of euphoria. It arrived today and I am 6 teaspoons in. It's a very sedating variety but I don't feel any slight euphoria. Is that found in the "heady" varieties? How do heady varieties feel different?

 

[Steve Mariotti]

Hey @Toby! Welcome to Kava Forums!

If you felt something good from the Kava Candy, then it sounds like you're getting sensitized to the effects of kava already, which is great.

Feelings of euphoria are generally attributed to Kavain, one of the six kavalactones considered to have psychoactive effect. If you're seeking heady varieties, you can tell by the chemotype of the kava you're considering, if that's known.

http://www.kavalibrary.com/Chemotypes.html

When you drink kava, you feel effects in your mind and body with all varieties. The "heady" varieties stronger mental effects (euphoria, sense of well being, lack of anxiety) than body effects (looseness, physical relaxation, pain relief). The heady varieties also lack the sedation of some of the heavier/sedating varieties because of lower relative levels of sedating kavalactones (such as dihydrokavain/dihydromethysticin).

Headiest I've had is Mo'i from GHK, with Nambawan from BKH and Pouni Ono from KWK and KavaBoy kava next.

 

[Toby]

Oh, so that's what heady means. Well thanks for the response! I have now ordered the Mo'i!! I felt a little frustrated at myself for picking the wrong variety. But hey, at least now I have tried Vanuatuan kava!

 

[verticity]

Boroguru is actually the opposite of heady, as I guess you discovered, but useful if sedation is what you need.

 

[Steve Mariotti]

I felt a little frustrated at myself for picking the wrong variety. But hey, at least now I have tried Vanuatuan kava!

There's no wrong variety, unless you buy some adulterated stuff with non-noble cultivars blended in. If it's noble, it's ALL good. It just depends on your mood and your needs.

There are heady Vanuatuan kavas too. Nambawan is blend of Vanuatu stuff, I believe. It all comes down to chemotype.

 

[Bradley666]

lots of good info here from steve,
I to am new and wasent entirely sure what "heady" was at first,it wasent untill watching few review vids,and reading about different heady kavas that I understood it,but once I felt what they might it all made sense!
I dnt mind the body relaxed numb feelings at all,but the electric charged,mind glowing ear to ear grinning euphoric feelings I love much more hehe