Cramps from kava?

[jemo]

Hi all,

Since about a week now, I've been experiencing cramping muscles. The sort of cramping you get when you need more electrolytes. As in, standing up super slowly, not being able to open the jaw directly after closing it firmly/tensing the jaw muscles, freezing muscles when starting you run (= they basically just block), not being able to open my hands quickly after making a fist. You know, the day after doing some sports when its just really difficult to move around quickly.
Initially, I thought it might be due to a lack of minerals or vitamins, but even after supplementation, I still have these issues. Is this a common side effect of kava? I've been having 3-6 tbsp every other or every 3 days for a couple weeks now.

 

[Groggy]

Hi all,

Since about a week now, I've been experiencing cramping muscles. The sort of cramping you get when you need more electrolytes. As in, standing up super slowly, not being able to open the jaw directly after closing it firmly/tensing the jaw muscles, freezing muscles when starting you run (= they basically just block), not being able to open my hands quickly after making a fist. You know, the day after doing some sports when its just really difficult to move around quickly.
Initially, I thought it might be due to a lack of minerals or vitamins, but even after supplementation, I still have these issues. Is this a common side effect of kava? I've been having 3-6 tbsp every other or every 3 days for a couple weeks now.

Kava is a diuretic, be sure to drink more water everyday. For some the symtoms may be more pronounced if they already didn't drink enough, prior to kava.

 

[jemo]

Thanks for the tip, I do drink 2-4 liters of water per day though...

 

[Groggy]

Thanks for the tip, I do drink 2-4 liters of water per day though...

Okay, you're doing better than me, lol.

The best answer is a question you may have asked yourself already. What is different or new in my routine? Assuming you have covered those basis for yourself and are still left wondering if it could be the kava. I recommend a doctors visit and see if there is anything else going on with you.

Could it be the kava?
Maybe, not likely.

 

[jemo]

Thanks for the input. Yes, I'll keep an eye on it and consider a consultation at my GP. For now, I stopped drinking Kava.

 

[AlexisReal]

Hi all,

Since about a week now, I've been experiencing cramping muscles. The sort of cramping you get when you need more electrolytes. As in, standing up super slowly, not being able to open the jaw directly after closing it firmly/tensing the jaw muscles, freezing muscles when starting you run (= they basically just block), not being able to open my hands quickly after making a fist. You know, the day after doing some sports when its just really difficult to move around quickly.
Initially, I thought it might be due to a lack of minerals or vitamins, but even after supplementation, I still have these issues. Is this a common side effect of kava? I've been having 3-6 tbsp every other or every 3 days for a couple weeks now.

Did you supplement with magnesium? Transdermal magnesium is the best way to ramp up the body's magnesium levels, with additional benefits, along with good quality supplementation.

Swanson's magnesium oil is a decent, affordable one, many others too.

Also very important is the specific type of salt you put into your body.

Lack of salt can relate to cramping. Man made, refined salt is purely poisonous to the body.

Unrefined salt is vital. And in much higher quantity than most people realise.

I recommend Redmond Real Salt, eliminating as much as possible all sources of man made refined salt as well is crucial.

Take a lot of the healthy salt. Like 8 grams at least per day, with enough clean water.

Salt and our Health

By Morton Satin

www.westonaprice.org

A very informative article on salt.

 

[Yogini]

Did you supplement with magnesium? Transdermal magnesium is the best way to ramp up the body's magnesium levels, with additional benefits, along with good quality supplementation.

Swanson's magnesium oil is a decent, affordable one, many others too.

Also very important is the specific type of salt you put into your body.

Lack of salt can relate to cramping. Man made, refined salt is purely poisonous to the body.

Unrefined salt is vital. And in much higher quantity than most people realise.

I recommend Redmond Real Salt, eliminating as much as possible all sources of man made refined salt as well is crucial.

Take a lot of the healthy salt. Like 8 grams at least per day, with enough clean water.

Salt and our Health

By Morton Satin

www.westonaprice.org

A very informative article on salt.

This post is the first thing that came to my mind. Salt and magnesium. If you're drinking too much water you peeing out your electrolytes. I'd encourage you to drop to 2 litres of water and add a pinch of sea salt to your water. It helps the body use it. Magnesium lotions or taking a mineral bath with magnesium are two of the quickest ways to get magnesium levels back up. Also a blood test to see how your electrolytes are wouldn't be a bad idea. Over hydration is as dangerous as under hydration. Deep peace and health to you.

 

[AlexisReal]

This post is the first thing that came to my mind. Salt and magnesium. If you're drinking too much water you peeing out your electrolytes. I'd encourage you to drop to 2 litres of water and add a pinch of sea salt to your water. It helps the body use it. Magnesium lotions or taking a mineral bath with magnesium are two of the quickest ways to get magnesium levels back up. Also a blood test to see how your electrolytes are wouldn't be a bad idea. Over hydration is as dangerous as under hydration. Deep peace and health to you.

Hey thanks for your affirming thoughts and logic. The really important thing to understand about the salt and hydration, is the fact that without proper, natural, unrefined salt, it is impossible for the body to hydrate itself.

The key of man made salt just does not fit the lock, and enable proper uptake and intake of water into the cells, no matter how much quality water one drinks.

Over consumption of water can still be poisonous, but it is not exactly, or technically, in the absence of unrefined salt, overhydration.

Its like water poisoning while still not reaching adequate hydration levels.

@Yogini just to be clear, I dont mean to address this to yourself, but just clarifying this very unrecognized point for others that is all.

Oh yes, and a very warm welcome to the forum, thank you for joining us. I'm still pretty newbie myself here, hope to see you around.

 

[Yogini]

Hey thanks for your affirming thoughts and logic. The really important thing to understand about the salt and hydration, is the fact that without proper, natural, unrefined salt, it is impossible for the body to hydrate itself.

The key of man made salt just does not fit the lock, and enable proper uptake and intake of water into the cells, no matter how much quality water one drinks.

Over consumption of water can still be poisonous, but it is not exactly, or technically, in the absence of unrefined salt, overhydration.

Its like water poisoning while still not reaching adequate hydration levels.

@Yogini just to be clear, I dont mean to address this to yourself, but just clarifying this very unrecognized point for others that is all.

Oh yes, and a very warm welcome to the forum, thank you for joining us. I'm still pretty newbie myself here, hope to see you around.

You will see me around.

 

[jemo]

Hey guys,

Sorry for taking so long. I am still experiencing these cramps quite consistently. Less than before, but still. As said, my muscles cramp during the first 1-5 times of me flexing the muscle, afterwards - when its "warmed up", I have no issues at all. I have been supplementing with magnesium and had been doing it already before the cramps started. Moreover, on average I drink one queal (similar to huel or soylent) shake per day, which should provide 33% (of recommended) of a bunch of different minerals only through that meal.
I also went to the doctor, my blood is great - so they don't really know what's going on. They're sending me to a neurologist soon. A friend of mine (medical student) found a case report on kava-induced parkinsonism - though that was a report of a kava extract, so I'm not worried at all.
I have stopped drinking kava for now, to see if there's any causality. Until now the situation did improve, so it might be the reason.

@alexis could you elaborate on the refined vs unrefined salt? In the end, the body needs NaCl to maintain cell homeostasis - why would refined NaCl be worse?

Bula

 

[TheKavaFlow]

Hey guys,

Sorry for taking so long. I am still experiencing these cramps quite consistently. Less than before, but still. As said, my muscles cramp during the first 1-5 times of me flexing the muscle, afterwards - when its "warmed up", I have no issues at all. I have been supplementing with magnesium and had been doing it already before the cramps started. Moreover, on average I drink one queal (similar to huel or soylent) shake per day, which should provide 33% (of recommended) of a bunch of different minerals only through that meal.
I also went to the doctor, my blood is great - so they don't really know what's going on. They're sending me to a neurologist soon. A friend of mine (medical student) found a case report on kava-induced parkinsonism - though that was a report of a kava extract, so I'm not worried at all.
I have stopped drinking kava for now, to see if there's any causality. Until now the situation did improve, so it might be the reason.

@alexis could you elaborate on the refined vs unrefined salt? In the end, the body needs NaCl to maintain cell homeostasis - why would refined NaCl be worse?

Bula

Could you provide the noted case study around parkinsons, please?

 

[jemo]

On page 195

 

[AlexisReal]

Hey guys,

Sorry for taking so long. I am still experiencing these cramps quite consistently. Less than before, but still. As said, my muscles cramp during the first 1-5 times of me flexing the muscle, afterwards - when its "warmed up", I have no issues at all. I have been supplementing with magnesium and had been doing it already before the cramps started. Moreover, on average I drink one queal (similar to huel or soylent) shake per day, which should provide 33% (of recommended) of a bunch of different minerals only through that meal.
I also went to the doctor, my blood is great - so they don't really know what's going on. They're sending me to a neurologist soon. A friend of mine (medical student) found a case report on kava-induced parkinsonism - though that was a report of a kava extract, so I'm not worried at all.
I have stopped drinking kava for now, to see if there's any causality. Until now the situation did improve, so it might be the reason.

@alexis could you elaborate on the refined vs unrefined salt? In the end, the body needs NaCl to maintain cell homeostasis - why would refined NaCl be worse?

Bula

I really can't give you a scientific answer on that. I just know this to be absolutely 100% true, from decades of Lyme disease and learning.

But just have a think about it. Salt and water are vital for our survival. The 2 most important things we must ingest to live, along with air.

Salt is made by nature. It comes in it's natural, god made form. Full of trace minerals, with a very particular structure and formation.

We, are made by nature. Our bodies are designed to use salt, and salt is kind of designed to be usable by our bodies.

Man- very clever man- takes the natural salt, heats it to 12000 °C or something, shakes it, bashes it, strips 100% of it's natural minerals, which are sold as expensive supplements.

They stick it back together, with a completely different structure and formation and chuck in questionable and harmful additives including sugar.

If you were to analyse this refined table salt with the most competent equipment available you would see that it is effectively a completely different substance to its original natural and unrefined form before genius mankind tampered with it.

Refined salt such as table salt is highly acidifying to the body whereas unrefined natural salt is highly alkalizing to the body.

The exact same principle applies to man-made fat again they take something naturally designed perfectly for our bodies like a key and a lock and a destroy it and structurally and chemically alter it.

Refined oils are virtually identical to plastic composition wise. They are also pure demonic poison and both refined fat and refined salt are the soul and primary reason salt and fat have picked up a bad reputation for health because it is these man-made unnatural denatured and destroyed and health damaging versions which the majority of people are consuming unwittingly all over the world.

I mean honestly just think about it in those terms and is it not undeniably obvious that these man-made unnaturally formed and abused and repackaged versions of natural healthy and healing essential earth made ingredients will have a negative impact on our bodies because our bodies were never naturally designed to in take these man-made poisonous and unnatural forms of salt and fat.

Edit- Oh yes, @jemo I only saw your query on the salt by chance as you didn't use my correct username, but glad I did see it. Hooe things are goid with you mate anyway.

 

[jemo]

Hi all,

just an update 3 years later!
When I finally went to the neurologist - about 6 months after the symptoms arose, my symptoms had stopped. Hence the tests they did, did not show anything.
I am cautiously positive that it had something to do with my kava habit, but I cannot say for sure.
Today the Loa Waka that was sitting in the back of my shelf for 3 years now smiled at me and I decided to go for it.
Definitely feeling a nice buzz - slight itchiness and tingling of the skin throughout the body. Let's see how this develops.

 

[Groggy]

Hi all,

just an update 3 years later!
When I finally went to the neurologist - about 6 months after the symptoms arose, my symptoms had stopped. Hence the tests they did, did not show anything.
I am cautiously positive that it had something to do with my kava habit, but I cannot say for sure.
Today the Loa Waka that was sitting in the back of my shelf for 3 years now smiled at me and I decided to go for it.
Definitely feeling a nice buzz - slight itchiness and tingling of the skin throughout the body. Let's see how this develops.

Welcome back!