Hi Kava lovers. I've been reading a paper titled "Contemporary Pacific and Western perspectives on 'awa toxicology" (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25464054/).
In this paper it points out something I think may be linked to some people's difficulty in feeling anything from kava.
Kava is metabolized by the CYP group of enzymes. Specially CYP2C9, CYP2C19, and CYP2D6. The main being CYP2D6
Different people have different rates of metabolization for the CYP2D6 enzyme. There is poor, extensive, and ultrarapid metabolizers.
If you are a poor metabolizer this means that kavalactones in their original form stay in your system longer, hence a more apparent effect profile from kava. On the other end of the spectrum are ultrarapid metabolizers. In that situation the kavalactones are broken down extremely quickly giving kava a short duration, reduced effects or both.
This one is simply a theory from me, so please poke whatever holes in this you need to. There's just got to be a reason that some people don't feel kava.
In this paper it points out something I think may be linked to some people's difficulty in feeling anything from kava.
Kava is metabolized by the CYP group of enzymes. Specially CYP2C9, CYP2C19, and CYP2D6. The main being CYP2D6
Different people have different rates of metabolization for the CYP2D6 enzyme. There is poor, extensive, and ultrarapid metabolizers.
If you are a poor metabolizer this means that kavalactones in their original form stay in your system longer, hence a more apparent effect profile from kava. On the other end of the spectrum are ultrarapid metabolizers. In that situation the kavalactones are broken down extremely quickly giving kava a short duration, reduced effects or both.
This one is simply a theory from me, so please poke whatever holes in this you need to. There's just got to be a reason that some people don't feel kava.