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How does Kava interact with Caffeine?

K

kl.Redfox

Kava Curious
See topic.

As far as I know Kava(lactones) should affect the GABA system and Caffeine should affect the Dopamine(/Noradrenaline) system ... is this right?

Do the two substances "interfere" or is there a "special effect" when both are consumed consecutively?
 
Vekta

Vekta

Notorious Lightweight
Review Maestro
I can't really give you a technical answer but I can say that kava and caffeine....feel....weird.



In a nut shell "not good". I wasn't barfing or anything but it wasn't pleasant. YMMV.
 
N

Nihilist

Kava Enthusiast
I have to have some caffeine or I'll get a bad headache.

I've never really noticed anything.

I guess it might take away some of the calming effects of kava though.
 
K

kl.ImSoCold2323

Kava Curious
For another unscientific answer:  I've never noticed any difference.  Then again, I never really feel the effects of caffeine anyways.  I read something somewhere about heavy nicotine use severely limiting the effects of caffeine.  I'll just assume that's the case (even though I quit smoking ~6 months ago)...
 
Dan

Dan

Kava Enthusiast
I drink mugs of strong green tea a couple of times per day - I've never noticed any unexpected synergy when I drink tea right after kava.  The caffeine feels a bit muted by the kava, but in the end it still feels like kava + caffeine.
 
Vekta

Vekta

Notorious Lightweight
Review Maestro
Speedball is right...





That's what it felt like....speedball.



*did not like*
 
K

kl.metacog

Kava Enthusiast
Hahaha...Hippie Speedball...



My anecdotal two cents:



Well, this evening I had much homework to do, so I drank about 2.5 cups of coffee within a two hour period. I need to sleep at a relatively decent hour tonight, so approximately 15-20 minutes ago I toss n washed two tablespoons of BKH Fu'u/half cup water. It feels as though my mind is kavanated but my body is kavanated/caffeinated.
So I guess based on this highly scientific trial I agree with dan.  They neither interfere with eachother nor synergize.  I was going to speculate that maybe parallels could be drawn with the ever popular GABA agonist alcohol, but alcohol also works on the dopamine system as well, so I guess that couldn't be an accurate comparison.
 
K

kl.totalrecall

Newbie
When I was drinking kava I noticed a lessening of interest in coffee/caffeine. The effects of caffeine stimulation were the antithesis of kava's effects. Had I continued with kava I think would have eventually given coffee up.
 
KavaKrunked

KavaKrunked

Kava Enthusiast
I've found that I prefer Yerba Mate over coffee now that I am drinking kava on a daily basis. I find a better synergy between the theobromine and kava, than caffeine and kava. Besides, yerba mate is loaded with antioxidants and is better for you in general than coffee, with no jitters or crash later.
 
K

kl.Redfox

Kava Curious
Thank you for sharing your experiences (smiley: smile)

I've been a heavy coffee drinker over the last years ... a cup of strong coffee before bedtime didn't matter so far (smiley: wink)

When I started drinking (real) Kava on a daily basis a few months ago, I also started to reduce my coffee consume to null over the months.

Now, if I drink a moderate strong cup of coffee, I get  distinct "body-excitement" and tremulousness ...and also a remarkable "kick of motivation". To reduce the unpleasant body-effects of coffee I've to drink some kava with a strong(er) DHM content. The "coffee-motivation" is not affected by drinking this kava.

Thus far my "interaction-experience" ...
 
K

kl.nataliekobrapuke

Kava Curious
a lot of times ill need to ingest some xanthine infested something (yerba mate, green tea, guarana) to stay awake the day after, or even sometimes during a legendary sesh. i find that itll wake me up a bit, but im more susceptible to anxiety and irritability with the mix. and a lot less 'ffeine will make me a lot more anxious. and still will hardly wake me up. bullshit is what it is. not a fan really. but it is a necessary evil for me, mainly cuz i find stone to be profoundly sedating after a period of time into the experience.
 
K

kl.Letharia

Kava Curious
Sorry to bump an old thread but this is exactly what I was looking for. I'm not surprised that many aren't interested in the combination. They seem to contradict each other. However, I had some coffee last night before kava and actually enjoyed it. I always wondered why people said they felt euphoric while drinking kava, or even happy. I just felt relaxed. Then I realized I think I have chronically low dopamine levels, and caffeine helps me feel good in moderate dosages. So for me, the combo was strangely euphoric. I finally understood why people compared kava to MJ also. For the first time, I felt happy drinking kava. Success? I hope so.
 
K

kl.Lente

Kava Curious
I've had an occasional single cup of black coffee after coffee when surprised by company/wife/etc. and had to de-krunk. No de-krunk to speak of, but I have enjoyed it.


But anymore than that and I have started to feel like crap.
 
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