Kava Fact of the Day How long to wait to drink kava after eating.

[The Kap'n]

"How long do I wait after eating before drinking kava?"



This is a question we commonly see asked among the different kava venues online. The traditional wisdom is to have an empty stomach when consuming kava as the effects will be greater, but we rarely hear why. Digestion time varies among individuals. Research has indicated 50% of the stomach’s contents are emptied in 2.5-3 hours after eating. Total emptying of the stomach took 4-5 hours [1]. Kava exerts its effect as kavalactones are lipophilic and pass through mainly the small intestine to enter our bloodstream [2]. The more quickly we can deliver these kavalactones to the small intestine, the faster and stronger the effects will be. When our last meal is still sitting heavily in our stomachs, kavalactones require excess time to reach the walls of the small intestine. This causes the reduction in effects, and lengthens the time normally seen for kava to take effect.

So according to research this time frame officially is from 3.5 hours to 5 hours since your last full meal.



[1] Gastrointestinal transit: How long does it take? (n.d.). Retrieved March 10, 2021, from http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/digestion/basics/transit.html



[2] Drug absorption in the small intestine: Deranged physiology. (n.d.). Retrieved March 10, 2021, from https://derangedphysiology.com/main...Chapter 1.3.4/drug-absorption-small-intestine

 

[LyndaKaye]

I’ve started to drink my kava 2-3 hours after eating so I think this is on point!

 

[Rami MeloMelo]

So a funny story I can share about an experience I had drinking kava on the island of Eua in Tonga.

I was visiting a kava farmer's circle (faikava in Tongan), and we had quite a few pastors there doing some charity work after the cyclone. These were all Tongan gentlemen, and built like refrigerators. Well, before the circle we were all invited to eat some roast pig by the gracious host as a thank you for the work (I was on the farm and uninvolved but as a guest was welcomed) done that day. Now there was 10-12 of us, and they went for seconds and thirds during the meal. They were constantly trying to get me to eat more, and I was confused and insisted on not having too much so as not to ruin the kava experience - I wanted to feel the "full effect." This elicited quite a few chuckles, and one of the tanned fridge/gentlemen sitting next to me said:

"Ah no, we eat before so we have a strong foundation for drinking kava."

Now, this was my first time mixing with some Tongans, and the amount and duration of the faikava is mind boggling. I understand now why they ate as much as they did, on an empty stomach you'd be drooling and asleep before the 5th bowl. But most of my experience with kava has been drinking on an empty stomach, then eating afterward (usually much after since it stifles the appetite for me), and I was curious if they ever did that. The response?

"Yes, we call that making the bed, because you eat, and then sleep!" he said clapping horizontally.

So there ya have it: Eating before -> Build a strong foundation. Eating after -> Making the bed.

 

[The Kap'n]

@Rami MeloMelo

That's some first hand indigenous knowledge right there.

Also, lol:

tanned fridge/gentlemen

 

[Kavaloloko]

So a funny story I can share about an experience I had drinking kava on the island of Eua in Tonga.

I was visiting a kava farmer's circle (faikava in Tongan), and we had quite a few pastors there doing some charity work after the cyclone. These were all Tongan gentlemen, and built like refrigerators. Well, before the circle we were all invited to eat some roast pig by the gracious host as a thank you for the work (I was on the farm and uninvolved but as a guest was welcomed) done that day. Now there was 10-12 of us, and they went for seconds and thirds during the meal. They were constantly trying to get me to eat more, and I was confused and insisted on not having too much so as not to ruin the kava experience - I wanted to feel the "full effect." This elicited quite a few chuckles, and one of the tanned fridge/gentlemen sitting next to me said:

"Ah no, we eat before so we have a strong foundation for drinking kava."

Now, this was my first time mixing with some Tongans, and the amount and duration of the faikava is mind boggling. I understand now why they ate as much as they did, on an empty stomach you'd be drooling and asleep before the 5th bowl. But most of my experience with kava has been drinking on an empty stomach, then eating afterward (usually much after since it stifles the appetite for me), and I was curious if they ever did that. The response?

"Yes, we call that making the bed, because you eat, and then sleep!" he said clapping horizontally.

So there ya have it: Eating before -> Build a strong foundation. Eating after -> Making the bed.

Yes, we as Tongans drink Kava in large amounts.. Its not so much about getting strait to the point. The faikava is all about drinking Kava at a slow & steady pace while enjoying each others company. Eating before we drink helps build a strong foundation to a looooonnnggg Kava session..
When you attend a Tongan Kava session you will notice that a lot of the time the Kava is watered down, made to last longer. You will notice that the breaks between each drink are held by a several minute conversation or a song played and sang by the men in the circle.
Drinking Kava this way has taught me to learn & appreciate Kava that much more.

 

[Jacob Bula]

I've been having a hard time with fitting food into my kava routine. I usually fast from around 2am to 8am, then drink ~6 to 8 tablespoons of kava in unmeasured large amounts of water. By the time I'm done drinking kava I'm nauseous so go straight to bed. When I wake up the next day my appetite for everything is non-existent and I pretty much have to force myself to eat before my 2am cutoff so that I get some nutrition. I feel like the lack of nutrition may be causing my monthly problems with kava, because after a week or so of this I have to gas left in the tank. Does anyone have any advice on how to increase your appetite while drinking kava on consecutive days? Maybe I just need to try the Tongan way and not worry so much about the fasting, but with my work schedule when I get home, its like a race against the clock to get rooted. I don't want to give up on kava, but I've actually gotten sick to the point throwing up 3 or 4 times, and its because I have a full (and I mean as full as possible) belly of liquid and zero food.

 

[Groggy]

I've been having a hard time with fitting food into my kava routine. I usually fast from around 2am to 8am, then drink ~6 to 8 tablespoons of kava in unmeasured large amounts of water. By the time I'm done drinking kava I'm nauseous so go straight to bed. When I wake up the next day my appetite for everything is non-existent and I pretty much have to force myself to eat before my 2am cutoff so that I get some nutrition. I feel like the lack of nutrition may be causing my monthly problems with kava, because after a week or so of this I have to gas left in the tank. Does anyone have any advice on how to increase your appetite while drinking kava on consecutive days? Maybe I just need to try the Tongan way and not worry so much about the fasting, but with my work schedule when I get home, its like a race against the clock to get rooted. I don't want to give up on kava, but I've actually gotten sick to the point throwing up 3 or 4 times, and its because I have a full (and I mean as full as possible) belly of liquid and zero food.

Trying eating a few bites between shells, I have a tendency to go heavy as well but then I take 3-4 days off from kava. The next day is the same as you describe it. it's better to eat small quantities during shelling, it doesn't affect the feeling, it may actually amplify it.

 

[Jacob Bula]

Trying eating a few bites between shells, I have a tendency to go heavy as well but then I take 3-4 days off from kava. The next day is the same as you describe it. it's better to eat small quantities during shelling, it doesn't affect the feeling, it may actually amplify it.

Thanks for the advice. I will give that a try that when I pick it up again.

 

[fueledbykava]

Kava tends to turn off the hungry alarm for me as well, so I tend to eat breakfast around 8-9am and a small lunch around 11-12 so that by 5 or so, I'm ready to throw back some kava, then usually by 7-8pm I have a small dinner since I'm still usually not too hungry by then.