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Just did some bloodwork in the name of science.

K

kl.NDG

Kava Enthusiast
Alright, so I have been drinking kava pretty much nightly for a month or so, nothing crazy mostly 3 tbsp's up to 5 once a week to get krunky. So I did a liver panel, CBC and various micronutrients. Sorry, a thyroid panel is also there. I will post the results up when I get them early next week. If anyone has already done this share your results, if the science is behind this community is the best anecdotal place on the web, we together can verify it's safety in the real world.
I have been drinking black bag, van3,fijiwaka and tongan pride lately, mostly black bag as that shit is beyond good. I didn't strain two tbsps the other night of black bag (not strained well) and i woke up in the same position I was watching tv in the next morning, lol.
previous bloodwork showed elevated B12 (supplementation) and iron ( eat alot of iron rich foods as i bodybuild). Liver panel was emaculate roughly one year ago, lets see how she goes. I will probably do this monthly to see how kava treats me and the liver.
 
kavalover

kavalover

Outsider
ooOoo I can contribute here.



Me and my doc have done a few tests with liver panels during different levels of kava consumption. Mind you though... I'm not very knowledgeable in these fields, so if I seem to not know what I'm talking about, it's because I don't. lol.



My doc was originally concerned because I drank kava 4 - 5 days of the week (which as I see is considerably higher than most kava drinkers I've met online) - the first liver panel test was done about 5 months after I first started drinking kava (anywhere from 2 times a week to 5 days a week at moderately strong doses 2 to 4 shells) and concerned by doc because of the elevated ALT and GGT so he monitored me (without kava) for another 3 weeks. Whatever levels that originally concerned him, had returned to normal.



Fairly recently I did two different blood tests. One while drinking kava moderately for a week and the other while the day after drinking a good 6 shells of strong PNG kava. The first test showed the normal elevated ALT and GGT and the second did something else. Sorry for not being scientific, I'll have to request the results from my doc again to share with you guys. I don't exactly recall what it was but it concerned my doc quite a bit. He told me "it's similar to a result after a night of heavy drinking" - but whatever worried him to begin with, he was relieved after my 2 month break from kava that my levels were again healthy for my age. Except my cholesterol, I could be in trouble there. But that is likely related to my absolutely unhealthy diet. lol



Sorry for my unscientific description, I'll have to call in for a copy of all my results to post here. But all seems to be good for me liver-wise after about 2 years of on and off light to chronic kava consumption. I feel very confident in kava.
 
ObiWan

ObiWan

May the Brew be with you
I am drinking 1-2 cups (each of them made of 10-15 gramms) daily since summer 2011. The frequently made blood tests showed never any problems with the liver.

Before I switched to root powder, I used NOW Kava concentrate capsules. There was a little increasement in Billirubin, but still in the range. Since drinking Kava made in the traditional way, even Billirubin is back to its normal level.
 
K

kl.CarolinaBC

Kava Enthusiast
Ditto, 15 years ago when I drank alcohol I stayed drunk for 1.5 years and that was 24/7.  I'm sure my liver recovered since it was so long ago and I was well, 15 years younger.  This is also the reason I don't drink anymore.  I'm curious but not curious enough to pay for the blood work.
 
K

kl.NDG

Kava Enthusiast
Alright got the bloodwork back.



Absolutely no abnormalities, ALT, ALP, bilrubin all within range, lower mid range. No signs of liver stress at all, no issue with White blood cells or platelets which can also be normal.



Looks like my liver is handling 1 month plus straight of kava nightly with no issues. I have been drinking alot of black bag lately and it's certainly potent so the maybe it was a weak kava argument is out.



I take NAC 1`gram a day and I have no doubt every kava user should do the same.
 
Bula Kava House

Bula Kava House

Portland, OR
Kava Vendor
Kava Bar Owner
Your healthy results shouldn't surprise anyone, NDG. People have been drinking traditionally prepared kava daily for over 3,000 years with no ill effect to the liver, as I'm sure you know. Traditional kava use and liver health is a non-issue. Period.
 
K

kl.NDG

Kava Enthusiast
I hear ya Judd, however, there is alot of studies showing it having some negative effects on the liver. I actually feel like the more i research the more im convinced it's shitty kava and polymorphisms in cyp0450 enzymes. If you look at polynesian cultures/ancestry vs european for example, liver enzyme alterations that are likely to be problematic are rarely found in the former and at about 1-3% in the latter. 
I'm am convinced high quality traditionally prepared kava poses no risk to liver health in normal individuals.
 
K

kl.Sauroth

Kava Curious
Hmm I drank 3-6 tablespoons of kava (prepared traditional way) for about 5 months straight every day and had a liver test and a (everything) battery of other tests all were fine except blood sugar. I have got a doctors appointment I will ask for another liver test I think, since it is now 7 months or so of every day drinking Kava.
 
K

kl.NDG

Kava Enthusiast
Great to hear some feedback, keep the updates coming as you get them, for people searching for solid answers on kava's safety, consistent drinkers with knowledge like this forum should supply that.
I will get more bloodwork in another couple months and post the comparison, I will also break down what the values and tests actually mean. I was too lazy last time, lol.
 
K

kl.KarmaG

Kava Enthusiast
This is a great idea for a thread! Thanks to everyone who's contributed so far. I haven't had any bloods done in a year or so but when I do in the fall, I'll post my results.



I'd never heard of NAC which is interesting since I have a bit of a supplement obsession. I did a bit of reading and saw that it's also used for bipolar treatment which leads me to believe that it may have some mood-dulling properties. Have you noticed anything like this?
 
K

kl.NDG

Kava Enthusiast
yes it can have that effect, it regulates glutamate the major excititory NT.It's great for obsessions and various mental health issues.
 
Steve

Steve

Ozia - KavaKava Candy
Kava Vendor
NDG - I sat in on a presentation by Amy Brown discussing her research on kava drinkers in Hawaii.  The community here was bummed because the headline in the Honolulu Advertiser was:

Hawaii kava study finds liver anomaly

Interestingly, the data was actually not "bad" and supported the use of kava to some degree.  From study/article:

"We don't know exactly what a high GGT in and of itself means,"
Onopa said. "It's possible that kava just induced that enzyme without
doing any liver damage."


 The data was skewed..90% men and 74% Tongan.  Control who never drank kava was 81% women with 68% Tongan.  The blood work showed elevated levels of GGT (which is a liver enzyme) in 65% of the kava drinkers - these were heavy drinkers too.  Control group showed elevated GGT in 26% of non-drinkers.  This shows some potential effects not only on kava drinkers but also the potential for some ethnicity and gender differences in the ability to process kava differently.  I have had a liver test with no issues - as a moderate kava user for over 7 years i am not too worried about it.  As I get older, if something does not seem right, then I will get it checked out - regarding all medical issues...that is, if I get dementia and forget to check something, I feel like i have had a pretty good life :)

Vesuvio Cat - I think you sum it up best by saying: "One thing is for sure: of all the things to worry about, Kava is nowhere close to being one of them." 

With all the diversity and differences within our biology and history: If you are really nervous about your liver, then get a test or stop using.  Maybe all the tylenol that some people use (and is known to hurt the liver) is causing issues.  Or perhaps that strange 5 gallon concoction of the new raspberry ketones that you drink every morning. Kidding aside, we all have to take our own health into our own hands.

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Sep/22/ln/hawaii709220345.html
 
Prince Philip

Prince Philip

Duke of Edinborogu
I'd be more concerned for anyone who has ever consumed Walgreen's brand nutritional supplements. They have sodium lauryl sulfate in them, a substance that some would argue shouldn't even be in your hair, let alone your liver.
 
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