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Kava and blood pressure

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El Guapo510

Kava Curious
Are you measuring your BP before or after you eat? If after, are you sure its not related to the meal? High salt, heavy oils, and even certain spices can raise your BP. I've found Kava to lower mine a little bit or have no effect so curious about this topic.
 

Zac Imiola (Herbalist)

Kava Connoisseur
It seems that after I eat I get it sometimes regardless of kava but that kava is enhancing it. Not causing but enhancing.
Most likely it's due to dehydration of other electrolytes that then cause the American sodium rich diet to predominate in the system
 

Zaphod

Kava Lover
Interesting, never really thought about my BP before and after drinking kava. At work I have access to a nice blood pressure monitor. I don't typically drink kava at work, but maybe the next time I do I will do a before and after measurement. For science of course...
 

ThePiper

Kava Lover
I don't have a way of reading my bp but i think kava almost definitely lowers bp based on my experiences and reading. I also think it lowers blood sugar, which for folks like me with high metabolism can lead to feeling pretty yucky if i don't have a snack and decide to be active. Been caught on several hikes thinking i would drink kava beforehand and not bring a snack..
 

Zac Imiola (Herbalist)

Kava Connoisseur
I've never had kava drop my blood sugar oddly enough ... and I've become very sensitive to Lbs. Since many herbs do ! Even peppermint ! Found that out the other day lol
 

ThePiper

Kava Lover
Honestly my blood sugar spikes and dips like nothing and if i don't eat every few hours I get low sugar. So maybe just waiting to eat is the culprit. Also the lower blood pressure could probably cause similar symptoms to lower blood sugar.
 

WimblySlop

Kava Curious
http://kavaforums.com/forum/threads/kava-and-blood-pressure.4094/

Why is this topic closed ?

I have been finding when I drink kava right before meals I seem to be getting more consistent reoccurrence of high blood pressure and overall feelings of well the opposite of wellness.
I get an increase in BP from Kava. I've noticed it most acutely with Moi, which I've been using for the last week -- I've noted this before with every Kava I've tried and with Moi specifically and acutely. My BP averages 112/70. I've taken my BP (with a cuff) every time I've used Kava over the last week, and the average is 131/88. I've taken it right before and then shortly after drinking my shells multiple times, and it goes from somewhere right around my average up to above 130+/85+ every time. It seems to elevate my BP for about two hours, with a less dramatic increase (around 125/80) that lasts until the next day... perhaps due to dehydration, as it usually returns to normal by noon. I take my BP first thing in the morning out of habit, and again around lunch. Between when I wake up and lunchtime, I usually drink about 64-128oz of water, which is why I think part of the BP increase is related to dehydration.

I forget who it was, but someone else on the forums has also noted this phenomenon (edit: @Deleted User is who has noted this, though less of an effect than I've observed). It doesn't seem to happen to everyone, or even most people, but it's certainly an effect that some of us manifest. I get the concomitant increase in HR as well (from a RHR of 50 to 63). This is similarly transient and lasts about two hours. That being said, eating food will increase your BP. I've tested mine sans food (and across multiple/different sessions at varying times of day, etc.), but eating can increase systolic by 10-20 points, so don't discount the effect of eating on BP.

Nevertheless, if Kava regularly pushes your BP into unhealthy ranges (as it does for me), it might be wise to think about a) finding a strain that doesn't cause this effect for you, or b) consider limiting your use of Kava. While the occasional jump in BP isn't anything that will cause long-term health effects, if you were to see a spike like I do and use Kava very regularly, I would imagine you would be putting yourself at risk for high-BP-related health concerns.
 
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AlexisReal

Kava Enthusiast
Honestly my blood sugar spikes and dips like nothing and if i don't eat every few hours I get low sugar. So maybe just waiting to eat is the culprit. Also the lower blood pressure could probably cause similar symptoms to lower blood sugar.
Hi. Just reading this ancient discussion as my mum currently has extremely high blood pressure the first time in her 70 years, likely related to a 6 month case of Long Covid we’ve both had, just moving around the body.

It’s “long” because it has a unique affinity for moving around any and all areas f the body.

It started in my lungs last September. Was very severe but using that treatment method which keeps me alive, the Electromedicine, I very quickly destroyed the Covid in my entire respiratory system.

However, it’s possible that a trace entered my nervous system, or it was a 2nd Covid infection by January, which invaded my nerves and caused nerve plus nerve ending damage.

That’s been treated, nerve damage significantly repaired and will continue to do so.

The Covid is no longer detectable in my nerves, but had moved to my liver and bladder by July. It’s on the way out, a 6 month run minimum unless it’s from the original September infection.

Still nowhere near the longest infection I’ve had, Borrelia lasted 13 years, Mycoplasma pneumonia about 6 years, Coxsackie viruses several years, always months minimum as they are neurological based so automatically have quite a widespread foot print and highway access to pathogenically seek out and exploit weaknesses to gain strongholds.

Covid seems to have a similar characteristic, it’s not neurological per sense, but can infect the nervous system and any other bodily location in a localised manner as Covid is still a localised infection by definition.

Anyway, muppets mum finally stopped wine, took u daily kava drinking. For a few months, only the lethargy was getting to her, but she wasn’t aware of the dangerously high blood pressure.

She stopped the kava, and since the BP escalated.

I suggested to her that possibly while she was drinking Kava it was keeping the lid on a bit.

This is my first search on Kava and blood pressure.

She started moderate red wine again yesterday after a scary for her, midnight visit to the nearby hospital Saturday.

But she may get back to the kava in time. She’s just addressing it n numerous ways atm. She has BP medicines, never been on a medicine in her life, but she’s also seeing if tpshe can use alternative cures rather than a potential lifetime dependance on meds which have never actually helped certain old friends she has.

Anyway, .I was only going to comment @ThePiper I don’t know how your BS is nowadays, but did you know that cinnamon has proven powerful benefits at regulating blood sugar levels?

Two Troyes of cinnamon though- Cassia/Chinese or “fake” cinnamon.

And Ceylon or “true” cinammonl

Ceylon is the one you want. And for medicinal purposes non organic herbs, spices etc, especially garlic too, have just a portion of the full medicinal action as their organic counterpart.

Also natural saturated fats, coconut oil and butter, again ideally grass fed, organic at the least if you can, these fats also keep sugar levels more stable.
 

AlexisReal

Kava Enthusiast
@kavakarma hi there. Just answering your question about cinnamon here.

So it’s one of life’s few simple equations actually.

We have in cupboard both cassia and Ceylon cinnamon.

Cassia from China, Ceylon from Ceylon in Sri Lanka I think you are correct.

But it’s not like, kava from Fiji, and Kava from Tonga.

Cassia is not actually cinnamon, but was afforded the label.

It’s not unpalatable and is what many recognise as cinnamon.

I have been using both in equal measure for years, I alternate, partly for variety, but also because Ceylon cinnamon is 3 times the price.

Cassia is very high in courcumin which has raised concerns over toxicity if used excessively.

Ceylon Cinnamon doesn’t have much courcumin. It’s also at 51%, the highest fibre content food on the planet.

As well as very high in antioxidants. I don’t hesitate to use cassia, Ceylon is nicer, but like anything I go with my nose and appetite.

But cassia simply does not have the same medicinal profile and action as Ceylon, as it isn’t really Cinnamon,

So Cassia would be useless for blood sugar control.

Ceylon is the one, and again when used as a medicine and not just a condiment, organic is the only sensible way to go if results and health are valued.

Hope things are well mate.
 
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