Kava and osteoarthritis / old age

[Edward]

My wife's mother is 89 and more or less incapacitated by osteoarthritis. My head tells me to give her hanakapi ai in a lowish dose to see what happens. Is is OK for older people to drink kava and does anyone know if it might help her situation? I'd love to hear from anyone with any experience of this or similar issues.

 

[Deleted User01]

Kava would certainly keep her more lucid than the heavy drugs they normally use to treat that. I know people who drink kava in their 60s with no problem but 89 is knocking on heavens door and I haven't a clue. With anyone in that age group, you risk that they may go into a very deep sleep from which they do not awake. But everyday the go to sleep there is still a risk of that happening.

 

[Vladimir Lemon]

NOT A DOCTOR

But compared to what seniors are normally put on, I would think Kava is fine? I know we're all mighty skeptical of any liver side effects, but I'd still avoid if she has a bad liver.

 

[Edward]

NOT A DOCTOR

But compared to what seniors are normally put on, I would think Kava is fine? I know we're all mighty skeptical of any liver side effects, but I'd still avoid if she has a bad liver.

She hardly drinks a drop of alcohol and hardly ever has so her liver should be fine.

 

[Vladimir Lemon]

yeah I'd say first give her a very low dose, maybe made in an aluball or using a second wash.

 

[verticity]

yeah I'd say first give her a very low dose, maybe made in an aluball or using a second wash.

Agreed, older people can metabolize drugs more slowly, so definitely start with low doses. Kava actually has some anti-inflammatory effect so it might help pain from arthritis a little. In any event it is safer than benzodiazapines which are way overprescribed for that age group. But if your mother-in-law is taking other medications, you should be careful because the interactions of kava with medications are not well understood, and are certainly not understood at all for older folks.

 

[Zaphod]

I was just going to echo verticity's warning - I don't know many 89 year olds who are not on a literal handful of pills and drugs each morning. Some may not act well with kava.
Interesting side note: I had a 93 year old great aunt who lived on her own and was in great shape even after having smoked for 40 years (quit when she was in her 70s) and kicked cancer's ass. She finally went to a home at 93 and the only thing she was taking was a baby aspirin each day...the doctor on intake nearly fell out of his chair. He was so used to seeing 5 pages of medicines that folks were on. My aunt says "nope" just my aspirin chased down by my daily gin and tonic! Damn I miss her.

 

[PepperyPyrone]

Knowing that the elderly are more prone to slower metabolism (along with unknown poor metabolism genotypes), they experience far more ADRs, adverse drug reactions, than the non-elderly. Most of the FDA warnings/contraindications for medications and gene-drug interactions are for when the patient is a genetic poor metabolizer for one of the involved CYPs (P450s), AND the drug of interest inhibits the involved CYP enzyme, thus raising the plasma levels of the drug. It's a double whammy. In the case of Kava, at least in vitro, it is known to inhibit many of the P450s involved in drug metabolism. Not knowing the patient's P450 genotype status, and not knowing what current medications she is on, along with introducing Kava could be dangerous for possible ADRs occurring. These ADRs would be whatever side effects are listed in the PIs of the drugs she is currently taking. Hope this helps.

 

[Edward]

Thought it sounded like something worth giving plenty of thought before jumping in. Thanks all.