kava hangover?

[bula]

Hi Guys I have been a lurker of the forum for many years going back to the kava lounge forum. I have been drinking kava for about 4 years now and it has been a great experience for me. While reading the forums I noticed overall nobody seems to experience a kava "hangover" quite like I do. Almost every morning after drinking kava (3-5 times a week) I wake up feeling nauseous and extremely tired. Some days I am able to shake it off and go about my day but others it's a real struggle to get through the day. This is the only negative part of my experience with kava. Most post I have read on the forum has described the next day effects as positive if any next day effects are felt.

Has anybody else experienced these same after effects? If so have you found a way to fix it?

 

[The Kap'n]

What kind of kava are you drinking?

 

[BulaKavaMan]

Hi there, Bula. Welcome. Two things: Kava is a diuretic, so it is important to drink a lot of water in a good kava session, especially if you spend much of your time in a little less than super hydrated state like so many people do. Second, you may just be extra sensitive to some of the kavalactones that linger a little longer. Try instead something with more kavain. Maybe a good Fijian like our Waka, or a more uplifting Vanuatu kava such as our Borogu. Hope that helps. Feel free to send us a message if you have any questions about our kava, or kava in general for that matter.

 

[bula]

Hi guys thank you for the quick responses. Currently I am drinking the amazon kava (strictly) for price reasons. I have tried just about every kava from nakamalathome and have the same issues.

Bulakavaman- you may be right. I have a thyroid disorder so my metabolism is a bit slowed. it may be sticking around even after 8 hours of sleep. When my finances are a bit better I will definitely check out some of your kava. I have read great things about your kava and I'm always excited to try new kavas for the first time. I do try to make myself drink water throughout my kava sessions so I'm not sure if the diuretic effect is the main cause of my problem. but it couldn't hurt to try to drink a bit more and see if that helps.

Thanks again

 

[Deactivated Account]

Im hitting my head with a claw hammer right now…its helping. Oi Vey im the walking dead, think i may have eaten a mouse or 2 last night.

 

[bula]

nemo - that's exactly how I feel some mornings. It's horrible, but still much easier to deal with then a hangover from alcohol !

 

[Deactivated Account]

nemo - that's exactly how I feel some mornings. It's horrible, but still much easier to deal with then a hangover from alcohol !

Its sort of an out of body thing, you look at a clock & it takes 3 times as long to work out what time it is. I drink big amounts & really anything in large quantities will sort you out. Ive found the best is to not drink it too late…have a few fizzy vit B drinks before bed & something to eat. If there is just kava in there then they start fighting.

 

[bula]

I usually drinking about 1/2-2/3 cups a night. I'm not sure if thats considered a large amount but it seems to be what works perfectly for me.

thanks for the advice. unfortunately later at night is the only time I am able to drink kava. Luckily I'm finished with school and only work the weekends primarily but I don't want to have to cut kava out of my life when I get a full time job I will definirtely get some vit b drinks and give it a try! thanks again

 

[Deactivated Account]

I usually drinking about 1/2-2/3 cups a night. I'm not sure if thats considered a large amount but it seems to be what works perfectly for me.

thanks for the advice. unfortunately later at night is the only time I am able to drink kava. Luckily I'm finished with school and only work the weekends primarily but I don't want to have to cut kava out of my life when I get a full time job I will definirtely get some vit b drinks and give it a try! thanks again

Im drinking maybe a 600ml a night of fresh here & 1000ml if i have fiji powdered at home. To be honest fresh will never give you a real hangover but it does do that time warp thingy to you. This morning i watched a Madarin tv station for 3 hours only be cause the tv remote is 6 inches out of reach.

 

[The Kap'n]

@bula also we recommend maybe a Tongan variety, as they're higher in Kavain, and lower in the kavalactones that tend to linger. Also be sure you're eating enough. I've found that eating too little and drinking kava (I know it sound like a paradox as we say drink kava on an empty stomach) can cause my next day to drag a little. Also, amazon vendors have a wild range of strengths, and kavalactone makeup. What exact brand of kava from amazon are you drinking?

 

[Deleted User01]

Kapm, you are the Henry Kissinger of Kava. Please continue the interrogation. I would also chip in that you should not drink kava 'right before you go to bed'. Maybe an hour before you go to bed.

 

[Steve T]

If your kava is legit, then it might be filtering and sediment. Even "legit" noble kavas will sometimes be ground incorrectly so that they're too fine, or have hidden fine particles. This has been the case with me, if I drink any sediment then I am slow and fatigued the next day, and sometimes it's unclear why because I don't have the normal runs from kava sediment or anything. Like Kapm said DHK kavas like borogoru will also have a negative effect on me the next day, but it shouldn't be too severe. When I first joined the forums all I did for the first month was basically ask why I was hung over all the time and try to diagnose the issue (which seems to be what you're interested in), however I rarely have the problem anymore.

I filter with a nylon, and my batch ends up being 8 cups of liquid in a pitcher with 6-8 tbsp of kava. After the pitcher sits in the fridge for a few hours, like 5-6 hours I guess, the sediment really separates at the bottom. When I drink my first cup I pour the remaining kava liquid into a second pitcher (or any container), keeping all the sediment out. I blast the 1st sediment-only-containing pitcher with cold water and let that sit until I finish the 2nd pitcher's kava. When I finish the 2nd pitcher there might be some grains of sediment at the very bottom, so I avoid that as well. Then repeat. This works the best for me because nylons are good at filtering, but if they were too good it would take forever to make kava and even then sediment will still get in the drink.

My worst recent hangover case was when I drank borogoru and didn't use this system, and got maybe half the sediment in my body. So even though it was a noble kava, the DHK and sediment put me in full-retard mode the next day. And I could tell also because I started getting dermopathy from that week of kava use.

 

[sɥɐʞɐs]

When I stack up days upon days of the same 'heavy' strain of kava...eventually I start having days where I feel tired and semi-detached through out the day. It usually goes away if I can nap. It's never really miserable like an alcohol hangover, but it is different from the simple 'next-day-calm' effect.
If you're definitely eating well and hydrating enough during the day. Then there is also the possibility that you are one of a small percentage of non-poly/melanesians who lack a certain liver-enzyme that helps process kava.
Like Kapm said, you might wanna try switching to a light Tongan kava on most days.(Kavaboy, Kava By Rex & N@H) Also try anything with a chemotype that starts with 463---, you can find some at Gourmet Hawaiian Kava.

 

[Deleted User01]

Well said SteveT and on target there Shakas. I always shake my pre-prepared Kava to make sure the good stuff at the bottom gets mixed in. I don't seem to have the hangover problem and I need the Fiber anyway. I do admit to straining the Micronized and doing a second wash to make sure I get every last kavalactone. I'm in love with Micronized Syrup and I would recommend it to anyone having stomach issues. Remember, the harsh Makas fibers are removed in the GHK Micronized Kava. Then you strain the rest. For all we know it is the finely ground Makas particles that are hurting your tummy. In fact, I would almost bet on it.

 

[Roaddog]

Ya, If I over do it sometimes I get a bit of a detached feeling the next day. I guess I really do sort of a smaller dose, about 6 tablespoons, every evening. Kava time for me is 7pm. I generaly eat a big meal, at around 8:30 or 9. then I relax, and eat some fruit, drink some water, and go to bed at midnight. Then I get up at around 7am. That allows me 12 hours between dosing, and waking up. Which I think helps. But If I just drink kava all day, Ill feel like crap all day the next day. Much love. Roaddog....

 

[bula]

Thanks for all the replies guys.

Kap- i am currently drinking wakacon lawena kava, but have also experienced it with stone, wow and chiefs jungle.

I do always mix the sediment and drink it if it continues ill definitely buy a different strain and leave out the sediment.

Java man- where can i find the syrup you are talking about?

 

[Roaddog]

Ya there @bula , I have some of the Lawena too. Its not bad, very finely ground. I prefer the Fijian waka over the Lawena. Just my preference. I find the Fijian to be more heady. But those cheap crap Amazon Kavas will get you by. They do the trick that's for sure. The mood&mind Vanuata, is pretty heady too. Probably the headiest out of all the Amazon kavas. Well at least that's my opinion. I got 2 kava drinkers in this house, some times I must go cheap. Much love. Roaddog....

 

[kavadude]

Java man- where can i find the syrup you are talking about?

It's just micronized run through a blender and a strainer.

1/2 cup to 2/3 cup is a large amount for most users here, but I would say that is the same amount that I drink. Some of us are just hardheads.

I have definitely had next-day effects from kava, obviously from tudei but also from heavy noble strains. I've never had nausea, it's more like I end up staying in bed for like 30 minutes. After I finish my morning pot of tea, it dissipates.

For the nausea you might try ginger beer or some other ginger, that stuff is great. Maybe before you go to bed, maybe when you wake up, I'm not sure.

 

[bula]

@Roaddog - im happy to hear im not the only one who has be a little thrifty when it comes to my kava purchases. I'll have to try the mood&mind kava
@kavadude next time I get some micronized ill have to give it a try. I've been paying a bit more attention to staying hydrated throughout the day and it seems to be helping a bit

thanks again for the advice guys

 

[Deleted User01]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Java man- where can i find the syrup you are talking about?

@Bula, I posted a detail recipe for making Micronized Kava Syrup at the Kava Library. It includes a second wash and a little bit of information about Micronized Kava. I love dumping 3 to 4oz of syrup in a glass with some cocktail mix and ice. I love sippin' my kava on the patio. Check out the link and let me know what you think.