Kava & Protein - Interactions

[yiki]

So, this is a bit strange i have to say. Purely anecdotal.
@Edward has suggested that milk potentiates kava. I myself have NOT experienced this to be the case.
On the contrary, some proteins seem to cancel out kava. Since i started drrinking a protein powder with pea protein isolate, rice proteien concentrate and hemp protein, effects seem to be severely diminished.

Can that even be possible ? Or is it just in our imagination?

 

[Zac Imiola (Herbalist)]

There could be amino acids in kava that help the effect and certain proteins out compete them. I'm not sure. But milk in my experience potentiate kava for sure

 

[Zaphod]

I am guessing here but I think it is the fat that potentiates more than the proteins. Coconut oil, milk, cheese (my favorite), and fatty meals in general seem to get a positive response from forum members. I have tried olive and flax oil as well with good results. Things that seem to give bad results for me are anything heavy in carbs or starchy. Bread products, pretzels, potatoes, rice all seem to squash some of kava's impact. A lot of protein powders are pretty dry even when remixed into water. I could see how it could "soak" up some of the KLs and not let them fully get digested.