I know I've been focusing on the positive benefits of kava pretty heavily. As life would have it, even kava can have negative side effects when consumed in excess for extended periods of time.
Today's fact comes from the Drug and Alcohol Review from January 2011. In this study they focused on the results of several articles on the side effects of kava and how likely they were to be correlated with kava itself. This study includes results from aqueous extractions, or traditional preparation. Not included in the review were studies of kava extracts taken for therapeutic purposes. In effect, this was focused on the way we normally consume kava.
The study was separated into 3 major categories, A.1, A.2, and A.3. The first group A.1 is what will be focused on for this fact of the day. The paper defines A.1 as “Causality indicated” or that findings were consistent across multiple studies and supporting criteria. Three health effects were noted as being common and consistent.
[1] Rychetnik L, Madronio CM. The health and social effects of drinking water-based infusions of kava: a review of the evidence. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2011 Jan;30(1):74-83. doi: 10.1111/j.1465-3362.2010.00184.x. PMID: 21219501. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21219501/)
Today's fact comes from the Drug and Alcohol Review from January 2011. In this study they focused on the results of several articles on the side effects of kava and how likely they were to be correlated with kava itself. This study includes results from aqueous extractions, or traditional preparation. Not included in the review were studies of kava extracts taken for therapeutic purposes. In effect, this was focused on the way we normally consume kava.
The study was separated into 3 major categories, A.1, A.2, and A.3. The first group A.1 is what will be focused on for this fact of the day. The paper defines A.1 as “Causality indicated” or that findings were consistent across multiple studies and supporting criteria. Three health effects were noted as being common and consistent.
- Scaly skin rash: A scaly, dry, flaky rash or ‘kava dermatitis’ is one of the most commonly described side effects of heavy kava use. The association between kava and scaly dermatitis was consistently described across eight studies in different populations, time periods and methods. The prevalence of dermatitis appears relatively high among regular kava users, for example in 45% of ‘current users’ and in 78% of ‘very heavy users’. There is also an apparent dose– response and the rash recedes when kava consumption is stopped. A biologically plausible mechanism of an allergic response to kavalactones has been posed [1].
- Weight Loss: An association between regular kava consumption and a lower-than-average body weight (BMI) has been consistently described across four studies (level III-2). Heavy or chronic kava users have been described with up to 20% lower than average BMI. A BMI of less than 18.5 has also been identified in 32% of current users compared to only 14% of non-users. Factors that strengthen the premise there is some form of causal relationship between kava drinking and weight loss include that people regain weight when kava consumption is stopped, kava has been associated with nausea, loss of appetite and indigestion (see below) and that drinking sessions sometimes occupy very long periods (up to 24 h) during which food is not regularly consumed. Further, heavy consumers of kava are also most likely to be underweight. There are analogous associations between low BMI and other chronic drug use [1].
- Raised liver enzyme GGT: At least six studies have described an association between drinking kava and raised levels of the liver enzyme Gamma Glutamyl Transpeptidase (GGT). Raised GGT appears to correlate with the amount of kava consumed and effect is reversible when kava drinking is stopped. The clinical and health implications of these raised GGT levels are unclear; that is drinking kava even in large doses and over long periods does not appear to be associated with liver toxicity or permanent liver damage. [1]
- Nausea, loss of appetite, indigestion: Nausea, loss of appetite and indigestion have all been associated with drinking kava, though they do not appear to be experienced by all users or to the same degree. Loss of appetite has been reported by 44% of very heavy users, and indigestion by 29% very heavy users. Also 24% of kava drinkers have reported nausea as an adverse effect of kava. A temporal relationship has been found in case-studies as symptoms are readily identified following the consumption of kava. These gastro-intestinal effects are also consistent with the apparent association between heavy kava consumption and weight loss [1].
[1] Rychetnik L, Madronio CM. The health and social effects of drinking water-based infusions of kava: a review of the evidence. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2011 Jan;30(1):74-83. doi: 10.1111/j.1465-3362.2010.00184.x. PMID: 21219501. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21219501/)
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! Have also noticed weight loss, which I enjoy. The worst side effect for me is lethargy and dry eye. I feel very lethargic after drinking for a while, but I have also been working 7 day stretch, 12 hour night shifts every month, so I am not sure if its the kava or the overtime hours that causes it. I do feel that I my skin gets worse when we have to turn on our heating(natural gas) during the winter. It is dry heat and it has always made me scratch myself during sleep, even before kava.
