Pee Color / Hydration while drinking kava

[Jacob Bula]

I've spoke about this before, but I drink kava on a 2 week on, 2 week off rotation. On my two weeks on, I cannot keep my pee clear or slightly yellow. My pee stays medium yellow and darker than I like during the 2 weeks I'm drinking kava, no matter how much water or electrolytes I drink. I also always feel thirsty and feel like my mouth and throat are dry. When I'm not drinking kava my pee returns to normal. Does anyone else experience this? Are there are any long term kidney problems I should worry about due to kava consumption? When I used to drink alcohol and coffee to excess, I never had this problem.

I think the obvious answer is to drink around 4 tablespoons instead of 8, but I don't really get the benefits until i drink 6-8 tablespoons and by then I know I'm going to be dehydrated for a few days

 

[ElKavallero]

Hey man, I notice this too. I alternate kava / alcohol days, until recently at least. I'm trying to abstain from alcohol for a few weeks, so it's all kava for a while.

After years of alternating, I believe it really boils down to dehydration. When drinking alcohol I consume way more water--- either as part of the beer / cocktail, or between with my food etc.

Kava does this numbing throat thing that persists and I think discourages me from having water because it can feel odd going down, and the numbness keeps me from really noticing the dehydration.

While on this journey for the next few weeks, I'm going to drink way more water and see how it helps. I've never heard any associations with kidney troubles, but kava is a very strong diuretic.

 

[kastom_lif]

Kava is a diuretic, and combining it with alcohol (even alternating days) makes both substances even more diuretic than they already are.

As for kidney damage, as long as you don't maintain a chronic level of dehydration for a long time, you will probably be OK. I always try to chug a huge glass of tap water before going to sleep after a big kava session, even if that means I'll have to get up to pee in the middle of the night. Last year I had a mild case of hypercalcemia from too much vitamin D, so I've been monitoring my kidney function and everything seems to be fine.

Part of hydration is drinking when your body needs it, rather than when you feel thirsty. On the other hand, if your pee is crystal clear you might be overhydrating, so be sure to balance your water intake with electrolytes. If you take vitamin supplements, take them on the opposite side of the day from when you drink kava to avoid peeing it all out. I'm an evening drinker so I take my pills in the AM.

 

[Jacob Bula]

Kava is a diuretic, and combining it with alcohol (even alternating days) makes both substances even more diuretic than they already are.

As for kidney damage, as long as you don't maintain a chronic level of dehydration for a long time, you will probably be OK. I always try to chug a huge glass of tap water before going to sleep after a big kava session, even if that means I'll have to get up to pee in the middle of the night. Last year I had a mild case of hypercalcemia from too much vitamin D, so I've been monitoring my kidney function and everything seems to be fine.

Part of hydration is drinking when your body needs it, rather than when you feel thirsty. On the other hand, if your pee is crystal clear you might be overhydrating, so be sure to balance your water intake with electrolytes. If you take vitamin supplements, take them on the opposite side of the day from when you drink kava to avoid peeing it all out. I'm an evening drinker so I take my pills in the AM.

I don't drink alcohol at all anymore. But kava dehydrated me really bad. I think part of my problem is I've been using it it to deal with depression and it's really not the best thing for that. I find myself psychologically addicted to it and drink it all day on my days off. If I open a bag, I can't take a day off till it's empty. I don't think I'm giving myself enough time off to hydrate.

 

[Fushi88]

I can't say it's what is specifically happening with me but I put A LOT of ice in my Kava (usually go through 3 or 4 trays during my evening kava) and my only "regular" yellow urine is usually the first one in the morning after. As the day goes on it lightens up.

 

[Groggy]

I don't drink alcohol at all anymore. But kava dehydrated me really bad. I think part of my problem is I've been using it it to deal with depression and it's really not the best thing for that. I find myself psychologically addicted to it and drink it all day on my days off. If I open a bag, I can't take a day off till it's empty. I don't think I'm giving myself enough time off to hydrate.

Force yourself to drink some Pedialyte, Gatorade or water with electrolytes between washes, it may not change the color of your urine but it will help you feel better.

 

[Fushi88]

Force yourself to drink some Pedialyte, Gatorade or water with electrolytes between washes, it may not change the color of your urine but it will help you feel better.

Or snag some of those Pedialyte popsicles! They're delicious.

 

[Jacob Bula]

Force yourself to drink some Pedialyte, Gatorade or water with electrolytes between washes, it may not change the color of your urine but it will help you feel better.

Well It's been about 4-5 days since I last drank kava and I'm just now feeling hydrated again, and I drank lots of electrolytes and water while taking break. The kani kani was so bad the corners of my eyes were constantly cracked and stinging... and I had zero interest in ANYTHING-- I didn't even want to live. I wasn't suicidal or anything, and didn't want to die, I just had zero interest in getting up and doing life those recovery days.

My fault... Over usage, drank around a pound and 3/4 in about a weeks time. Drinking Tongan all day and then Solomon at night and thinking that I could stay hydrated was just my addictive personality taking over again. I hope to one day get into healthy rhythm with kava, but I can't seem to. I don't want to give up on kava, but I'm not sure what to do. I have a problem with any beverage, where I can't stop till the package is empty. I mean, I have perfect self control in most areas of my life, been when it comes to something external to manage stress/anxiety/depression I just cant stop till the package is gone. I think I may try 1/2 pound packages next go round, because if the bag is empty I have no problem stopping. It's silly, but I just can't help myself. I know kava is not physically addictive, kava is not the problem: its just my personality.

@Fushi88 good to see you back on

 

[Groggy]

My fault... Over usage, drank around a pound and 3/4 in about a weeks time. Drinking Tongan all day and then Solomon at night and thinking that I could stay hydrated was just my addictive personality taking over again. I hope to one day get into healthy rhythm with kava, but I can't seem to. I don't want to give up on kava, but I'm not sure what to do. I have a problem with any beverage, where I can't stop till the package is empty. I mean, I have perfect self control in most areas of my life, been when it comes to something external to manage stress/anxiety/depression I just cant stop till the package is gone. I think I may try 1/2 pound packages next go round, because if the bag is empty I have no problem stopping. It's silly, but I just can't help myself. I know kava is not physically addictive, kava is not the problem: its just my personality.

I can be the same way and I don't have an answer for you except to say it's not always like that or it wasn't for me. These are difficult times we are going through, give yourself a break. I will say I still try to find the balance, kava helps even when i go a little to crazy for my own good. You will never say anything you regret while rooted...look at the bright side!

 

[greg99]

I’m still a kava newbie having only gone through 4 orders but I have the same personality glitch that you do. You may be onto something with the 1/2lb packs. My first order I went through like crazy but chalked it up to being new. After order 2 that I flew through I seriously considered quitting altogether so I took a couple months off. Orders 3 and 4 I just got a half pound and of course, like you, drank it until it was empty. However a half pound is so small that no matter how you split your days up it seems pretty hard to over do it. Once it’s gone I have way more control when it comes to ordering again.

 

[Jacob Bula]

I can be the same way and I don't have an answer for you except to say it's not always like that or it wasn't for me. These are difficult times we are going through, give yourself a break. I will say I still try to find the balance, kava helps even when i go a little to crazy for my own good. You will never say anything you regret while rooted...look at the bright side!

@Krunʞy Thanks for the advice. It genuinely does make me feel so much better. No, I never say or do anything regretful on these kava episodes, I don't do much of anything at all ( I did watch the making of Forest Gump and then proceeded to watch the film Forest Gump with the family though-- I don't even regret that !) The positive is its a constant reminder for me to never drink alcohol again, and I am eternally grateful for that.

 

[Jacob Bula]

I’m still a kava newbie having only gone through 4 orders but I have the same personality glitch that you do. You may be onto something with the 1/2lb packs. My first order I went through like crazy but chalked it up to being new. After order 2 that I flew through I seriously considered quitting altogether so I took a couple months off. Orders 3 and 4 I just got a half pound and of course, like you, drank it until it was empty. However a half pound is so small that no matter how you split your days up it seems pretty hard to over do it. Once it’s gone I have way more control when it comes to ordering again.

@greg99 Thanks for the advice. If I can just order 1/2 a pound a time I think it'll fix my kava problems. I really think I could even order two 1/2 pounds and be fine, because I can have multiple 1 pound bags in the cabinet and leave the unopened ones in there with no problem. But once its open I HAVE to finish it, even if I don't want to.

 

[Kojo Douglas]

The short answer is that yes, drinking a ton of Kava will make your piss a bit more yellow than normal.