Question about controlling effects

[Adriano]

Hi I've been enjoying Kava but wanted to ask a question. When I first drink kava, the first 20 to 30 minutes is the best, after which there will still remain the relaxed effect but without the happiness at the beginning. I had read that islanders know how to maintain or continue the initial effects so that they're singing and dancing or whatever all day. But when I prepare a 2nd round it really doesn't do much at all except making me just feel kind of 'blah'. So is there a way to maintain or extend the really pleasant feeling that happens at the beginning, which is the reason I enjoy kava? Any tips appreciated.

 

[Adriano]

What I posted is true about several kavas from BKH and GHK, micronized and the regular kind you make by squeezing. I usually make 3 to 4 tablespoons worth at one time in a glass with about 2 to 3 cups of water. I take it once and don't take any more for about 2 hours. I've tried it the 2nd time, about 2 hours later but get the effect that I clearly stated in my first post.

 

[Alia]

Adriano- as I read your last post, it seems you are using too much (3-4 Tbsp?) at first drinking.
Here is a suggestion-
There is a link on the GHK website to the book- Hawaiian 'Awa- Views of an Ethnobotanical Treasure
pages 64 and 65 has some good information worth reading.
My experience is mostly kava beverage made from fresh ground root-stump. I drink 5 oz. coconut shell down quick;
wait about 15 minutes. Another 5 oz. , etc. With my mix, there is always a quick (within 15 minutes) pleasant on-going effect
that is equally renewed and eventually sustained throughout the evening. Eventually a wonderful nights sleep.

 

[kavadude]

By second time, do you mean a second wash with the same root? If so, try preparing both washes at once and mixing them together so that each shell has the same potency.

If you mean you're making a new batch and not getting the same effect, I'm not sure what to say. Drinking a fresh batch of kava always gives me that nice little rush.

 

[verticity]

I have also experienced what you are talking about. It seems to be in the nature of kava. The chemical that is believed to cause the initial good feeling is kavain, which is short acting. The other kavalactones such as DHK and DHM cause a more long-lived relaxed/sedated feeling, but not so much euphoria as kavain, so over the course of a kava drinking session, the sedated feeling will tend to increase. A few things you can do about this are: if you are using 3-4 tablespoons of micronized all at once, you might try drinking less of it and spacing it out, as others have suggested. For example maybe try one tablespoon every hour; this will give you a little bump of kavain every hour, and slow the accumulation of DHK and DHM. Another thing is that different varieties of kava have different amounts of kavain vs. the other lactones. In general the noble Hawaiian kavas are relatively high in kavain, especially Moi. Nambawan and melo melo are high kavain kavas from BKH. In general, look for a chemotype that begins with 4, and has 2 and 5 further to the right. You might experiment with different strains to find something that gives you more of the effects you are looking for.

 

[Adriano]

Thanks for all the great advise. I usually would make one batch and drink it down. But several times, as I mention, I decided to try to make another batch but with not nearly the nice effects. So I've stopped trying to make a 2nd batch since its so expensive. Is BKH waka high in kavains? I tried it and it kept me from going to sleep. Alia, how much kava is in each of those 5oz that you space apart. I'll try making a batch with more water in the ratio and drinking it spaced apart. I like the kavain but don't like those other kavalactones I guess.

 

[Adriano]

I mean I'll try making it with less water, not more and spacing that out.