Kava Physiology Second liver panel over a couple of years; 25 Y/O male, approx 4 years of daily use.

[Forretressqt]

I have also had alcohol use (nothing crazy, the odd heavy drinking night alongside a couple of beers after work every so often) as well as the occasional use of other substances (every 3 months or more, never more, in a very familiar setting with the same people)

My ALT has gone up by 5 since last time, I also had 3 drinks the night before taking these blood tests.

My LDL cholesterol in my last panel (about a year and a couple months ago, I didn't get it this time) was in the higher end of normal range.

As a side note I take silymarin every day or two when I remember and quite a decent dose (3-5G both before and after) when I'm partaking in activities that I believe will put a strain on my liver.

Silymarin is clinically proven to protect your liver against many toxins, notably alcohol (and perhaps most significantly, death cap mushrooms)

 

[The Kap'n]

Looks like you're a healthy individual! Oddly, ALT can vary by more than that between tests just as a matter of natural variation. The cholesterol part is something we've identified as being possibly kava correlated, but we're still searching for an explanation for that. My cholesterol tends to hang in that range as well, and it seems to be a common thread among daily kava drinkers.

Thank you for sharing with us! These sort of reports help shore up the actual safety record of kava consumption.

 

[The Kap'n]

Also, meant to say @Forretressqt, don't pay any attention to the trolls on reddit, lol. You can literally give physical evidence for something and it still will not be enough for some people. They would want you to have a full liver biopsy and ultrasound with perfectly normal LFT values. Just stupid.

 

[Forretressqt]

Also, meant to say @Forretressqt, don't pay any attention to the trolls on reddit, lol. You can literally give physical evidence for something and it still will not be enough for some people. They would want you to have a full liver biopsy and ultrasound with perfectly normal LFT values. Just stupid.

Hahahah of course! I considered replying asking how they would diagnose liver damage if results are unreliable but truly could not be bothered.
Of course i'm biased towards kava, however I don't get liver panels BECAUSE I drink kava; they're due to different things/doctors orders, I would still post results if my panels indicated damage! (With transparency to anything else I consume that may influence them)

 

[KavaTasteGood]

Dear K'ptain, do you have information about testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) and kava use? I know that TRT can mess up lipids a bit. I hope the combo doesn't potentiate each other, we'll see on my next bloods.

 

[The Kap'n]

Dear K'ptain, do you have information about testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) and kava use? I know that TRT can mess up lipids a bit. I hope the combo doesn't potentiate each other, we'll see on my next bloods.

Good question. I've pulled up some effects of TRT on lipid and cholesterol levels:

1. Total cholesterol: Some studies suggest that TRT may lead to a slight reduction in total cholesterol levels, while others have found no significant changes. The impact on total cholesterol may depend on factors such as your baseline cholesterol levels, the duration of therapy, and the dose of testosterone used.
2. HDL cholesterol ("good" cholesterol): Testosterone replacement therapy may lead to a decrease in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels in some individuals. Lower levels of HDL cholesterol could potentially increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, the magnitude of the decrease in HDL cholesterol and its clinical significance may vary between people.
3. LDL cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol): The effect of TRT on low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels is not consistent across studies. Some research suggests that TRT may lead to a slight decrease in LDL cholesterol, while other studies have found no significant changes.
4. Triglycerides: The impact of TRT on triglyceride levels is also mixed. Some studies have reported a reduction in triglyceride levels, while others have found no significant changes.

Given this, it actually looks like kava might do all the opposite of what TRT might cause. It wouldn't surprise me if they balanced each other out.

 

[KavaTasteGood]

Thanks a lot for this informative post! Always difficult to predict what will happen, but I didn't found articles about the subject with a quick search. Anyways my bloods are quite perfect and it's more a problem for older dudes. Also, it's often overlooked, but a lot of drugs can interact with hormones concentration in different waysr. This is something to consider. Note to myself: dig the subject

 

[Groggy]

Dear K'ptain, do you have information about testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) and kava use? I know that TRT can mess up lipids a bit. I hope the combo doesn't potentiate each other, we'll see on my next bloods.

I am on it and have been for many years well before kava and I don't have any issues other than higher than usual triglycerides, which is a common side effect of TRT.