WebMD warning against kava Use?

[Naijomii]

I saw a link to WebMD from an amazon review stating that kava was harmful etc etc and web md said so, well I had to go there and see for myself. Under the side effect tab they really do seem to say not to use it. I really don't think I'm reading it wrong, please tell me a site that many go to for advice isn't giving false information. I would think the educated would actually do some research and find proof before making such assumptions. http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-suppl...iveingredientid=872&activeingredientname=kava


Also I apologize if this was brought up before and I just missed it somehow.

 

[The Kap'n]

Sadly those are some huge assumptions based on false or incomplete data. Webmd should be something you can trust, but their kava section looks like it's from '98

 

[Jayy]

"The use of kava for as little as one to three months has resulted in the need for liver transplants, and even death."

Do I even have a liver anymore then? Who writes this stuff? Pretty sure alcohol does far more damage to your body. Ugh that's crazy....guess that's why doctors roll their eyes when you start talking to them with "I saw on WebMD...."

 

[kavadude]

This is a parroting of the German ban/FDA warning, which was based on cases wherein no causality was established, where we have reason to believe that the methodology (solvent extraction) and the product used (tudei/aerial portions of the plant) may have contributed to the problems. @Deleted User posted a case by case examination by Dr. Schmidt at one point: http://kavaforums.com/forum/threads...-not-following-up-on-studies.5036/#post-56629

See also this: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/06/magazine/06FOB-Medium-t.html

 

[-33-]

Just another case of big pharma & pay offs. They will descredit anything that works / is cheap & easy to obtain without a prescription. Look up MJ while you're on there & you'll find that it causes schizophrenia + may lead to interracial relationships.

 

[avahZ]

Just another case of big pharma & pay offs. They will descredit anything that works / is cheap & easy to obtain without a prescription. Look up MJ while you're on there & you'll find that it causes schizophrenia + may lead to interracial relationships.

What I can't figure out is why big pharma hasn't bottled kavalactones and charge $600 a month for the right to have it prescribed to you. They pretty much did that with red yeast rice. FDA also issued orders that red yeast rice be formulated/grown so that the active compound is removed.

 

[Naijomii]

I honestly was shocked, I just expected better from them. How can you get the truth to people with stuff like that out there, and from a so called trust worthy site? It just really got to me.

 

[Bubba Bula]

The medical establishment isn't taught about herbals, and therefore doesn't know about herbals. Big pharma doesn't sell herbals, so the docs don't have anything to do with them. You might as well ask your pet parrot as to ask a doctor about anything having to do with kava. In fact, you parrot probably knows more. WebMD is part of the medical establishment, and so it doesn't surprise me that they are ignorant about kava as well as other some things. Doctors don't know as much as they often think they do, and WebMD knows even less.

 

[SelfBiasResistor]

WebMD is by far the worst site to visit for non pharmaceutical treatments. Every herb I have researched there shows similar warnings. Either it doesn't work or it is harmful. It has some useful information for tending to wounds but is horrible when it comes to herbs or chemicals not manufactured by a major pharmaceutical company. Phenibut for example will, it will say has never been tested on human subjects... As if Russians aren't human. Mayo clinic or just about any other major medical site is better, though not perfect.

 

[TidyMinion]

I saw a link to WebMD from an amazon review stating that kava was harmful etc etc and web md said so, well I had to go there and see for myself. Under the side effect tab they really do seem to say not to use it. I really don't think I'm reading it wrong, please tell me a site that many go to for advice isn't giving false information. I would think the educated would actually do some research and find proof before making such assumptions. http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-suppl...iveingredientid=872&activeingredientname=kava


Also I apologize if this was brought up before and I just missed it somehow.

These are warnings based on reports from people using kava "supplements" not just drinking it. Some kava supplements are created by adding in the parts of the plant that aren't meant to be consumed since it's harmful or the type of kava plant not meant to be regularly consumed (tudei) since it's cheaper AND then throw it in a tincture with alcohol in it (known to cause liver issues alone as we all know...) No wonder people got sick. The classic line around here is traditionally made kava (noble root + water) has been consumed by the locals of these islands for millennia with no trends in side effects to show for it except some, sometimes admittedly heinous, dry skin.

I think all of us would petition you to take a look around the site there's a ton of information here from history to health the more you learn about kava the better you'll feel about it. I can speak from experience of regularly drinking kava and seeing the results of blood work which showed normal, healthy levels for my liver.

Can't end this without saying, though, talk to your doctor before you start kava, maybe you can get blood work done before and after you start drinking kava and compare the results. Always seek medical advice first, if concerned at all, plus you want to make sure there's not any possible interactions if you are on any other kind of medication. if all that is good and you feel good about it then please enjoy the experience! Plenty of good folks on here to get you acclimated.

 

[Naijomii]

Oh I love kava, I just am upset it may discourage others from trying something that really does work. Heck my doctor is very much for herbal over RXs without directly saying so as she can't say much 'officially' due to VA policies but she knows I would rather do things naturally if I can. She is the one that got me involved with the study I'm doing for them I talked about in another thread I'm working on. The whole biofeedback study.