Will I have problems producing dopamine or will I have my emotions permanently altered if I take kava more than 5 times a week?

[Bewno_]

I started using kava to eradicate sporadic panic attacks motivated by supplementation. It worked super well, and kava brought my sanity again.

From here, it may be a totally subjective opinion, but I felt that kava brought me cognitive benefits and made me have a softer view of life. I'm more honest with people, I'm not so afraid of them anymore and I take everything more 'don't take everything so seriously''. My concentration on readings and imaginative ability have also increased. The colors are more vivid and it seems that i even appreciate a song better, paying more attention to its details..


Well, everything's great, but here's my question: I sometimes use kava more than five times a week. I've been feeling a little indifferent and without feelings, almost like a robot. And when I don't, the opposite happens: I get too sentimental and cry for everything. My bowel scant doesn't go very well either, and I'm feeling quite considerable potassium loss. Well, these side effects are manageable.... but I would like to know if prolonged use and consecutive days of kava could compromise dopamine synthesis by my neurons, or if my emotions could be changed in such a way that they come to depend on kava to be under control. Is that possible? I wouldn't want to drop the kava and love using it, it has done for me what various nootropics and heavy remedies like ritalin and others have done in a rather deficient way. With kava it's something cleaner, more fluid and I feel more spiritually connected to the world.

 

[Groggy]

Well, everything's great, but here's my question: I sometimes use kava more than five times a week. I've been feeling a little indifferent and without feelings, almost like a robot.

Hello welcome to kavaforums, glad you found us

I can speak on the above and I agree, when I overdo it I get similar effects, so I find drinking kava on and off works best for me. How off and on needs to be something you experiment with. I will go a couple weeks here and there sometimes longer without any kava and I drink for a few days at a time and then I just find I am sufficiently happy for a while.

 

[The Kap'n]

I would like to know if prolonged use and consecutive days of kava could compromise dopamine synthesis by my neurons, or if my emotions could be changed in such a way that they come to depend on kava to be under control. Is that possible?

No. In fact there is little dopaminergic activity at all with kava, and may even be somewhat of an antagonistic effect rather than stimulation. If you're asking about addictive qualities, no there are no physically addictive qualities that would cause any chemical changes that cause withdrawal. The human body is a complex organism, and we'll feel different when kava is not in our system, but not in the same respect as you would feel if you were addicted to opioids or even caffeine.

 

[Plantacious]

No. In fact there is little dopaminergic activity at all with kava, and may even be somewhat of an antagonistic effect rather than stimulation. If you're asking about addictive qualities, no there are no physically addictive qualities that would cause any chemical changes that cause withdrawal. The human body is a complex organism, and we'll feel different when kava is not in our system, but not in the same respect as you would feel if you were addicted to opioids or even caffeine.

What about GABA ?
Could the same question be asked, and just substitute GABA for Dopamine ?

 

[The Kap'n]

What about GABA ?
Could the same question be asked, and just substitute GABA for Dopamine ?

There is arguably more activity at GABA-A, however no, not even there has there been observed any tolerance building or withdrawal effects. With GABA-A, in observed tolerance, specific subunits of the gaba receptor are down-regulated. These subunits are the preferred site of action with drugs such as benzos, and hence tolerance and withdrawal are observed through this mechanism. No similar site and mechanism have yet been found with kava.