About an Herb Called Kava that Helps with Anxiety

Many people use an herbal remedy called kava-kava or simply kava as an anxiety reliever. It has a long history of being used in traditional ceremonies or alternative treatments, but nowadays, it has found its way into scientific research and clinical studies.

Kava is usually mixed with tea and boiled water, but it can come in the form of capsules. Sometimes, you may find yourself staying awake all night and losing focus, but there is kava that can help with anxiety and stress. According to the National Institutes of Health, the herb has an anxiolytic effect, and it’s legal to sell in the United States.

Because of kava’s calming effects and producing pleasant sensations, many people tend to use it. Its popularity gained the attention of many people in the medical community, and others have considered it a possible treatment for generalized anxiety disorder. However, the history of kava used as one of the unregulated substances out there has thrown a controversial light on the plant. Research is still ongoing, but so far, it’s promising.

How Kava Helps with Anxiety

Before, kava was used as a treatment for anxiety, which has been going on for years. However, for generations, this remained unregulated, and it’s only recently that many researchers have discovered that there’s an active ingredient called kavain that can affect the mood receptors of the human body.

Today, many researchers are still not sure about the interaction of kavain and the suppression of anxiety, but they believe that the herb impacts the treatment of GAD. It can be coupled with a non-alcoholic beverage to become more effective.

Pros and Cons

Kava may sometimes bring euphoria and extreme relaxation to one’s body. Know more about feelings of euphoria in this link here. This high is more than enough for some people to sleep and prevent getting anxious and wide awake. This is less intrusive, and it’s not addictive, unlike other substances out there. Some individuals prefer this more than anti-anxiety drugs and sleep medications, but further studies are needed to prove their assertions.

One of the primary drawbacks of using kava to treat anxiety is that not much is known about it. In some instances, the frequent and recreational use of the herb has been known to cause liver injury. For many years, the sale of kava has been banned in Germany since no one can confirm its safety.

The plant’s root is known to produce euphoriant, anesthetic, and sedative effects. This is ideal for people who have severe anxiety and are looking for short-term relief. There’s the active ingredient called kavalactones, where it was found out that it’s more effective in treating anxiety than the placebo tablets.

Moderate consumption is a must. In its traditional form, the kava roots and their water suspension have been found to have an acceptable level or low health risk by the WHO. But when you try to consume the extracts with other solvents made from organic ingredients, they can cause liver injuries. This is primarily in the case of poor-quality products that shady manufacturers sell in the market.

Possible Health Benefits

Many people use the herb to get a good night’s sleep and relieve their anxiety. Below are the initial findings of some studies made by various organizations.

Anti-Anxiety Effects

One of the primary uses of the kava is to reduce anxiety and stress. Many studies suggest that this herb is very effective in reducing the symptoms of depression and anxiety in many people.

Randomized studies were conducted in 2013 where the researchers gave 75 people a placebo drug and a kava extract. These patients are suffering from disorders involving anxiety, and the entire treatment lasted for six weeks.

After the study had ended, they found out that kava had a minute but significant effect on reducing the participant’s unease. Aside from the occasional headaches, many individuals did not have any other side effects or problems in their liver. This is where the authors are suggesting that this is an effective short-term treatment for many people.

Review and follow-up studies reiterated that the herb might improve many people’s anxieties and their overall health. However, the safety and efficacy still need further studies before kava can be recommended for therapy. Read more about this herb on this page here: https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/what-is-kava-kava.

How to Choose the Best for You?

Know that there are thousands of products in the market today, and you need to know the reason why you should drink kava in the first place. You may need to know your wellness needs and whether you want to drink them at the office.

You can select among heady, balanced, and heavy varieties. There are over a hundred cultivars of the herb, and each of them has various effects. One type is excellent for daytime usage, while the other has a characteristic that makes you feel sleepy, so they are better consumed in the evenings.

The heady varieties are better to be consumed in the mornings because they make you feel euphoric and energetic.

The heavy ones are for the evenings as they can make you less sleepy and make you feel more relaxed.

The balanced herbs can fall between the two classes, and they can be used at any time.

Choosing the Right Types

The location where you’ll drink your beverage will determine which product you should choose. There’s the instant, micronized, and medium grind root. There are also concentrates that will be a tasty beverage. Each of them is prepared in different manners.

Medium grounds are one of the classics where you need a muslin cloth or a strainer bag to make a tea. This is usually purchased to be consumed at home.

The instant and micronized kava are simple and relatively quick to prepare. You can stir about four teaspoons and combine this with any other beverage. Some mix this with smoothies for an earthy taste, and you can take it anywhere with you.

Concentrates can be taken while you’re on the go or travelling. Just take these flavored drinks and dilute this with water. This is easy and quick, and they come in the form of bottles to take them on flights and rides.