Kava

• What other names is Kava known by?
• What is Kava?
• Is Kava effective?
• How does Kava work?
• Are there safety concerns?
• Are there any interactions with medications?
• Dosing considerations for Kava.

What other names is Kava known by?

Ava Pepper, Ava Root, Awa, Gea, Gi, Intoxicating Long Pepper, Intoxicating Pepper, Kao, Kavain, Kavapipar, Kawa, Kawa Kawa, Kawa Pepper, Kawapfeffer, Kew, Lawena, Long Pepper, Malohu, Maluk, Maori Kava, Meruk, Milik, Piper methysticum, Poivre des Cannibales, Poivre des Papous, Rauschpfeffer, Rhizome Di Kava-Kava, Sakau, Tonga, Waka, Wurzelstock, Yagona, Yangona, Yaqona, Yaquon, Yongona.

What is Kava?

Kava is a plant native to the South Pacific. The root is used for medicine.

Is Kava effective?

Kava can reduce anxiety. Up to 2 months of treatment with kava may be needed before you notice an improvement in anxiety.

There isn't enough information to know if kava is effective for other conditions that people use it for, including: stress, insomnia, restlessness, epilepsy, psychosis, depression, headaches, colds, respiratory tract infections, tuberculosis, rheumatism, chronic bladder infections, sexually transmitted diseases, menstrual problems, and others.

Possibly Effective for...

• Anxiety.
• Reducing withdrawal symptoms in people who need to stop taking anti-anxiety and sleep medicines called benzodiazepines.
• Anxiety in women going through menopause.

Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...

• Stress, insomnia, restlessness, social anxiety, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), epilepsy, psychosis, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), headaches, colds, respiratory tract infections, tuberculosis, rheumatism, chronic bladder infections, sexually transmitted diseases, menstrual problems, cancer prevention, and other conditions.

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate (detailed description of each of the ratings).