When discussing true kava side effects, there is a lot of noise surrounding the topic. The World Health Organization, recognized as the definitive authority on international health issues, clearly stated: “There is no link to liver damage with water-based root extracts of Kava Kava.” In their Summary in their exhaustive 2007 book called “Assessment of the Risk of Hepatotoxicity With Kava Products” suspended in water (Kava drinks, Kava tea), or water-based extracts, it clearly states this:

“The forms of Kava used used traditionally by Pacific-Islanders and by some aboriginal communities are not believed to be associated with the serious forms of liver damage observed in case reports.”

The report summary goes on to say this:

“Experimental hepatotoxicological investigations showed no overt hepatoxic reactions due to kava pyrones (kavalactones). A number of comprehensive reviews have been published in an attempt to explain the cause-effect relationship observed in the case reports but to date a clear mechanism to explain this purported hepatotoxicity has not been found.”

And in reference to one of numerous studies:

The post-marketing surveillance studies based on spontaneous reporting did not identify liver toxicity among a total of 7,978 patients taking 150 to 240 mg of kava extract daily for approximately six weeks (Stevinson 2002).

In reference to water-based Kava extractions from another study:

The traditional Kava beverage is essentially a water suspension and until recently large quantities 10-15 times the recommended daily dose have been used without signs of liver damage (Whitton 2003, “Kava lactones and the kava-kava controversy”).

This couldn’t be any clearer, yet the caution statements the FDA makes us put on our Kava packages are longer than cigarettes or alcohol warnings, which literally kill hundreds of thousands of people each and every year. Can we say “out of proportion” when it comes to the kava controversy?

Even in the final pages of the WHO’s book on Kava side effects, in the “Overall Summary > Conclusions” section on page 62, point eleven and point twelve are simple and clear:

11. Clinical trials of kava have not revealed hepatotoxicity as a problem.

12. Most experimental studies have failed to demonstrate a toxic effect on liver cells by kava.

So, let’s explore some numbers truth and facts instead bias and agenda. (Or media hype like Dr Phil’s horrendous article on Kava in 2015.)

First, as personal as possible: I’m only one person, but I drink Kava daily, at about 500mg of Kavalactones per day, and have for almost 20 years now. I get blood tests once a year to track where my health is at, and there have not even been elevated enzyme levels in my liver. In fact, native users throughout Oceania have enjoyed Kava in quantities far larger than the 295mg dosages that the United States FDA has allotted as a “safe daily dose”, for several thousand years with little to no reported side effects, and certainly virtually no reports of negative impacts on the liver. Yes, there is a chance of underreporting, but if Kava was as toxic as some websites and media outlets are trying to make it appear, there would be something plain to see regarding this alleged damage that wouldn’t require hundreds of clinical trials and alleged connections to find this elusive connection..

Let’s do a few quick comparisons: Over 2,000 people a year die from negative reactions to aspirin. Over 200,000 people a year die from negative reactions to pharmaceuticals. Even the FDA themselves states that there are over $585,000.00 yearly industry).

But it’s happened to me and people I know, time and time again. One example is HBI International and their “Chill” rolling papers for tobacco products. A dear friend of mine had a natural herbal smoking blend called “Chill Blend”. They sold about 6 packs of this product a week, for a total yearly sales of $9,360.00.

HBI International had their team of attorneys harass the makers of Chill Blend, and said they would work until the brand was shut down because it confuses their customers. HBI has many tens of millions of dollars in sales per year. The makers of Chill Blend were absolutely no threat to them whatsoever. They even went so far as to tell them that it would cost them about $50,000.00 to “get in the ring with them”, and their best option was to roll over and kill the brand.

So, they changed the name to “Lucid Blend” and went on their way to avoid a losing battle.

And this is just one personal example of David and Goliath. When money is involved, it seems those in a position of power and money don’t care how small fry a threat might be. They appear to have teams of attorneys who’s job is to find ANY competition and destroy it. So, it’s not too far-fetched to put the pieces together, and see why a worldwide scare about the dangers of Kava were initiated by those with a specific agenda.

Again, take a look at the FACTS, gathered from over 100 studies of Kava, by the World Health Organization; one of the most reputable research organizations in the world. They have no ties to the pharmaceutical industry, and they have no ties to the Kava industry. If there were clearly dangerous side effects from water-based Kava products made from the roots of Kava only, they would have reported it. They may even have emphasized it and made it big news. But they didn’t.

They did find that there are parts of the Kava plant than can be dangerous, but the same is true for a vast number of natural products. Many fruits are poisonous before they’re fully-ripened. This is a natural plant defense to prevent fruits with immature seeds from being taken off the plant. Bananas are a great example of this; very unripe bananas are very dangerous to humans.

So, any reputable Kava supplier, especially one who manufactures 100% of their Kava products in a GMP Manufacturing Facility (a good manufacturing practice facility that is under strict rules for purity and cleanliness by the FDA) such as www.Kava.com does, will use only the roots of the Kava plant.

There is some new evidence that there may be a component of Kava that may possibly have a negative impact on the liver. But, this recent study involved giving rats massively massive quantities of Flavokavain B, quantities, so large that no human could ever consume that much without ill effects, just for consuming that much of anything in a single serving or dose.

Let’s quickly put that study into perspective: If the same amount of caffeine was given to these rats, it would likely have elevated their hearts so much, it would have killed them. Seriously.

So, what might the moral of the story be? Everything in moderation, folks.

And really, let’s just take a step back, take a deep breath, and enjoy a shell of Kava with ourselves or with friends. When it comes down to it, only a few of us choose to consume Kava on a daily basis, and only enjoy it on special occasions, on weekends, or during gatherings with friends. I’ve gone long periods of time without consuming Kava, but I like how it feels. I drink a shell in the morning instead of coffee (Caffeine’s Hidden Dangers). It’s my personal choice. As I stated above, it has helped raise the quality of my life simply because I like feeling connected to the plant that provides for me, my family, and a number of loyal employees who are as passionate about Kava as I am.

REFERENCES:

01. Assessment of the Risk of Hepatotoxicity with Kava Products. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization, 2007. Print.

02. Whitton PA, Lau A. Salisbury A, Whitehouse J, Evans CS. Kava lactones and the kava-kava controversy. Phytochemistry. 2003, 64(3), 673-79

03. “Why Learn about Adverse Drug Reactions (ADR)?” www.FDA.com N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Nov. 2015.

04. “Deaths and Mortality.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30 Sept. 2015. Web. 01 Nov. 2015.

05. “25 Shocking Things More Likely to Kill You than a Shark.” WNYY 1470 AM Progressive Talk. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Aug. 2013.

06. “Topic: Global Pharmaceutical Industry.” www.statista.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Nov. 2015.

07. “Caffeine’s Hidden Dangers.” American Fitness Professionals & Associates. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013.

Kava Lover

Kava Lover is a passionate advocate for traditional kava culture and wellness. With years of experience exploring kava ceremonies, strains, and preparation methods, our team shares honest reviews, brewing guides, and everything you need to enjoy kava to the fullest.

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