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By Bonnie Jenkins, Advanced Natural Medicine
I often hear from people, both professionally and personally, who want to know if there is anything they can do to soothe their stress levels. It’s a question I am hearing more and more over the past year. I’m not surprised. After all, we live in very uncertain times. Far too many of us are worried about money or health problems. Some of us are dealing with life-changing events—the loss of a job, a house or a loved one. Others find that just keeping up with everyday life leaves them feeling anxious and stressed. If you are one of these folks, kava may give you temporary relief.
While this traditional South Pacific herb won’t magically solve all of your problems, it can help you feel calmer and even help you to sleep at night thanks to its sedative, tranquilizing properties. How well does it work? To find out, researchers at Ludwig-Maximillians University in Munich, Germany divided 129 anxious patients into three groups. The first took 400 mg. of kava a day. The second group was given 10 mg. of the anti-anxiety drug buspirone. And the third received 100 mg. of the antidepressant opipramol daily. After eight weeks, the researchers found that kava was just as effective as the pharmaceuticals for treating general anxiety disorder.
More recently, a double blind, placebo controlled clinical trial at Australia’s University of Queensboro recruited 60 people suffering from chronic anxiety. The participants were given either 250 mg. of kava or a placebo every day for three weeks. Those taking the kava reported less anxiety, as well as fewer feelings of depression.
Other studies show that taking kava before bedtime can not only help you fall asleep, it can improve your quality of sleep. Along with alleviating anxiety, kava root also quells muscle spasms that can keep you awake. To treat insomnia—or even the occassional sleepless night—look for a suplement that combines kava with other sleep-inducing ingredients like valarian and melatonin.
Kava truly is one of my favorite herbs. It helps make the body as calm as possible and stay that way as long as the root is in your system. Kava root relaxes your muscles, gives you a feeling of well-being, creates peaceful and relaxing feelings, increases concentration, lowers inhibitions, and can act as an organic aphrodisiac. In fact, kava has historically been given to couples on their wedding night in cultures of the Pacific because of its ability to relax the body and enhance sensuality.
Unlike prescription drugs for anxiety, kava doesn’t appear to interfere with mental alertness, upset the stomach or foster a dependency. While kava isn’t recommended for pregnant or nursing women, it’s perfectly safe for most adults, with a few caveats. For the treatment of mild to moderate anxiety, kava extracts supplying 120–240 mg. of kava-lactones per day in two or three divided doses are commonly recommended. But this relaxing herb shouldn’t be taken for more than three months without the advice of a physician. And don’t take it with other substances that act on the central nervous system, such as alcohol, barbiturates, antidepressants, and antipsychotic drugs. By following these simple guidelines, kava can ease tension and anxiety. It can also help if you suffer from stress-related insomnia.
While kava certainly won’t fix all the problems in your life, it can give you some temporary relief. Think of it as a little slice of bliss in a world full of chaos.
References:
Bhruner NR. Discriminative-stimulus and time-course effects of kava-kava (Piper methysticum) in rats. Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior. 2009 Apr;92(2):297-303.
Sarris J. The Kava Anxiety Depression Spectrum Study (KADSS): a randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial using an aqueous extract of Piper methysticum. Psychopharmacology (Berlin). 2009;205:399-407.
Shinomiya K. Effects of kava-kava extract on the sleep-wake cycle in sleep-disturbed rats. Psychopharmacology (Berlin). 2005;180:564-569.
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