• Select Your Topic Then Scroll Down
    Alcohol Bupe Benzos
    Cocaine Heroin Opioids
    RCs Stimulants Misc
    Harm Reduction All Topics Gabapentinoids
    Tired of your habit? Struggling to cope?
    Want to regain control or get sober?
    Visit our Recovery Support Forums

Misc Is Kava Kava safe for someone to consume who is sensitive to GABAergic's?

hind2

Greenlighter
Joined
Feb 16, 2015
Messages
2
This is a question that I have never seen discussed on the internet anywhere through my research so far.

I am very interested in consuming some Kava root extract, but due to my history with alcohol I am somewhat apprehensive about doing so.

I have heard that kava is a GABAergic agonist like alcohol and benzo's, hence why It gives a similar sedating effect. I have experienced the kindling effect with alcohol first hand which Is why I haven't touched the stuff in years. At the end of my alcohol usage It would take me one or 2 days of drinking only to send me into an utterly worse withdrawal then when I would be drinking for months on end previously, which made it very apparent to me that through kindling I had got more and more sensitive to its effects on my nervous system. I couldn't sniff the stuff any more without having horrific consequences.

I know I will be sensitive for the rest of my life now as no amount of time seems to heal those particular burnt out receptors. So my question is, could consuming kava be dangerous for me in-particular due to my GABA sensitivity? Is it a potent enough gabaergic agonist to cause a rebound problem? Or does it work in a different way to alcohol that I don't understand?

Many Thanks for your time.
 
Kava is very gentle in my experience and even after using it for a couple weeks I experienced no withdrawal or cravings whatsoever. I believe it has other methods of action outside of GABA-A agonism. Unfortunately it pharmacology hasn't been extensively researched due to its lack of patentability.
 
it has been shown to be hepatoxic
but other than the damage to the liver i know of no other negative effects
 
the hepatoxicity of kava kava comes from Flavokavain B, a molecule with both hepatoxic and apoptotic properties...
if you can somehow remove that substance, kava kava would be totally safe
 
I have used Kava Kava. And it´s pretty much available and legal to everyone, unless you are 14 or 16.
About the hepatotoxity it will all depend on the dosages and from where you purchased it.
Lots of things are toxic for your liver, take Tylenol for example. It can be very harmful if you use it too much.
Same applies for french fries. And oil. IMO Kava Kava is not a big deal.
 
I have used Kava Kava. And it´s pretty much available and legal to everyone, unless you are 14 or 16.
About the hepatotoxity it will all depend on the dosages and from where you purchased it.
Lots of things are toxic for your liver, take Tylenol for example. It can be very harmful if you use it too much.
Same applies for french fries. And oil. IMO Kava Kava is not a big deal.

Yeah, except french fries and oil aren't AS hepatoxic. Which is why french fries from McDonald's don't come with a warning label like my grandma's kava kava tea does
Trust me, i'm not trying to knock herbal stuff, I use Kratom and melatonin and clove tea and shit, but some stuff just isn't meant for human consumption...
 
It should though. They´ve made a documentary movie about that. The guy almost lost his liver.
It depends on what country you order. According to the law, they should label it accordingly.
On the other hand, when I purchased Kava Kava, the tea, there were not warnings at all.
Same applies for pills, except a warning not to use more than 4 or 6 per day..
Maybe it´s because your grandma is getting too old or fragile.
Never mind..
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the responses guys :-)

pinpoint - thanks for that I have been told also that it's very gentle on the body. Weather or not not it would be as gentle for me it seems remains a grey area, my hunch through research is that it would be mild enough not to cause any undesired responses, but I maybe wrong.
 
Top