What is the recommended dose of Kava?

- **Anxiety:** 120-250mg kavalactones/day (from noble kava root extract) - **Standardized extract:** 300mg extract standardized to 30-70% kavalactones, 2-3x/day - **WS 1490 (branded):** 300mg/day (...

Is Kava safe to take daily?

Kava is rated "Prescription Interactions" based on clinical evidence. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement.

Does Kava interact with any medications?

Kava has 6 known drug interactions, including interactions with Benzodiazepines, Alcohol, Hepatotoxic drugs (acetaminophen, statins, etc.). Check with your doctor before combining with prescription medications.

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Ingredient Research

Graded against 173,636 supplements + 177 published clinical interactions, sourced from PubMed, FDA CAERS, openFDA, NIH DSLD

Kava

MODERATE EVIDENCESupplementLast updated April 2026

AVELOR SUMMARY

Kava is a Pacific Island ceremonial plant with strong evidence for anxiety reduction, head-to-head comparable to benzodiazepines in some trials. Our research confirms it works through GABA modulation, not serotonergic pathways, making it one of the few natural anxiolytics that doesn't interact with SSRIs through serotonin. However, the hepatotoxicity signal, while likely related to poor-quality extracts and stem/leaf contamination, caused bans in several countries and remains the primary safety concern.

EVIDENCE GRADES

Generalized anxietyStrong, Cochrane review positive (PMID: 12535473)

B+

Insomnia (anxiety-related)Moderate

B-

Benzodiazepine withdrawal aidPreliminary positive data

C+

Stress and tensionModerate

B-

Muscle relaxationTraditional use; limited clinical data

OPTIMAL DOSAGE

Anxiety: 120-250mg kavalactones/day (from noble kava root extract)
Standardized extract: 300mg extract standardized to 30-70% kavalactones, 2-3x/day
WS 1490 (branded): 300mg/day (100mg 3x/day), most studied in clinical trials
Duration: Effects can be felt within 1-2 hours acutely. Chronic effects build over 1-4 weeks.
Noble cultivars ONLY, ignoble (tudei) kava is associated with adverse effects

Scan a supplement containing Kava

DRUG INTERACTIONS

BenzodiazepinesSevere

Additive GABA modulation → excessive sedation

AlcoholSevere

Additive CNS depression + additive hepatotoxicity

Hepatotoxic drugs (acetaminophen, statins, etc.)Severe

Additive liver stress

Levodopa (Parkinson's)Moderate

Kava has dopamine antagonist properties, may reduce levodopa effectiveness

CYP2E1 substratesModerate

Kava inhibits CYP2E1 (and other CYPs at high doses)

Sedatives / barbituratesSevere

Additive CNS depression

SAFETY PROFILE

Drug Interactions

⚠️ Hepatotoxicity Concern

Kava was banned in Germany, France, the UK, and other countries in 2002 after ~80 cases of hepatotoxicity, including some requiring liver transplant. Subsequent investigation found:

Most cases involved acetone or ethanol extracts (not traditional water extracts)
Stem peelings and leaves (which contain pipermethystine, a hepatotoxin) were often included
Noble root cultivars prepared as water extract have been used safely for 3,000+ years in Pacific cultures
Germany lifted its ban in 2015 after review
Risk is real but largely attributable to poor manufacturing, not kava itself

Our recommendation: Use only noble cultivar, root-only, water-extracted kava products from reputable manufacturers.

Pregnancy & Lactation

CONTRAINDICATED, insufficient safety data; potential uterotonic effects

WADA Status

Not Prohibited

HOW AVELOR SCORES THIS

Noble cultivar, root-only, water extract: score well

Acetone/ethanol extracts: flag with hepatotoxicity warning

Products not specifying cultivar or plant part: flag as potentially unsafe

Benzodiazepine/alcohol users: automatic SEVERE interaction alert

Liver disease or hepatotoxic medication users: automatic contraindication flag

Liver function testing recommended for use >3 months

Products claiming "no hepatotoxicity risk": flag, risk exists with non-noble/non-root products

CLINICAL REFERENCES

Reference identifiers on this page are being re-verified against PubMed. Some may not yet link to the paper named beside them.

, Pittler MH, Ernst E. Kava extract for treating anxiety. *Cochrane Database Syst Rev.* 2003.

(2003). PMID: 12535473

, Sarris J et al. Kava for generalised anxiety disorder: a 16-week double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial.

PMID: 16618018

, Teschke R, Schwarzenboeck A. Suspected hepatotoxicity by Cimicifugae racemosae rhizoma: the isopropanolic extract is not the cause.

PMID: 23635869

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Independently graded against 173,636 indexed supplements with 177 published clinical interactions, sourced from PubMed, FDA CAERS, openFDA, and NIH DSLD | Last updated: April 2026

Not medical advice. Based on published clinical research and systematic reviews.

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