Will Drinking Kava Tea Make You High? [Experiences Reports]

Will drinking Kava tea produce a mental high? While this herbal tea can lift your mood and promote relaxation, it does not cause a “buzzed” or “high” sensation in the majority of users.

The effects of drinking kava beverages differ from person to person. Some describe a mild brightening effect and greater mental clarity. Others say it makes them feel calmer, more comfortable in social settings and helps them fall asleep.

High dosages of this plant extract can result in an intoxicated sensation, but the dose provided by most kava tea products is not sufficient to cause such a response.

Kava kava tea is made from the roots of the Piper methystricum plant, a shrub that grows on various islands in the Pacific Ocean.

The roots and rhizomes of the plant are crushed and then infused in water to release bioactive chemicals called kavalactones. Drinks made with this plant have been prepared for more than 3000 years according to some estimates.

Kava

Herbal Supplement

Anxiety

Mood

Sleep

How It Works:

• Reduces feeling of anxiety & stress
• Improves feeling of wellbeing
• Shown to improve sleep & insomnia

Dosage:

Between 100 - 300 mg per day

Safety:

Rated Possibly Safe

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Can Kava Kava Tea Get You High?

Many people drink kava kava to help them calm down and relieve stress. [1] It appears to have pain-relieving properties and can promote a numbing effect in the muscles and extremities.

According to one source, “For 3,000 years, the indigenous people of the South Pacific have quaffed kava. As a daily libation among native men and women, kava is most usually consumed at the end of the workday, and the ritual of kava preparation and drinking affords both a social time and an opportunity for individual reflection.”

Today, in some U.S. cities, kava teas, cocktails and smoothies are being served in bars instead of alcoholic beverages.

While some people do use kava drinks as a legal alternative to alcohol, preparing this herb in the form of a tea does not typically result in a “high” sensation.

The mechanisms of action for kava in the brain are not yet well understood. However, kavalactones are believed alter the signalling of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, noradrenaline and GABA.

The active ingredients identified in this plant extract are Kavalactone compounds including methysticin, dihydromethysticin (DMH), yangonin, dihydrokawain (DHK) and kawain).

Boiling this plant at high dosages required to make tea can destroy the active alkaloids and make the beverage less potent. This may be one reason why consuming this plant in the form of a tea is not likely to induce a “high” sensation.

Many kava users compare the effects of this beverage to drinking low doses of alcohol without inhibiting mental function or affecting judgement. The effects of the tea seem to be more soothing than intoxicating.
However, in high dosages, it is possible to display signs of intoxication and other side effects.

According to the Mental Health Research Institute of Victoria, “Kava intoxication is characterized by specific abnormalities of movement coordination and visual attention but normal performance of complex cognitive functions.” [2]

Kava Tea Effects

Researchers from South Dakota State University report that kava demonstrates anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anxiolytic (anti-anxiety), anti-stress, anticonvulsant, sedative, neuroprotective and local anesthetic properties. [3]

These effects are attributed to the kavalactones including dihydromethysticin, dihydrokawain, methysticin, kawain, yangonin, and others.

Some of the ways that Kavalactone are believed to act in the brain include:

• Increasing ligand binding to type A GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) receptors;
• Inhibiting a dopamine-degrading enzyme called monoamine oxidase B (MAOB);
• Reducing synaptic reuptake of norepinephrine (noradrenaline);
• Slowing the release of certain excitatory neurotransmitters;
• Inhibiting voltage-gated sodium ion channels;

The plant chemicals in kava kava are also believed to suppress a signaling molecule called eicosanoid thromboxane A2, which is known to antagonize type A GABA receptors. [3]

Kava Tea for Anxiety and Sleep

According to the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database (NMCD), some evidence suggests that kava may induce sedative effects by increasing the number of GABA ligand binding sites. [1]

In other words, it may cause more GABA receptors to be present on neurons in certain parts of the brain. This can increase GABAergic signalling, which is associated with anxiolytic and sedative effects

Preliminary evidence suggests that some aspects of the emotional high produced by this plant may be caused by dopamine antagonism attributed to vangonin. [1] [3] [4]

Kava may also affect a complex set of brain structures called the limbic system which include the amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, basal ganglia, and cingulate gyrus.

The limbic system is involved in emotional regulation, behavior control, motivation, memory and more. This plant extract may inhibit excitatory signaling in the limbic system to promote anti-anxiety effects without sedation. [3]

Users describe taking kava as making them feel more content, happy and sociable. This herb has been said anecdotally to relieve panic attacks, reduce over-active thoughts and make it easier to achieve restful sleep at night.

In a 2016 research study from the University of Sydney, it was reported that, “In clinical trials, kava extracts are superior to placebo in reducing anxiety, and are generally well tolerated with negligible to mild side effects.” [5]

Kava Kava Tea Recipe

It is easy to prepare kava tea at home from the raw plant, bulk powder or by using pre-packaged tea bags like those sold under the Kava Stress Relief brand from Yogi Tea.

Making kava in the traditional manner is straightforward. The first step is to crush kava roots and rhizomes into a pulpy substance, and then place them in a porous bag.

The bag with the crushed kava is then submerged in water, and then kneaded to extract the active compounds. After leaving sufficient time for the beverage to steep, the phytochemicals from the roots should form a solution with the water, resulting in a dark, muddy-looking beverage.

This drink can be served hot or cold. While hot teas are preferred by some to colder beverages, boiling the water can make the plant less effective by destroying some of the delicate alkaloid content.

Kava tea is purported by some to look like dirty water and taste unpleasant or bitter. Some others claim that the taste is earthy and can become enjoyable with regular use.

Kava Tea Side Effects

Is kava tea safe to consume or can it cause dangerous side effects? This plant was previously associated with more than 100 reports of severe liver toxicity.

People developed symptoms of hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver and liver failure after taking this plant extract in certain low-quality alcohol extract forms. Some individuals required liver transplant to remedy the damage and some cases were fatal.

Several countries responded by banning the sale of kava products. However, researchers argue that in most cases the adverse effects were the result of kava drinks being combined with alcohol and other drugs.

According to the Medicines Control Agency (M.C.A.) which was tasked with reviewing the safety of this plan, “no case has been identified with a causality classification of certain.” This means there was no single incidence where kava was determined to cause a serious adverse reaction beyond a reasonable doubt.

As of 2018, most countries have lifted their kava bans and now allow water-based extracts of the roots of the herb to be sold as dietary supplements.

Low-quality alcohol and acetone extraction processes are believed to have been at fault in some cases. Using the above-ground parts of the plant may have also contributed to liver damage. [6]

According to a 2016 journal article, “Despite reports of alleged kava-induced hepatotoxicity which led to the withdrawal and restriction of kava in several countries, systematic reviews and meta-analyses conducted over the last 15 years found a clear positive benefit-to-risk ratio for kava.” [5]

While use of kava tea prepared appropriately is not likely to cause liver damage, it can result in some mild side effects. Some of the side effects associated with drinking this herbal tea include headache, stomach upset, enlarged pupils, drowsiness and dizziness.

Others include dry mouth, flatulence, allergic reactions, involuntary twisting motions and disturbances in oculomotor equilibrium. [1]

Kava may also interact negatively with certain health conditions, medications and supplements. You should seek medical advice before using this product if you have been diagnosed with a medical condition or are currently taking prescription drugs.

NMCD states that even normal doses of kava can impair driving ability and make it dangerous to operate heavy machinery. DUI citations have been issued because of excessive consumption of this beverage.

Do not mix kava tea with alcohol or other “legal highs” to increase its euphoriant effects. Combining this herb with other psychoactive substances could result in serious and unexpected adverse reactions.

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