Liquid Kava Tincture Effects, Benefits, Dosages & Safety [Review]

The Piper methysticum shrub, which has the more common name kava kava, grows in parts of the western Pacific and is used in several South Pacific countries, including Fiji and Vanuatu.

The roots of kava kava are used for making teas or oral supplements, such as tablets and powder. It is also available as liquid tinctures that are water-based or alcohol- or ethanol-based.

Kava kava is used for a number of purposes, such as stress management and anxiety reduction. Its ability to promote a relaxed emotional state has also led to its recreational use.

Kava tinctures offer consumers a concentrated form of this herbal extract that might have greater potency than pills, teas and powders.

Tinctures may provide as much as 12% Kavalactone content per dose, which is significantly more concentrated than the powder or oral capsules. Tinctures are also purported to be faster-acting and more rapidly absorbed in the body.

Those who want to use liquid kava tinctures should understand the different types that are available, as well as the effects of these tinctures and the risks associated with them.

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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Uses and Types of Kava Tinctures

Kava root tinctures are made by placing the roots of this plant in distilled water, alcohol or vegetable glycerin in order to create an herbal solution with a high concentration.

The kavalactones that produce the beneficial effects of kava are extracted into the solvent, which is then strained and bottled for later use.

Alcohol-based kava tinctures typically have a longer shelf-life than water-based tinctures, according to the American College of Healthcare Sciences. [1]

However, they might not be safe to use for those with liver problems or those who cannot tolerate alcohol. Tinctures made with water or glycerin can be used safely by most consumers.

Kava tinctures are used for inducing feelings of relaxation and reducing stress. They are also used for managing anxiety and depression.

Other uses for these tinctures include migraines and other headaches, epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome and menstrual discomfort.

Effects of Kava Tinctures

Beverages made from this plant have been used for over 1,500 years in the South Pacific. Drinking this beverage is said to induce a pleasant mood with mild psychoactive effects.

Kava root extract contains chemicals known as kavalactones, which support pain relief, relaxation and improved sleep quality, according to the National Institutes of Health. [2]

Extracts from this plant have been identified as facilitating GABA transmission in the brain. This herb may also interact with dopamine and serotonin receptors, but more research is required to understand this mechanism.

These phytochemicals are associated with analgesic, anxiolytic and sedative effects. When kava products are used recreationally, they promote feelings of calmness, although they do not produce a high.

According to the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, Kava tinctures might be effective for anxiety. A 2013 study that was published in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology found that this herb can help with reducing symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. [3]

Some studies have found this plant extract to exert a neuroprotective effect, meaning that it may help to prevent certain forms of neuronal damage. The constituents methysticin and dihydromethysticin as well as the pyrones are purported to have anticonvulsive, spasmolytic, and antimycotic effects.

Although kava tinctures are used for other purposes, the NMCD states that there is not enough evidence on the effectiveness of its use for insomnia, depression, headaches and other conditions. [4]

How to Use Kava Tinctures

Consumers can find kava tinctures at online retailers, including Amazon and GNC, as well as local stores that sell supplements. Brands such as NOW Foods, 1Hour Break, Kona Kava and Herb Pharm make kava tinctures, many of which are made with glycerin rather than alcohol.

There are no standardized recommended dosages of kava tinctures issued by the US FDA. Consumers who want to use these tinctures should check with their doctor to see how much is safe for them to take based on their overall health and age.

The experience of a large number of consumers who have used kava tinctures for stress relief indicates that these products are effective at promoting a calm state of mind and encouraging social behavior.

Some consumers also reported that these products have improved their sleep quality, reduced muscle tension, help to curb their appetite and make them feel less irritable.

A small percentage of consumers have reported that kava tinctures were ineffective for anxiety, stress relief and insomnia or other sleep problems.

Risks of Kava Tinctures

Kava has been associated with liver damage in some consumers. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that there have been over 30 cases reported in Europe among kava users. [5]

It has not been determined whether the use of kava alone raises the risk of liver damage or if taking kava and other medications increases this risk. These adverse effects are believed to be attributed to low-quality extracts made with industrial solvents.

Kava tinctures made with ethanol or alcohol have a higher risk of causing liver damage, buttinctures that are water-based are not associated with hepatotoxic effects.

A 2009 study published in Psychopharmacology found that aqueous extracts of kava did not produce harmful effects on the liver or cause any other adverse reactions. [6]

In general, kava is well tolerated for most healthy consumers when high-quality water extract products are used in small or medium dosages for 4 weeks or less at a time.

Consumers who are pregnant or nursing should not use kava tinctures or other products that contain this herb due to the possible harmful effects on women in these conditions, according to the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. [4]

There is concern that pyrone constituents found in products made with this plant could cause a loss of uterine tone. These constituents could also pass from breast milk to nursing babies.

Consumers with liver disease and those who take any medications that impact the liver should not use kava tinctures without talking to a doctor first.

Long-term use of kava products or large doses of these products might increase the risk of side effects. These include partial hearing loss, appetite loss and hair loss.

Consumers should also be aware tinctures might interact with certain medications. Some of these include anticonvulsants, anti-anxiety medications and diuretics. Consumers who use these medications should consult their doctor before using kava tinctures.

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