Kava kava drink or tea: Health benefits including anxiety, stress, depression, insomnia and more

The biological name of Kava or kava-kava is Piper methysticum. It is also known as awa, avayaqona, and sakau in many households. The roots of the plant are used to produce a drink which are useful in anxiety, tension, restlessness relief, helps to improve sleep quality and useful in insomnia, boost mood and brain function, useful in depression,helps to fight lung cancer, bladder cancer, and prostate cancer, useful in treating phobias and addictions, good for nerves and menopausal symptom relief.

 

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Health benefits of kava kava

Useful in anxiety, tension and restlessness

In a study, Kava was judged to have a beneficial effect in the treatment of anxiety, tension and restlessness, without having any adverse effect on the liver.

Study indicates that kava kava exhibit therapeutic potential in generalizaed anxiety disorder. Kava may exert its favourable effects on anxiety by improving baroflex control of heart rate.

Another study, Kava is an effective treatment alternative to pharmaceuticals or antidepressants in the treatment of non-psychotic anxiety disorders.

Research study indicate, Kava was judged to be an effective and safe treatment of non-psychotic anxiety syndrome.

In meta-Analysis study Kava extract is safe and superior to placebo as a symptomatic treatment for anxiety. Therefore, kava extract is an herbal treatment option for anxiety that is worthy of consideration.

In other study, kava kava is effective in treating situationally induced anxiety.

The current weight of evidence supports the use of kava in treatment of anxiety with a significant result occurring in four out of six studies reviewed.

In another study, kava was judged to be well-tolerated and as effective as Buspirone and Opipramol in the acute treatment of out-patients suffering from Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

Insomnia

Study indicate that Kava and valerian root are effective in the treatment of stress-induced insomnia. According to another study, Kava was judged to be a safe and effective treatment for sleep disturbances associated with non-psychotic anxiety disorders.

In another study, Kava kava improves sleep quality in sleep-disturbed problems.

Improves mood and brain function

Intake of kava kava is useful in prevention and treatment of anxiety disorders, cognitive decline or dysfunction and mood disorders.

Study suggest that Kava Kava is a potent anxiety control agent, which, additionally, can facilitate cognitive functioning and can increase positive affectivity related to exhilaration. It enhances cognitive performance, visual attention and short-term memory retrieval and promote cheerful mood.

Another study indicate that kava was judged to improve the mood, particularly by reducing anxiety in perimenopausal women.

Depression

The aqueous Kava preparation produced significant anti-anxiety and antidepressant activity. Kava appears equally effective in cases where anxiety is accompanied by depression. The aqueous extract was found to be safe, with no serious adverse effects and no clinical liver damage or toxicity. Therefore, Kava is safe and effective in treating anxiety disorders and depression.

Anti-cancer

Studies indicates that the more kava consumed by a population the lower the cancer incidence for that population. The data suggests there is a close inverse relationship between cancer incidence and kava consumption.

Another study, Kava exhibits chemopreventive properties in lung cancer.

In a study, Kava contains a compound inhibits growth and induces programmed cell death of bladder cancer cells.

Compunds found in kava kava helps to induces programmed cell death in prostate cancer cells and reduces tumor growth.

Phobia treatment

In a case study, kava is effective in the treatment of anxiety disorder, simple phobia and specific social phobia.

Good for nerves

Kava kava dietary supplements helps to provide protection to the nerve system like brain and spinal cord. It helps to prevent and treat nerve degeneration related disorders.

Study indicate that  Kava contains a compound which protects against neurodegeneration.

Anti-inflammatory

Kava Kava exhibits anti-inflammatory properties which makes it useful in prevention and treatment of inflammation related diseases that occur due to oxidative stress. Study indicates that kava kava contains compounds with Cyclooxygenase enzyme inhibitory and antioxidant properties.

In another study, Kava has anti-inflammatory properties used in traditional Fijian medicine to treat urinary tract infections and asthma.

Alzheimer’s prevention

Studies has shown that kava contains compunds which protect neural cells against Alzheimer associated amyloid beta-peptide induced neuron toxicity.

Addiction natural remedy

The active ingredients found in kava, known as kavapyrones, have been found to bind to many sites in the brain that are associated with addiction and craving. Kava kava may be a useful component to the treatment of addictions including cravings of alcohol, tobacco, cocaine, and heroin.

Studies has shown that kava may contribute to ameliorating cravings in drug addiction.

Menopausal symptoms

Studies indicate that Kava is well tolerated effective against female climacteric (menopausal) symptoms including mood swings.