Kava for Anxiety: Effectiveness, Side Effects, & Dosage

What Is Kava?

The kava plant is a shrub that belongs to the pepper family that grows throughout the Pacific Islands. Considered sacred in these societies, kava is traditionally served as a drink during significant events such as weddings and funerals. Kava is also considered an herbal remedy, making it popular with those looking for more natural ways to manage symptoms such as anxiety. Other uses for kava include pain reliever, muscle relaxant, and insomnia relief.^2,3,4

Kava is not currently regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This can lead to inconsistencies across kava-related products, meaning you may not always know how much, what kind you are, or where you’re getting kava.

Kava Forms & Doses

Kava can be found in several different forms, including tea, liquid, powder, and capsules. When buying kava, look for products that clearly list kavalactone content and all other ingredients. Most experts recommend not exceeding a kavalactone dosage of 250 mg daily.⁵ When considering taking a supplement, it is important to check with your doctor first.

Kava is available in the following forms and doses:

• Kava tea: Kava can be blended and brewed in hot water to produce kava tea. It can also be combined with other herbs known to have relaxing effects. Up to three cups of kava tea are recommended daily.
• Kava liquid: Kava can be found in a liquid form, often called a tincture. Kava in liquid form is more concentrated than in other forms, and a small dose is recommended. The FDA does not provide recommended guidelines on how to use kava in liquid form, so seek out trusted brands of kava liquid and follow the directions on the bottle.
• Kava powder and capsules: In powder form, kava can be used to make a drink or can be put into capsules and swallowed. For adults, the expert recommended a daily dose of kava as a dietary supplement capsule, which is one to three capsules or 60-250 mg of kavalactones for a duration of one to two months.²

Does Kava Help With Anxiety?

While overall, more research is needed to understand how kava affects anxiety, there is some existing research that shows kava to have a mild sedative effect, which may help individuals who struggle with anxiety symptoms.⁶ Kava promotes feelings of calmness, elevates mood and contentment, and may improve sleep, all of which can help to calm anxiety.⁶

One study indicated that kava caused similar improvements in brain wave activity to benzodiazepines, a widely used class of anti-anxiety medications. This suggests that kava may produce similar calming effects to other anti-anxiety drugs.⁶ Benzodiazepines can have unwanted side effects as well as the potential for addiction. Due to these risks, kava can be an attractive alternative treatment for anxiety.

Kava for Social Anxiety

Kava has been most widely studied for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD); however, researchers are expanding into other diagnoses under the umbrella of anxiety. One study documented symptom improvement of 75% for an individual who had both GAD and social anxiety after a 4-week round of kava treatment.⁷

Since kava is documented as having calming effects, it may be helpful for individuals who experience social anxiety to promote feelings of relaxation prior to gatherings, interviews, meetings, or other triggering events.

Kava for Panic Attacks

Kava may be helpful for people as an alternative treatment to rescue medications for panic attacks because it can stop rumination, which is often a trigger for panic attacks. Furthermore, research indicates kava as an effective short-term treatment for anxiety, but not for longer than eight weeks at a time.⁹ Therefore, it may be best used for peaks in anxiety, such as panic attacks, rather than a long-term treatment for anxiety symptoms.

How Much Kava Should Someone Take for Anxiety?

When considering taking kava for anxiety, the expert recommended effective dosage range of kavalactones is 70-250 mg.⁸ Dosing may be found in milligrams (mg) or as a percentage. Percentages can be converted to milligrams. Consider starting at the lowest recommended dosage and gradually increasing as needed.

When using herbal supplements like kava for anxiety, it’s important to remember that there can be negative side effects despite the natural origin of the product. Therefore, only use these supplements when needed, at recommended doses, and for recommended periods of time. Stay aware of new research and recommendations from experts. Most experts recommend not using kava for longer than three months.

Kava & Anxiety Medications

Experts recommend not mixing kava with other anxiety medications. Kava can increase the effects of central nervous system medications like benzodiazepines. Since both kava and anxiety medications tend to have sedative effects, this could lead to issues with concentration, dizziness, or drowsiness.⁶ This may put you in compromising positions, so it is best to speak with a doctor if you have any concerns about kava interacting with your anxiety medications.

Kava for Anxiety Side Effects & Risks

There are many factors specific to each individual that may alter the short-term and long-term effects associated with kava for anxiety use. It is always best to talk to a healthcare professional you trust before starting any new medication or supplement, including kava. Though research has been conflicting, kava use has been linked to liver damage, particularly when taken with alcohol or in extract form.^4,9 Kava for anxiety use is especially not recommended if you are already taking anti-anxiety medications, anti-seizure medications, or diuretics.

Kava for Disorders That Co-Occur With Anxiety

Research shows that kava can improve symptoms of several disorders and conditions related to anxiety, including depression, insomnia, and stress.^6,7,9 These conditions can trigger anxiety symptoms, so it may be beneficial to speak with your doctor about exploring kava to help with mood regulation, muscle tension, and fatigue.⁷

Kava may help with the following disorders that co-occur with anxiety:

• Depression: Depression and anxiety are common co-occurring disorders. Kava is documented as elevating mood, which may help with irritability caused by anxiety and low mood caused by depression.⁶
• Insomnia: Insomnia and anxiety commonly co-occur when someone has issues with restlessness and difficulty controlling worry. Kava may be used to help someone get to sleep or stay asleep by promoting feelings of calmness as a mild sedative before bed.
• Stress: Kava is documented as promoting feelings of well-being and contentment, which can help combat stress and anxiety. Kava is also documented as helping with muscle tension and fatigue, which are also common during periods of stress.⁷

When to Seek Professional Help for Anxiety

Anxiety is a very real challenge for many, and it’s important to remember that you are not expected to treat anxiety on your own. If you are experiencing distress in any area of your life as a result of your anxiety, you might want to talk to a therapist. If you’re not sure where to start, try an online therapist directory to find a therapist. While there are many online therapy options for anxiety, you may benefit from finding therapy in person.

Treatment for Anxiety

There are many treatments for anxiety that one can explore aside from kava for anxiety. For some, lifestyle changes are enough to calm their anxiety. For others, working with a mental health professional can help to develop coping skills for anxiety. In some cases, medication may be prescribed to help treat anxiety. Each individual struggling with anxiety may need a different combination of these treatment options in order to treat their anxiety.

Treatment options for anxiety include:

Therapy

Therapy works to address both the symptoms and root causes of anxiety. There are many options for anxiety therapy available, like individual counseling, group therapy, and support groups. Therapists can identify a frequency and duration of sessions that may best help each individual, though weekly sessions are often recommended at the start of therapy.

Effective types of therapy for anxiety include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): Using CBT for anxiety can help change negative thought patterns that fuel anxiety. Additionally, CBT can address behaviors, such as avoidance, that may relate to anxiety.
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): DBT for anxiety can provide skills for mindfulness, distress tolerance, and emotional regulation. Learning skills that address each of these areas can help in the treatment of anxiety.
• Exposure therapy: Exposure therapy for anxiety can help with fear and avoidance common in anxiety. In this type of therapy, therapists create a safe environment for repeated exposure to objects, activities, or situations that cause distress, reducing anxiety over time.
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR): EMDR for anxiety uses directed eye movements paired with imagining distressing scenarios. Through EMDR, attention is shifted to more positive thoughts, helping to decrease anxiety.
• Safe and sound protocol (SSP): The SSP is a music-based therapy. Evidence has shown that listening to the SSP is effective in treating anxiety, as it helps with emotional regulation and a sense of safety.
• Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT): ACT can be an effective therapy for the treatment of anxiety. ACT for anxiety teaches skills for ending the struggle with anxiety and can help take actions that are more aligned with values as opposed to based on anxiety.

Medication

Some people are prescribed medication as part of their anxiety treatment plan, often in combination with therapy. Starting a prescribed medication can feel like a big decision, and it’s important to find a psychiatrist you trust. Anxiety medication can work well alongside therapy.

Common medications prescribed for anxiety include:

• Antidepressants: SSRIs, SNRIs, and tricyclic antidepressants may be prescribed for anxiety. Taking these antidepressants may help anxiety by increasing the amount of chemicals such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine available in the brain.
• Beta blockers: Beta blockers can block the effects of neurotransmitters that relate to the fight-or-flight response. Beta blockers may best help with short-term, situational anxiety.
• Benzodiazepines: Benzodiazepines can be effective in the treatment of anxiety; however, they do come with the risk of misuse and addiction. Benzodiazepines work to increase calming chemicals in the brain.
• Buspirone: Buspirone is an anxiolytic that can be prescribed for the treatment of anxiety. Buspirone can treat short-term symptoms associated with GAD.

Lifestyle Changes

Joyful movement and exercise can decrease anxiety by releasing feel-good chemicals. Additionally, learning and practicing mindfulness for anxiety, as well as regulating breathing exercises, may help to relax anxiety. Making these lifestyle changes can be difficult, but change can start with setting a specific goal.

Common lifestyle changes to help cope with anxiety include:

• Getting regular exercise
• Practicing meditation for anxiety
• Maintaining a healthy diet while focusing on foods that help anxiety
• Getting enough sleep
• Setting healthy boundaries around screen time, including the use of social media
• Practicing breathing exercises for anxiety
• Limiting alcohol and caffeine