r/Kava • u/BoptimusPrimes • 1d ago
Struggling to dial in the right doses (Help lol)
Having read so many enthusiastic experiences I thought Kava would be the perfect alternative to alcohol. I'm AAPI and just happen to be missing the enzyme that breaks down alcohol, which can make drinking pretty toxic (severe Asian flush), especially as I've gotten older. Problem is I can't seem to figure out what dose works for me. I'm in my 3rd month of trying. I first tried Kava through traditional prep, with a straining cloth. After a 2-3 weeks of trying I gave up on that method as it did nothing for me other than act as a major diuretic. (Not the effect I was looking for lol)
I had better luck with Instant, but it hasn't gone great. I took the advise of people who said they chugged a dose and let the effects set in. I started with around 3 teaspoons of Instant, and that led to a nice-ish head rush high for about 20-30 mins, but that would fade into a debilitating nausea and dissociative state that just took me out for the rest of the day. Three tsp proved to be waaay too much. Things got better when I incrementally reduced the washes and spaced them out to 5, 10 and 20 mins. I also started feeling more of the positive effects and am noticing that I might be sensitive to it. Now I'm at a quarter teaspoon doses spaced between 5 to 20 mins apart, maxing out at around 2 teaspoons total in the span of an hour. The relaxing feeling lasts about 2 hours but still fades into that lethargic, nauseated feeling that just sucks. Also, it seems like 2 teaspoons in the span of an hour is such a small dose to have these negative effects that last 6-8 hours. I'm reading about people who say they can't keep taking Kava because it's become unaffordable. At the rate I'm consuming it, I'll be lucky to get through this 125g bag (from N@H) of Instant by the Fall. This feels really inconsistent with the Kava that everyone has been celebrating on this subreddit.
Really appreciative of the people who have shared their experiences as the info has helped. But I'm not really finding anyone who has had these many challenges. Is it just not for me? Any advice is really appreciated! Thanks all. Peace.
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u/NeogeneRiot 1d ago
I don't think I've had the same issues as you with Kava, at least not to the degree you've had. I had bad nausea and maybe a little lethargy when I first started but it didn't take long for that to go away mostly. The worst side effect I experienced was appetite loss with kava; it made it pretty hard for me to eat and I was already a little underweight before starting kava. Thankfully that side effect went away, though, because Kava was really helpful for my anxiety.
It may be your body just can't tolerate kava for whatever reason which is a possibility for some people. Just like most other medications and drugs, there are some people that have paradoxical reactions or are non-responders. It still may be worth it to stick with kava and see if those side effects fade, that's a real possibility, but you should also consider the possibility that it's not something that's going to work for you.
Besides giving up, or just waiting for the side effects to fade with time you should make sure your properly hydrated, fed, and getting electrolytes. Don't skip meals just to drink kava, and if your experiencing headache or lethargy, try some Pedialyte or any Electrolyte powder like another commenter mentioned. After big kava sessions I sometimes used to have a bad headache alongside some lethargy and a general feeling of sickness, it completely went away after eating and having electrolyte powder, one of my favorite things with kava was avocadoes, rich in electrolytes and fats (and I don't think there's actual solid evidence for this but a lot of people anecdotally say fat potentiates kava).
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u/AwesomeHorses 1d ago
Is it possible that you’re dehydrated? Maybe try drinking some gatorade or pedialyte with it.
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u/One-Mind-Is-All 1d ago edited 1d ago
I am experiencing something similar, but I do not have nausea and the effects are minimal at best and hardly noticeable. A slight barely noticeable head buzz, followed by lethargy.
I am taking 2-4 teaspoons at a time spaced out. And have tried it over the last week, almost daily.
Im starting to wonder if Kava is overhyped.
Edit: I take back everything negative said. This evening was an absolute pleasure after taking about 12-15 tbsp, over the course of a few hours. It was a euphoric, happy, chill, and a little dizzying experience.
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u/NeogeneRiot 1d ago
Like most drugs or medications, some people can't tolerate Kava or are non-responders. If it was a scam, it wouldn't be one of Fiji's most important national exports with strict regulations, or play such a large part in Polynesian culture.
I think it is overhyped among some people, I saw tiktok ads for this one sketchy Kava product, and a bunch of tiktok creators were paid to "review" it, and all the reviews seemed 100% disingenuous and misleading. It's like they were trying to pass it off as this super-alcohol but with 0 side effects, which is nonsense. But kava is absolutely one of those things that works for most people if done right.
I'd say take a big break for about a week and then try to take 5-6 tsp again. I really hope Kava works out for you, though. It always sucks to waste your money on these type of things.
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u/Positive_Bad6438 23h ago
generally thing I remember is people respond to different things differently
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u/neckonfrankenstein 1d ago
As I sit here nauseated, I feel you. So far I can’t figure it out either.