, and
liver failure. Do not take kava if you have liver problems or take medications that can affect the
liver. Stop taking kava and seek emergency medical attention if you have liver symptoms such as
nausea,
You should not take kava if you are pregnant. Kava may cause
weaken muscle tone in the uterus.
Avoid drinking alcohol while taking kava. Alcohol may increase your risk of liver
damage.
Cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and
medicine for seizures, depression or anxiety can add to sleepiness caused by kava. Tell your
doctor if you need to use any of these other medicines while you are taking kava.
Kava has not been approved by the FDA to treat any disease, and it should not be
substituted for prescription medications.
Kava has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or purity. All potential
risks and/or advantages of this product may not be known. Additionally, there are no regulated
manufacturing standards in place for these compounds. Some marketed herbal supplements have
been found to be contaminated with toxic metals or other drugs. Herbal/health supplements
should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize the risk of contamination.
What is kava?
Kava is also known as Piper methysticum, awa, kava-kava, kew, tonga, ava, ava pepper,
intoxicating pepper, kawa, kava pepper, kava root, rauschpfeffer, sakau, tonga, wurzelstock, and
yangona.
Kava has been used to induce and improve sleep, and to decrease anxiety, nervousness,
stress, and restlessness.
Kava has not been approved by the FDA to treat any disease, and it should not be
substituted for prescription medications.
Kava may also have uses other than those listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking kava?
Before taking kava, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, herbalist, or other healthcare
provider. You may not be able to use this product if you have liver or kidney disease, or certain
other medical conditions or allergies.
Kava has been shown to cause severe liver injury including hepatitis, cirrhosis, and
liver failure. Do not take kava if you have liver problems or take medications that can affect the
liver.
Do not take kava without first talking to your doctor if you are depressed or if you are
being treated for depression.
Kava may increase drowsiness when taken with substances that cause drowsiness,
including antidepressants, alcohol, sedatives (used to treat insomnia), pain relievers, anxiety
medicines, and muscle relaxants. Do not take kava without first talking to your doctor if you take
any prescription or over-the-counter medicine or herbal/health supplement, that makes you
drowsy.
You should not take kava if you are pregnant. Kava may cause
weaken muscle tone in the uterus.
Do not take kava without telling your doctor if you are
breast-feeding a baby. It is not known whether kava will be harmful to a nursing infant.
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