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Is Kava Tea Bad For Teens?
Kava Kava is a member of the pepper family "Piperaceae". It is an all natural root extract that is generally consumed as a herbal supplement or drink.
What is Kava tea?
The root of the kava plant is ground into a powder, mixed with water and consumed as a beverage.
Kava beverages is a popular social drink in the South Pacific region. Now, kava bars are springing up in the United States offering a variety of kava teas, juices and coffees.
Kava tea has many therapeutic uses:
- Kava tea is a powerful herbal antispasmodic especially useful for relieving nervous tension.
- Kava Kava is an anti-anxiety herb that almost instantly dissipates effects of many fears and apprehensions.
- It is an effective diuretic with anti-pathogenic properties.
- Kava tea is a carminative that improves appetite and digestion.
Kava Kava is also be used to treat rheumatism, asthma, worms, obesity, headaches, fungal infections, gonorrhea, vaginal infections, urinary infections, menstrual problems, migraine headaches, and insomnia.
Mild side effects of Kava tea include:
Numbing of the mouth, unpleasant taste, nausea, headache, drowsiness, and dizziness. Excessive consumption over a period of several weeks or months causes a temporary yellowing of the skin, hair and nails, red eyes, gastrointestinal complaints, loss of appetite, breathing problems and dry and peeling skin. These side effects were relieved upon discontinuation of the drink.
It isn't known if kava tea - which contain a less concentrated form of the herb - carries a risk of liver failure. The concern about liver damage mainly involves kava in its concentrated supplement form. So, don't make it an addiction.
What are the harmful effects of kava tea?
- Drinking too much kava tea can cause intoxication and impair your ability to drive.
- Signs and symptoms of intoxication include drowsiness, blurred vision and muscle weakness.
- Also, mixing alcohol with kava can increase these effects.
- One side-effect connected to the heavy consumption of kava is that of kava dermopathy - a scaly eruption of the skin. This goes away if use is stopped and is quite harmless.
Teens should avoid consumption of kava tea, unless for medicinal purposes:
Not for use by persons under 18 years of age.
Moderate consumption of kava tea does not appear to be particularly harmful, but over-use or habitual use of kava can lead to side effects as indolence, weakness, leg paralysis, and a scaly skin rash, which is said to be reversible when kava consumption is discontinued--as long as the consumption has not been very high over a prolonged period.
Warning:
- Consult a health professional before drinking kava tea if you have liver problems, frequently use alcoholic beverages, or taking any other medication.
- Not for use with alcoholic beverages. Excessive use, or use with products that cause drowsiness, may impair your ability to drive a vehicle.
- Kava tea should not be taken on a daily basis. Take frequent breaks from use. Short term side effect with high doses include disorientation and ataxia (loss of balance while walking).