How much kavalactone is in kava powder?

How much kavalactone is in kava powder?

In traditional markets in Fiji and Vanuatu, locals wash, slice, and sun-dry the kava roots before pounding them into a fine powder in a stone mortar. This original "kava extract powder" is extracted from the entire lateral roots and rhizomes of the kava plant. Laboratory tests of hundreds of batches have shown that kavalactone levels consistently range from 3% to 20%:

Pure kava powder—around 15% is the most common;
Kava powder (root and leaves)—often only around 5%;
Old Kava Root—occasionally reaches 18%–20%.

Is kava harmful to the liver?

The German Food and Drug Administration's ban in 2002 brought kava to the forefront of public opinion. Later, I discovered:
The problems almost always stem from taking kava extract combined with alcohol and painkillers.
The islanders have been drinking kava in its traditional cold-water infusion method for thousands of years, yet their incidence of liver disease is lower than the European and American average. Furthermore, kava's "flavokavain B"—a trace flavonoid found in the stems and leaves—only harms the liver at high doses in animal studies.
Therefore, short-term consumption of kava root powder infused with water or low-alcohol ethanol (≤30%) is not a problem.
People with hepatitis, daily alcohol consumption, or those taking acetaminophen should avoid taking kava directly.

How long does the high from kava pepper last?

First-time kava users experience a numbness in the tip of their tongue and a lightening of the shoulders after 15 minutes, with the effects becoming more pronounced after 30 minutes. A dose of 150 mg of total kavalactones will show signs of mild symptoms after about two hours.
A dose of 300 mg will still have a stimulating effect after four hours, but drowsiness will begin.
Replenishing a glass of kava every half hour can extend the effect to six hours, but this is only recommended for athletes and should not be used as a daily dose.

How much kava can relieve anxiety?

The most rigorous clinical trial conducted by researchers in Germany involved dividing anxiety patients into two groups: one receiving 120 mg of kavalactones daily and the other 240 mg. After eight weeks, the anxiety scores of six adults in the high-dose group were reduced by half. Daily experience:

Mild anxiety: 70–100 mg of kavalactones/day, taken twice a day with warm water after meals.

Moderate anxiety: 150–200 mg/day for four to six weeks.

Severe anxiety is not recommended for self-administration; it requires scientific treatment.
Dosage:
10% pure root powder, approximately 1g at a time;
30% extract capsules, 300–600mg at a time.

How to choose kava powder? 

Part: Only "kava root" or "rhizome" is recognized. Extracts from stems and leaves are directly accepted.

Report: HPLC-measured total lactone content ≥ 10%, with the percentage of each of the six major lactones (kavain, methysticin, yangonin, etc.) clearly stated.

Process: Water extraction or 30% ethanol extraction. Avoid acetone extraction, no matter how cheap.

Safety: Complete aflatoxin, pesticide residue, and heavy metal certifications are available.

Packaging: Vacuum-wrapped aluminum foil, light-proof, with batch traceability. Xi'an Sost Biotech has been producing plant extracts for 20 years, with kava being one of its flagship products.
Specifications: Available in 15%, 30%, and 70% extracts, with flavonoid removal options available.
Minimum order: 1 kg. We can process capsules, tablets, and instant powders.
Certificate: Each batch includes an English COA, complete with HPLC, microbiological, heavy metal, and pesticide residue testing.

Contact Information
Email: ericyang@xasost.com