New research indicates there are advantages to using kava to treat anxiety, rather than pharmaceutical drugs or alcohol.
A University of Queensland trial of 60 people with chronic levels of anxiety has found anxiety dropped significantly in participants who took five kava tablets a day compared to those who took placebo pills.
Lead researcher, Jerome Sarris, says the trial shows that kava offers a natural alternative for the treatment of anxiety without some of the risks of conventional drugs
"It compares from what we can see looking at our data, quite favorably compared to the other two options because benzodiazepines have been associated with issues of cognitive side effects as well as the potential for dependency, and anti-depressants while effective can also illicit some side effects in people."
Jerome Sarris says people do not lose their mental clarity when they take kava, as they do when they consume alcohol.
