In this article, I’m going to teach you how to use kava kava for opiate withdrawal. Kava kava, also known simply as kava, is a plant that is native to the Western Pacific. Kava is widely consumed throughout Pacific Ocean cultures of Polynesia for its sedative (calming) and anesthetic (painkilling) properties.
Kava has the rare ability to induce relaxation while simultaneously improving mental clarity and cognitive function.
Cultures throughout the Pacific have a great respect for kava and hold it in the highest regard. In the picture above, young women in Somoa are preparing Kava in a “kava bowl”. These Pacific cultures frequently hold kava ceremonies, which often accompany important political, religious and social functions.
Table of Contents
How Kava Treats Opiate Withdrawal Symptoms
Many opiate abusers have used Kava for opiate withdrawal anxiety, depression, and insomnia. The active ingredients in kava are known as kavalactones.
These kavalactones induce effects similar to alcohol such as:
- Relaxation
- Talkativeness
- Euphoria
However, unlike alcohol, kava induces these effects while still maintaining mental clarity in the user.
The kavalactones in kava contain the following properties:
- Anxiolytic (anti-anxiety)
- Analgesic (painkilling)
- Muscle relaxing
- Anticonvulsant (anti-seizure)
The following pharmacological actions have been reported for kava and/or it’s main active ingredients:
- Potentiation of GABAA receptor activity – Leads to an increase in GABA (our natural Valium) levels in the brain. Promotes mental relaxation and restful sleep.
- Inhibits the reuptake of dopamine and norepinephrine – Leads to an increase in pleasure, euphoria, and concentration.
- Agonism of the CB1 receptor – Leads to very mild effects similar to those of THC, an active ingredient in marijuana.
Since kava has these diverse methods of action in the brain, using kava for opiate withdrawal can relieve a variety of symptoms, including:
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
- Sore muscles and aching limbs
- Depression
- Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)
- Insomnia
Health Concerns Regarding the Use of Kava
Despite all of the amazing benefits of kava, there is still a lingering myth that kava can cause liver toxicity from taking the recommended dosage for just a couple of months.
The following passage is quoted directly from the article Kava: The anti-anxiety herb is making a comeback, written by Chris Kilham, an ethnobotanist on the Medical Advisory board of the Dr. OZ show that has conducted medicinal research in over 40 countries.
In 2001, Duke University Medical Center conducted two studies on kava extract. One study showed that kava is safe for the liver, causing no noticeable problems. The other study revealed that kava extract is as effective for the treatment of anxiety as the benzodiazepine class of drugs (Xanax, Valium), without the hazards caused by those medicines. Out of the blue, one week prior to the publication of the Duke studies, a European-based report declared, contrary to all previous known medical science, that kava had caused liver toxicity in 21 people.
Kava sales crashed, insurance companies panicked, European health regulators over-reacted and Pacific islanders were left with there pockets turned out. It took several years, and the dedicated efforts of many medical research teams to establish that the kava liver toxicity report was shoddy and baseless. But the damage to kava was done. To this day, despite absolutely no evidence of liver toxicity among kava drinkers, and despite liver safety demonstrated in medical studies, kava still carries the taint of concerns over liver toxicity.”
My Experience Using Kava
Though I never used kava for opiate withdrawal (I didn’t know about it several years ago), I recently used it for the first time to ease my neck tension. My dad is a Master Herbalist that has trained over 10,000 people in herbal medicine over the past three decades. Not too long ago, he let me inhale some blueberry flavored kava vapor oil out of his vaporizer.
Within minutes I was experiencing a euphoric, relaxing high that improved my focus and led to me becoming more talkative and social.
My neck tension instantly dissipated, and I quickly found myself in a great mood that lasted for about two hours. The next day I went to the health food store and bought some kava tea. I now drink kava tea once or twice a week to chill out and improve my mood naturally.
How to Use Kava for Opiate Withdrawal
Using kava for opiate withdrawal is very simple. You can use kava tea, kava capsules, kava tinctures, kava extracts etc. The ABSOLUTE BEST kava product I’ve ever tried is Top Extracts 70% Kavalactones Kava (Read review…). It’s a very reputable company with extremely high-quality products.
Best Way to Use Kava for Opiate Withdrawal
The strongest natural way to use kava for opiate withdrawal is to use an Opiate Withdrawal Supplement that contains this ingredient and more.
I highly recommend using an Opiate Withdrawal Supplement which may lead to the following natural benefits during opiate withdrawal:
- Calms the nervous system
- Enhances mood and euphoria
- Helps you fall and stay asleep
- Relaxes muscles
- Relieves pain
- Eases restlessness and restless legs
- Eases stomach discomfort
- Fights fatigue and gives you a natural energy boost that is relaxing
- Relieves anxiety
If you can afford it, I also highly recommend taking this awesome supplement, because the benefits are just too good to pass up.
Click here now to view my best home detox program.
If you have any comments or questions on the use of kava kava for opiate withdrawal, please post them in the comment box below.
Hi so I been on suboxone 8 mg 3 time’s a day for 3 years now and I’ll like to get off. So can you take feel free kava with suboxone to help coming off suboxone. Or how long do I have to wait to take kava to help withdrawals.
Do kava pills work if I take a high enough dose? Thought about using those combined with loperamide for the acute symptoms. A lot of people say pills are inactive. But the bottle says 60mg kavalactones in each pill. If I use about 10 of those surely I’d get a relaxing effect.
I have been on Xanax for sleep for almost 20 years and want to get off of it. I was successful last year getting off Zoloft after 23 years, tapering down over almost 11 months. It was difficult but I did it and I thought doing the same with the Xanax would be easier. I’m finding it far more difficult. I’m at a low dose, just .25-.50 mg per night. The cycle I’m in now is I try to take .25 or even half of that for several nights, get very little sleep, and then on the 4th night need to take .5 or even .75 to get sleep. Then start it all over again. I was consistently able to get by on 0.25 until March when I was very sick and had to be on steroids and albuterol. These made me more shaky and anxious and the amount of Xanax I was taking increased. Now .25 is very seldom enough.
I’ve read a lot about kava but very little information is out there from any journals or medical sites. Lots of blogs and forums, but I can’t find any research or trials where people used it to taper off benzos.
I haven’t gone to sleep without taking a pill in 20 years and I’m on a mission to be medication free. The only other Med I take is for high cholesterol. I’m tired of being tired, I’m tired of being treated like a drug addict everytime I go to pick up my refill. I just want to be free from this. Can you help?
Wait til u hear cholesterol pills aka statens are a scam too. Sorry
I love all your articles but dint HQ e calm support and I need to k ow how much of the kava to use for my withdrawal. I thought that was a very weird way to end an article, we need dosage instructionss like your other articles my good man!
Can I get calm support in the UK ?
I’m not sure. There is a 1-800 number you can call on the website and you can also send them an email using the contact page.
I was wondering if the top extracts brand was better than the gaia herbs brand? It looks like the top extracts is a powder and the website doesn’t give intructions on how to use it…like do I mix it in water? And they sell it by the ounce, how long would that last me if I only took it once a day? The gaia brand comes in pill form, and drop form. I’m preparing to detox from subutex and have been on it for several years. The last time I tried it I didn’t make it so have done more research and am trying to get all the info that I can. Thanks!
Megan,
As for the quality from either company, I’ve heard good things about both. There are many different ways to take kratom-mixing in foods like yogurt, mixing in a drink (although it isn’t water-soluble and has a tendency to clump), a method called “toss ‘n wash”, capsule form, make a tea with it, and more.
Using kratom to detox from buprenorphine has been done successfully many, many times. However, finding the appropriate amount of kratom to use and how often is different from person to person. Some will need to use it every 4 hours or so and others can use it much less. I have talked with many people though, who have ended up with a dependence on kratom; finding it very hard to stop. So my advice, especially for stopping subutex (any buprenorphine ) is to use it in conjunction with other tools that help fight withdrawal. Tapering to a low dose of subutex is the best way to avoid withdrawal, even if you are using kratom.
The liquid form called a tincture or an extract, may be the easiest way to take it but I would recommend against it. The reason is that tolerance to kratom can develop pretty quick and this form being stronger will make your need to increase its dosage too quick; leaving you with a dependence on another substance.
~Mary
OAS Recovery Specialist
*Disclaimer: Suggestions given here for the use of any supplement, medication or herbs are not considered medical advice. Please follow the advice from your Dr.
I appreciate your response. My last dose of suboxine was March 1st. It’s now the 13th. I started kratom 3 days after my last dose. It relieves most of the withdrawal. I cap up my kratom(time consuming) I get the size 0 capsules and take like 10 to 15 of them at once, do you tho k that is too much? If i take 13 capsules before I go to bed I still only get about 5 hours of sleep……i just don’t want to be addicted to anything. Any advice is good advice.
I’m coming off of methadone after 3 years of being on it. Went from 110mgs but slowly tapered for a year. I finished 4 days ago and I’m having the worst withdrawals. The main thing is the cold sweats. I bought some liquid kava and added it to water. I just drank it a little bit ago so nothing yet but was wondering if anyone knew of anything that could keep me normal enough to get through work??
Hi Ashley congrats on detoxing off methadone! So sorry you’re feeling awful. I encourage you to check out this article that relates to your question:
Methadone Withdrawal 101: Learn How To Beat Withdrawal
Hope you feel better soon Ashley. You’re doing amazing, don’t give up!
I’ve tried using kratom alone in the post for withdrawal and find that it has good but minimal effects for me..I’ve heard of people combining kratom and kava and they seem like they would compliment each other if taken together..have u ever tried the combination and what would u suggest..also I have to go to work everyday and can’t be zonked out..not sure if kava does that
Hi Ally,
I have indeed used kratom and kava together in my studies, and in my own life, have found the combination to work very well for me. However, everyone’s biochemistry is different, so while it has worked for many people, that doesn’t automatically mean you will enjoy the same positive effects.
As far as being zonked out at work goes, kava is typically not known for this. It has the rare ability to induce relaxation while not impairing cognition like alcohol and other sedatives.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. This comment is for informational use only. It’s not intended to treat, diagnose, or prevent any disease. Always check with your doctor before changing your diet, trying any new supplements, medications, exercise or opiate tapering programs.
I am wanting to stop using hydrocodone, but the last time I stopped I went through horrible withdrawl. I can handle a lot of the symptoms, but I have a really hard time with the rls ( restless leg syndrome) I feel like I could handle the rest if I could sleep. I want to cut my legs off and beat myself with them. I was wondering if you know of anything that might take the rls away. I really want to stop, I am so scared of the rls that it stops me every time
Hi Ann,
RLS from opiate withdrawal is no fun! Thus, I wrote an entire article on how to treat this symptom:
How To Stop Restless Legs From Opiate Withdrawal