Home / Health / Kava Calls Surge: Herbal Drug Linked to Liver Damage
Kava Calls Surge: Herbal Drug Linked to Liver Damage
8 Apr
Summary
- Poison center calls about kava jumped 383% from 2011 to 2025.
- Kava use is associated with liver damage, heart, and brain issues.
- Many new kava products are unregulated and stronger than traditional forms.
Calls to U.S. poison centers concerning the herbal supplement kava have surged by 383% between 2011 and 2025. This rise coincides with kava's increased availability and marketing as a seemingly healthy alternative to alcohol. Researchers noted that a significant portion of these calls involved severe health issues.
Kava, a plant native to the Pacific Islands, is known for its sedative and anxiety-reducing properties due to active compounds called kavalactones. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued warnings in 2002 and again in 2020 about kava's potential to cause severe liver damage and its unsuitability as a recreational beverage.
Recent trends show a worrying uptick in kava-related poison center calls, reversing a prior decline after the 2002 FDA warning. Many of the new kava products entering the market are unregulated in the U.S. and can be much more potent than traditional preparations. These products are also increasingly being mixed with other substances like kratom, which has opioid-like effects, exacerbating safety concerns and leading to more serious adverse reactions.
Health complications linked to kava include liver damage, rapid heartbeat, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, and dizziness. Eight deaths have been attributed to kava. The study specifically highlights that men aged 20 and older accounted for the largest number of calls, suggesting a need for targeted public health education to inform consumers about the risks associated with these unregulated and potent herbal supplements.
