Kava and blood pressure

[Speedgal58]

So I'm new to kava. Only the Coles variety so far. Trying to replace alcohol. Currently under a lot of stress.

So I had two lots of 2 tsp of kava last night. My BP spiked at 197/121. Totally not good! I did get a headache which is why I measured it. My BP is high due to said stress now but was running at 150's over 100. Still not good. Have got it down to 130/90 with double dose of my normal meds.

So this is not encouraging me. I have read lots - I'm a scientist - and it shouldn't affect BP this much. So is this an artifact of the particular type of kava or what? Do we have a chemotype of Fijikava? thanks!

 

[OzKava]

I think you will find that 2 tsp of Kava will have little to no detectable effect. The strength of the kava beverage is mainly dependent on the cultivar, the age of the plant when harvested and the method of extraction. Did you strain the liquid containing the 2 tsp? If not, then that may be the cause of your headache. Kava is never traditionally consumed without straining. See FAQ.

BTW, the Coles product is equal to $320 a kilo which is way above the going rate of Kava vendors in Australia.