Hey kava lovers. I got needled in the name of science last Thursday and had my liver tested again.
Here are those results:
My ALP was high (normal range 25-115), however ALP is tied to GGT which is always high for kava drinkers, so this isn't a problem. ALP is seen elevated in 23% of kava drinkers, where GGT is elevated in 65% of kava drinkers. My doctor said the ALP was elevated, but not enough to be of any concern. AST and ALT are within normal range, and are the enzymes indicated in liver issues.
Here's something we've been touching on for years, but not getting much information about. Cholesterol levels. Check these out.
Nothing has changed about my dietary intake from the test last year, however I do eat 2 eggs every morning, which may be why this is so out of whack. I'd love for more kava drinkers to chime in to see if it's just me or could possibly be because I drink kava daily.
This may speak to my cholesterol test:
"Total- and LDL-cholesterol were elevated in kava users compared to both former users and never users. HDL-cholesterol was higher in current users vs never users. Across kava-using groups, triglycerides, homocysteine and diet-derived antioxidant vitamins α-tocopherol and retinol, did not vary."
Clough, A., Rowley, K. & O'Dea, K. Kava use, dyslipidaemia and biomarkers of dietary quality in Aboriginal people in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory (NT), Australia. Eur J Clin Nutr 58, 1090–1093 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601921
Here's what the doctor said verbatim:
Here are those results:
My ALP was high (normal range 25-115), however ALP is tied to GGT which is always high for kava drinkers, so this isn't a problem. ALP is seen elevated in 23% of kava drinkers, where GGT is elevated in 65% of kava drinkers. My doctor said the ALP was elevated, but not enough to be of any concern. AST and ALT are within normal range, and are the enzymes indicated in liver issues.
Here's something we've been touching on for years, but not getting much information about. Cholesterol levels. Check these out.
Nothing has changed about my dietary intake from the test last year, however I do eat 2 eggs every morning, which may be why this is so out of whack. I'd love for more kava drinkers to chime in to see if it's just me or could possibly be because I drink kava daily.
This may speak to my cholesterol test:
"Total- and LDL-cholesterol were elevated in kava users compared to both former users and never users. HDL-cholesterol was higher in current users vs never users. Across kava-using groups, triglycerides, homocysteine and diet-derived antioxidant vitamins α-tocopherol and retinol, did not vary."
Clough, A., Rowley, K. & O'Dea, K. Kava use, dyslipidaemia and biomarkers of dietary quality in Aboriginal people in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory (NT), Australia. Eur J Clin Nutr 58, 1090–1093 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601921
Here's what the doctor said verbatim:
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