Dose - Kava-kava Extracts: Preparing and Dosing

[Powder_Reality]

SWIM has recently acquired a 30% kava root extract. It's a fresh extract powder (not capsules) apparently made using a CO2 extraction process.

Anyways, SWIM has been searching high and low for preperation methods of kava extracts, and hasn't been able to find any. He also hasn't been able to find any information regarding the general dosage of a 30% extract.

So do any swimmers out there know of any preperation methods for a 30% extract? Should SWIM just use the blender/milk method, or is that necessary when using extracts?

Any information will be greatly appreciated.

[Powder_Reality]

Update:

SWIM received an e-mail from his supplier about how to prepare the kava extract. According to him, the extract just needs to be blended into a milkshake, with no straining required. The dosage of said extract is about 1-2 grams.

SWIM blended 1.5 grams of the kava extract with 2% milk and chocolate-flavored whey protein powder for a couple of minutes (spaced out over 30 second intervals to avoid wearing out the motor). SWIM then drank the brew over the course of 5-10 minutes. The kava brew was consumed on an empty stomach.

The effects were felt within 10 minutes, and were quite pleasant. SWIM has heard that kava extracts are not that great, but he thought it was a worthwhile experience. However, SWIM has never tried a kava brew made with regular kava root powder, so he can't compare the extract to regular kava.

[Bajeda]

When this panda has stated that certain Kava extracts weren't good, he was generally referring to liquigels / pills or certain pastes and the like. Not all of them are bad, but there are plenty to look out for.

I haven't heard anything bad about the CO2 extracts so far.

[wOrship]

If it is the type of extract swim thinks it is, ie a powder made of dried, fresh 'root juice' it shouldn't really need blending at all, or any milk/oil - swim says it should be completely water soluble.

Two heaped teaspoons in 8oz cool water and shaken should do the trick nicely, also the taste shouldn't be that bad at all - swim says he likes it! but a little maple syrup to sweeten it if needed. Redose later if needed.

Swim tried some of this type of stuff (Vanuatu borogu lateral root extract) a few weeks ago and was very happy with it indeed, his mouth went NUMB and he found the effects very pronounced but also very tranquil.

W

[IntrepidTraveler]

SWIM would just like to comment that he, just moments ago, received an ounce of a kava extract similar to the one described by the OP. As per wOrship's advice ^^, SWIM simply dumped a couple of grams of the product into a shaker with some water. However, contrary to the above posters' claims, the powder proved to be extremely insoluble in water, and thus SWIM was left with a water/kava aqueous solution with large amounts of yellowish percepitate (the undissolved Kava) floating at the top.

As he did not feel the two grams lost in this situation would be worth the time and effort he would have had to expend to subsequently remove the kava from said aqueous solution, he simply cocked his head back and guzzled the entire solution--undissolved powder and all. The taste was so wretched that SWIM gagged and had to resist the urge to vomit in the middle of his kitchen.

In conclusion: SWIM does not recommend preparing a 30% kava root extract formed by a CO2 extraction for ingestion by simply mixing it with water. Becaue it will not dissolve, and it will be gross. If any SWIYs out there are searching for a more palatable, less gag-inducing kava preparation, SWIM would highly recommend the aforementioned option of blending it into a milkshake. Anything to keep yourself from having to choke down dry, nasty tasting powder.

[wOrship]

The kava I was describing IS completely soluble in water, but there are different types from different suppliers. I do not remember stating that the method of preparation I suggested is universal and infallible.

If you had a similar preperation and it didn't in fact readily dissolve in water, may I humbly suggest that next time you try and formulate a plan of action for yourself? When you start using your mind for the first time it may seem a little daunting, but don't worry, with some practice you'll get the hang of it.

Just to start you off there are a few possible courses of action you could have taken, you could try shaking a little harder, using a spoon to help dissipate the offending lumps or who knows? You may even find the use of some form of electrical blending device advantageous in such circumstances.

[IntrepidTraveler]

Originally Posted by wOrship

The kava I was describing IS completely soluble in water, but there are different types from different suppliers. I do not remember stating that the method of preparation I suggested is universal and infallible.

If you had a similar preperation and it didn't in fact readily dissolve in water, may I humbly suggest that next time you try and formulate a plan of action for yourself? When you start using your mind for the first time it may seem a little daunting, but don't worry, with some practice you'll get the hang of it.

Just to start you off there are a few possible courses of action you could have taken, you could try shaking a little harder, using a spoon to help dissipate the offending lumps or who knows? You may even find the use of some form of electrical blending device advantageous in such circumstances.

Whoa there, wasn't attacking you, bro. Just warning others who might be in a similar rushed situation like SWIM was, in which he was unfamiliar with preparation methods for a new type of Kava that he had just gotten. As Kava is a fairly benign drug and he wasn't concerned about being overly cautious (trusted supplier), he just UTFSE on drug forums and used the first and easiest preparation method he could find. He did in fact use a blender, as you so facetiously recommend, but this did little to dissolve the majority of the "offending lumps." SWIM was in a hurry to make an appointment, and did not have any extra time to perform any type of solubility test-runs, and thus was compelled to follow SWIYs directions on blind faith. Consequently, he was forced to drink the unforgettably foul concoction, as the only other options would have been throwing it out (wasting it) or attempting to seperate it (far too time-consuming).

My post was intended to be a cautionary tale for anyone else in such a situation, in which I would advise someone to stick to the tried and true methods of blending a kava milkshake. Furthemore, it was intended to suggest that, while some such extracts might be water soluble as you attest, others might not be--which I think could be a useful piece of information for some people. It was not, as you seem to have interpreted it, an attempt to devalue your contribution to the thread, nor was it meant to imply that you were intentionally spreading misinformation.

[Bajeda]

The CO2 extracts don't seem to like mixing with liquids. A local panda found them useful for immediate relief with sublingual consumption, but mixing them into any sort of beverage will be a pain unless a mixing device of some sort is used. This may just have been the particular extracts the panda got however. It feels like you don't need to use as much with the good quality extracts as you would normal powdered root, so maybe adding in a bit at a time will help it mix in to the liquid better and allow you to better approximate dose. The panda would probably just put it in a blender as he usually does, as that works quite well for getting a smooth blend. The extracts are actually easier for him to use as there aren't really any little chunks of root to pick out lest they stick to his mouth.

[wOrship]

Intrepid Traveller

Swim apologises for his attitude.

He thinks he is seeing the problem, we are talking about different preparations here - so it's his fault...

The CO2 extractions (Kaviar etc) tend to be a yellow (ish) colour, he has been recently using a dried 'juice' from fresh root, he wishes he could name the supplier here, but he cannot.

It is a very fine dry powder not dissimilar to talc really and is a dark olive green colour, smelling strongly (and obviously, swim supposes) of kava, two tablespoons or so of which he has found very easy indeed to mix completely with cold water in 30 secs or so. Stirring or shaking is fine with this, no hassles whatsoever.

W

[Powder_Reality]

A local panda found them useful for immediate relief with sublingual consumption

Ugh. Bajeda, I don't know how your panda could possibly keep those kava extracts under their tongue for a long enough time for absorption to occur. Still, it's an interesting method of consumption. I'm guessing this was done with one of the 70% or 84% extracts and not the powdered 30% extract?

Sometimes if SWIM was feeling particularly lazy, he would just dump a measured dose of his kava extract powder (CO2 extracted) into a strong tasting drink (such as cranberry juice), mix it up the best he could, and gulp it down as fast as he could to avoid the taste/texture of the (mostly undissolved) extract. Still, the most preferred method was to blend it into a milkshake with an electric blender. He never had any problems with solubility when using the blender.

[Bajeda]

Originally Posted by Powder_Reality

Ugh. Bajeda, I don't know how your panda could possibly keep those kava extracts under their tongue for a long enough time for absorption to occur. Still, it's an interesting method of consumption. I'm guessing this was done with one of the 70% or 84% extracts and not the powdered 30% extract?

The taste of Kava doesn't bother my panda at all, its only the texture that sometimes bothers him. Its very dry at first, but the kava mixes with your saliva fast and is manageable with a little swig of milk after holding it in the mouth for a little bit. My panda is less likely to do this with regular root powder, but the 'fresh kava juice' (or something like that) he got on occasion was of a fine consistency and was great for sublingual consumption.