| Health News | |
Kava Kava Update
by Carrie A. Corson, from the May 2002 newsletter
In the February issue of the Moscow Food Co-op Community News, we reported that the safety of the herb Kava Kava had come into question after its use was linked to liver damage. At the time of the initial reports we decided to remove Kava Kava from our shelves until more information was obtained.
As a result of these early reports, a coalition of dietary supplements industry associations, including the American Herbal Products Association, National Nutritional Foods Association, American Botanical Council, Council for Responsible Nutrition, and the Utah Natural Products Alliance, commissioned University of Illinois researcher Donald P. Waller, Ph.D., to review the claims linking kava to liver damage. Waller, a professor of pharmacology and toxicology, analyzed the same adverse event reports that led to kava's safety being questioned. In "Report on Kava and Liver Damage," Waller concluded that there is "no clear evidence that the liver damage reported in the United States and Europe was caused by consumption of kava." Waller concluded, "Kava, when taken in appropriate doses, has no scientifically established potential for causing liver damage." But he warned that any pharmacologically active agent could interact with drugs, pre-existing conditions, and hypersensitivity reactions, possibly affecting the substance's toxicity.
Waller also said taking kava may not be appropriate with the "concomitant intake of prescription drugs associated with liver damage, excessive alcohol consumption and pre-existing liver disease with compromised liver function." This advice matches industry recommendations, including American Herbal Products Association's suggested label statement for kava products.
The industry coalition is awaiting a response from the FDA (Waller has presented his findings to them) and will continue to evaluate the situation. The coalition wants to work closely with the FDA to find the best solution where everybody is in agreement that the goal is to protect consumer safety. But (the goal) is also not to remove preemptively the product from the market unless there's good reason to do so.
In response to this latest information, the Co-op will begin selling Kava Kava again. We also concur with the coalition's position that kava may not be the herb for everyone. Please consult with a health care professional if you are considering taking kava.
Ref: Natural Foods Merchandiser, April 2002.
|
Copyright: Copyright on articles, recipes and
images are jointly held by the Moscow Food Co-op and the respective contributors,
except were otherwise noted.
|
For additions or corrections to this page, please contact the Webmaster.
