Is kava kava available anywhere in Taiwan? I looked up the word, wrote it down, and showed it to some pharmacists at drugstores, and they all told me they’d never heard of it. I know it’s a popular medicinal and recreational drug across the smaller islands of the pacific, so it wouldn’t surprise me if it were native to Taiwan too.
Dave: A while ago, there was a big discussion on the side effects of Kava Kava in Germany and obviously other countries as well. Especially the liver seems to be affected.
You might find further information on this Canadian website, for instance.
My brother got me Kava Kava on the morning when I left Germany to move to Asia because I was so anxious and sick, I couldn’t lie down nor stand up. He as well as the obviously very non-professional pharmacist hadn’t realized that Kava Kava only works if you take it over a certain period of time. The anxiety was over the very moment that the plane took off, so I never went on taking it.
HTH
Iris
Dave, unless they have it at GNC… you will probably not find it here. The only other thought is a small organic food store may have it.
Good luck
The US FDA issued a consumer advisory on kava lava last spring, saying that liver complications do occur rarely. They advised people, particularly those with predisposing health conditions or taking medications that affect the liver, to consult their doctors before using.