Binding: Health and Beauty
Brand: Now
Label: NOW
Manufacturer: NOW
Publisher: NOW
Studio: NOW

Customer Rating:
Summary: benzo alternative
Comment: This stuff is a pretty good benzo alternative. Rather than making "real" kava tea and the mess that goes with it, I prefer now foods brand. I chew on the capsule and then put in my bottom lip like a dip and let it dissolve. Kava is better absorbed by saliva. I like to mix a ml of the now foods brand kava liquid with a kava pill. It definitely takes the anxiety away!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Weak Product, Contains Stimulant
Comment: I have mixed feelings about this product. On the one hand, the item description fails to mention that it contains Eluthero - a Chinese herb that used to be marketed as "Siberian ginseng." Eluthero is supposed to be an "adaptogen" - an herb that helps the body deal with stress. This may or may not be true, but it is also a stimulant.

After taking this product for five days, I found myself having trouble sleeping. Twelve hours after taking ONE of these, I would be laying in bed with my heart racing for no reason. It is possible that the omission of this from the item description was merely and oversight - but also possibly an outright deception.

My mixed feelings come from the fact that Kava has a sedative quality, and after taking it for several days I become lethargic. I suppose that is the whole point of combining it with Eluthero. This is actually a good idea, but aside from failing to tell me that this is what I was buying, the balance seems to be off. The kava is so weak, and the Eluthero is so strong that I found myself MORE anxious and stressed. If the ratio were re-worked, this might be a good product. In it's current form, I can't recommend it.

Finally, we come to the brand itself, NOW. A friend of mine who has worked at Whole Foods for years told me that NOW has been busted for putting fillers in their capsules, essentially falsely selling placebos as herbs. I don't know how true this is, or whether it was one bad employee or some kind of regular practice. I do know that the Eluthero in this product works. On the other hand, I would not be surprised if it contained no kava at all.

If you are looking for an alternative to caffeine without the "come down" this is a good product. If you are looking to relax and de-stress, look elsewhere, as you have come to the wrong place.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: WHEN HIGH ANXIETY IS TAKING A HEAVY TOLL RELIEF IS SPELLED KAVA-KAVA
Comment: A MYSTERY HERB STILL A MYSTERY TO ME

This standardized product is expensive and seems not to be as effective as the crude herb. However, since the big scare hit in 2002 almost every mfg. and retailer has pulled Kava from their product lines. Supposedly, kava caused liver damage, but the evidence is very vague and kava has always been considered very safe and when used prudently is an excellent alternative to a wide variety of prescription drugs.

Kava usually worked well for muscle tightness in my neck, but this standardized product seemed not to work as well. As far as anti-anxiety properties are concerned, I have never noticed them, but I have taken small quantities [1 capsule 2-4x daily].

After examining the issue carefully I have decided to go the crude herb, make your own capsule route. Ordinarily, everything "NOW" produces is both reasonably priced and effective. This product sadly is the exception as I have found that I am not the only one disappointed in the results.

On a positive note, the price this Kava by NOW is being offered at is half the price I last paid for the identical product. I may try it again and take it more liberally, as I have been less than thrilled with the results I have gotten thus far from the crude herb.

[I AM NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY PRODUCT OR COMPANY]

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