Kava for treating depression

Kava is a medicinal plant from South Pacific known for its relieving and soothing effects. The roots of this herb are popularly known to reduce anxiety level and improve the mood. It is for the same reason may specialists recommend the same for treating mild to moderate form of depression. Ideally, the roots of the herb are dried to form a pulp or powder and then mixed with water for consumption. Else, one may also consume the tablet form of this herb at least 2-3 times a day. However, patients with certain medical conditions are dissuaded from using this herbal medicine to avoid further after effects. Therefore, it is imperative to consult a health care practitioner before taking its dosage blindly. Secondly, one should select the particular brand which contains at least 30-70 per cent of kavalactones which is an active ingredient in this herb.

The ideal dosage of the same is 150-300 mg and should be taken at least 1-3 times a day for best effects. However, the recommended dosage may vary from one brand to another. Ideally, a person starts to experience improvements in the depressive state of mind within a period of 3-4 weeks.