Question:
Valerian or Kava Kava for anxiety? Which one is best?
Which one is easiest to get? Cheapest?
Answer:
Valerian is not used for anxiety, but as a relaxant (i.e., muscle relaxer). It can also be used as a soporific (sleep aid), as can Kava. Some herbologists caution against long-term use of Valerian, due to potential side effects. Kava is your best bet, but if you have any hepatic abnormalities (or even if you don't), choose a preparation that mimics traditional harvesting of the plant (no stem, leaf or bark.) Eclectic Institute's "Nakamal" version uses only the root portion (I recently switched to it.) A few observed cases of liver disease (never definitively linked to Kava) may have resulted from use of
non-traditional Kava preparations. When it comes to supplements, don't let price be the determining factor. It's better to spend 30% more and get something from a reputable maker. Anxiety is a broad word (misused) to many.
If what you want is to settle down and focus, try GABA, it's not cheap.
Long term need of anything means that you may need to learn to "meditate" as
some call it. Another phrase is "Get a life". It is often taken negatively
but a wide variety of interests and application of those interests can do
marvels for anxiety. I have never used Valerian for anxiety; I have only used it to get a
good night's sleep, but when I used When I used it in the past for a
good night's sleep, it made me depressed the next day, so I wouldn't
recemmend this herb to anyone at all. Therefore, go with the Kava
Kava, since it is generally used to help control anxiety. Other herbs
that I have successfully used for stress or anxiety (and also sleep)
are Scullcap, Hops, and Passion Flower. I have also used Chamomile or
Catnip, but usually only when I also had an upset stomach or stomach
discomfort, since these herbs also help with this. My herb books also
mentions Lady's Slipper and Lobelia as possible herbs to use to help
with the nerves, although these herbs are used less often than
Scullcap, Hops, and Passion Flower, and I have never tried any of them
personally. If you want a good night's sleep, just take the Scullcap,
Hops, or Passion Flower according to the labels on the bottles, but if
you are taking these for anxiety during the day, you might try reducing
the dosage by about half of what it says on the bottle, unless you can
afford to fall asleep during the day. I read the feedback from PeterB, and I agree with him. You need to
invest a little more money and get a good quality product. Some of the
brands that I've found to be of good quality from my own personal
experiences are Nature's Way, Solaray, Nature's Sunshine, and Nature's
Herbs. Most herb stores stock both Valerian root and Kava Kava, since
both of these are commonly used herbs. As far as cost goes, you could
pay anywhere from $4 to $15 per bottle, depending on who you buy from
and the quality of the product. The average bottle of herbs will cost
you about $8 to $12 at most herb stores, but if you buy from a store
like Wal-Mart, you can get a bottle of Valerian Root or Kava Kava for
about $4 or $5. You can get better deals online when it comes to
buying the good quality brands at reduced prices, and you can save as
much as 50% (or more), if you just do some shopping around.
I have never used Valerian for anxiety; I have only used it to get a
good night's sleep, but when I used it for this, it made me depressed
the next day, so I wouldn't recommend this herb to anyone at all.
Therefore, go with the Kava Kava, since it is generally used to help
control anxiety anyway. Other herbs that I have successfully used for
stress or anxiety (and also sleep) are Scullcap, Hops, and Passion
Flower. I have also used Chamomile and Catnip, but usually only when I
also had an upset stomach, because these herbs also help with this. My
herb books also mention Lady's Slipper and Lobelia as possible herbs to
use to help with the nerves, although these herbs are used less often
than Scullcap, Hops, and Passion Flower, and I have never tried any of
them personally. If you want a good night's sleep, just take the
Scullcap, Hops, or Passion Flower according to the labels on the
bottles, but if you are taking these for anxiety during the day, you
might try reducing the dosage by about half of what it says on the
bottle, unless you can afford to fall asleep during the day. For
instance, instead of taking 2 capsules of the Scullcap, you might take
1 capsule of it--every 4 hours--to help you with your anxiety. It's
okay to take more, if 1 capsule doesn't seem to be helping enough.
Just realize that you may start getting sleepy, if you take 2 or 3
capsules at once. By the way, I have found Hops to be very beneficial
when treating anxiety, probably due to the fact that the herb contains
B Vitamins, which are good for stress (and depression). So you might
try 1 capsule of Hops every 4 hours to see what kind of an effect that
has on your anxiety. Herb stores also sell herbal formulas or herbal combinations for
various illnesses. You will find formulas for stress, among others,
and often, one herb will work better in combination with others, rather
than just by itself, so you might ask the clerk if he/she has any
herbal formulas that are useful in treating anxiety.
I read the feedback from PeterB, and I agree with him. You need to
invest a little more money and get a good quality product. Some of the
brands that I've found to be of good quality from my own personal
experience are Nature's Way, Solaray, Nature's Sunshine, and Nature's
Herbs. Most herb stores stock both Valerian root and Kava Kava, since
both of these are commonly used herbs. As far as cost goes, you could
pay anywhere from $4 to $15 per bottle, depending on who you buy from
and the quality of the product. The average bottle of herbs will cost
you about $8 to $12 at most herb stores, but if you buy from a store
like Wal-Mart, you can get a bottle of Valerian Root or Kava Kava for
about $4 or $5. You can get better deals online when it comes to
buying the good quality brands at reduced prices, and you can save as
much as 50% (or more), if you just do some shopping around.
One question -- whenever I've tried herbal remedies (in capsule form) I get
an upset stomach. I tend to feel like I'm 'burping grass' (strange flavor). Is there some way to prevent this? Perhaps adding the capsules contents to
tea?
What else could I try?
Try swallowing them after eating a small snack, or if you don't like
this option, be sure to drink at least 8 oz. of water or other liquid
when taking them. You might try making a cup of tea from the herb or
using herbal extracts instead of swallowing capsules; in either case,
there would be no physical herb plant to digest, and your stomach
wouldn't have to worry about trying to digest that gelatin capsule
either, if that happens to be the problem.
