While working out can be fun and energizing, the most important part of the routine is often the most neglected—recovery. Whether it be sprints, weight-lifting, HIIT, or vinyasa yoga, if you’ve ever done an intense workout, you’ve probably experienced muscle soreness the next day. You may have also encountered delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS),[1] where you don’t feel sore until a day or two after your workout.
Working out at a high intensity places a large demand on your body. It increases your stress hormones (cortisol),[2] creates microtears in your muscles that need to be repaired,[3] and can even reduce your sleep quality.[4]
Fortunately, taking kava after a hard workout can help your body recover, even if you’ve been overtraining. Read on for our comprehensive guide to kava and exercise, the benefits kava fitness offers, and kava products and dosage for athletes.
Can Kava Help Promote Muscle Recovery?
If you’ve ever woken up feeling stiff and tired after a workout, it’s because your body hasn’t finished the process of repairing the microtears by building muscle.
Muscle fibers can only repair when they’re at rest. Kava consumption can help your body achieve that state of rest through muscle relaxation and by promoting a sense of calm.[5] Not to mention, kava’s anti-inflammatory properties can help improve circulation and potentially even speed up the muscle repair process.[6]
Better Sleep, Better Muscle Growth
Sleep is the most important part of muscle growth. It’s during sleep that your body produces the hormones necessary to build muscle.
Both non-REM sleep and REM sleep play a role in muscle repair. During REM sleep, your body releases hormones that support muscle growth, while also increasing the flow of blood to the muscles, which delivers nutrients and flushes out toxins.[7] During NREM sleep, your body repairs and regrows those torn tissues and works to strengthen your bones.[8]
On the other hand, stiff or sore muscles may prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep, which, in turn, can prevent you from getting quality REM and NREM sleep. You may be tired when you wake up, extending your body's recovery time.
Kava contains kavalactones that may assist with relaxation, making it easier to fall asleep and experience both kinds of sleep.
Kava Helps Reduce and Manage Occasional Stress Better
Even though exercise is good for you, overtraining can create a surplus of cortisol, which can lead to a spike in stress. Kava is an adaptogen[9]—a group of herbs that may help your body decrease occasional stress and manage it better.
Consuming a kava tonic or supplement after a workout may lower the spike in cortisol present in your body. In addition to relieving stress, balancing cortisol levels can also improve both digestion and sleep.[10]
How to Take Kava After a Workout
After you finish exercising, take some time to stretch, lower your heart rate down, and be sure to hydrate. Kava root is a diuretic [5] so it’s important to drink plenty of water both before and after kava use.
In order to maximize hydration, consider adding electrolyte powder to your water to replenish essential minerals lost to sweat (and get an extra recovery boost).[11]
Benefits of Combining Kava and Exercise
When you take kava after (or before) exercising, you’ll experience its myriad of potential benefits, including:
- A speedier workout recovery – Not only can kava strip away discomfort from muscle tension, it can also aid sleep, so your muscle tissue has time to grow and repair before your next gym session.
- Lasting focus and calm – Kava provides a sense of calm, focus, and mental clarity that can bring a racing mind back down to earth. This feeling of ease will last long after your workout (about 3 to 4 hours).
- Overall mood boost – Often used as an alternative to caffeine or other energizers (like pre-workout powders and energy drinks), kava is natural and won’t leave you with jitters that typically comes with too much caffeine.
How Kava Enhances Workout Performance
Thanks to the way the plant works, a higher level of physical activity is more easily achievable with kava.
Kava provides a clean boost of calm focus during your workout, which can actually improve physical performance. Research shows a link between a positive mindset and physical performance, including strength, endurance, and motivation.[12]
Best Practices for Using Kava Pre- and Post-Exercise
Kava can be taken before or after a workout—both offer similar benefits, but getting the right dosage and timing is crucial.
Dosage and Timing
Always follow the recommended kava dosage on your individual product. For our feel free kava products, we recommend a serving of one ounce of liquid kava tonic, or a maximum of six kava capsules per day.
Each dose of kava contains the active ingredient kavalactones, the neurotransmitters responsible for kava’s effects on the brain and body. Check the label to see your kava’s kavalactone content—an effective dose is typically around 70 mg to 250 mg[13] (although as little as 40 mg can be used for a mild effect, and up to 600 mg is used in traditional ceremonies).
Kava takes about 15 to 20 minutes to kick in, and its effects last about 3 to 4 hours. Time your kava dose according to when you hope to feel its effects (i.e. 20 minutes before you start your workout, or immediately after you finish). Don’t forget to read up on how to store kava to make sure your kava products maintain their quality!
Personal Experiences and Success Stories
Fans of Botanic Tonics feel free tonic and capsules note kava’s effectiveness in improving their workout performance. Many describe a feeling of relaxation and focus combined, an ideal mindset for workout motivation and recovery.
One customer, Don W., reported that drinking kava tonic 15 minutes before exercising allowed him to work out harder and longer. Another reviewer, Joe M., cites enhanced energy levels during his workouts when enjoying kava.
Recommended Kava Products for Athletes
For millennia, kava has been used as a ceremonial drink throughout the South Pacific (starting in Vanuatu and spreading to Hawai’i, Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga).[14] In recent years, kava supplements have risen to global popularity.
Kava ceremonies remain commonplace in the Pacific Islands today (and people around the world use kava powders in teas and even baked goods). But kava is also available in liquid tonic form (like a concentrated shot) and in capsules and gummies.
We recommend a pre- or post-workout kava shot or capsule for gym-goers, depending on your goals and preferences. If you prefer to take kava before working out (for mood and focus), try a caffeinated supplement. If you prefer kava for post-workout recovery, go for a caffeine-free option.
Enjoy Kava For Fitness With Botanic Tonics
Botanic Tonics feel free tonic contains kava to promote well-being, relaxation, and recovery. The better you rest and recover, the better prepared you’ll be for a lifting session, a jog in the sunshine, or a trip to the park.
At Botanic Tonics, we believe that providing quality kava products can help you have fun, stay fit, and feel free.
Sources:
- Healthline. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). https://www.healthline.com/health/doms
- National Library of Medicine. Exercise and circulating cortisol levels: the intensity threshold effect. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18787373/#:~:text=Collectively%2C%20the%20cortisol%20findings%20support,reduction%20in%20circulating%20cortisol%20levels.
- UNC Health Talk. It’s the Recovery, Not the Exercise, That Builds Muscles.
- Outside Magazine. Can a Hard Workout Cause Insomnia? https://www.outsideonline.com/health/wellness/can-hard-workout-cause-insomnia/
- University of Rochester. Kava Kava. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=19&contentid=KavaKava#:~:text=Kava%20is%20used%20most%20often,to%20ease%20stress%20and%20anxiety.
- National Library of Medicine. Kava as a Clinical Nutrient: Promises and Challenges. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7600512/
- National Personal Training Institute of Florida. The Impact of Sleep on Your Fitness Progress and Performance. https://nptiflorida.edu/the-impact-of-sleep-on-your-fitness-progress-and-performance/
- Web MD. What Are REM Sleep and Non-REM Sleep? https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-101
- GoodRx Health. What Is Kava, and Are There Health Benefits to Drinking It? https://www.goodrx.com/well-being/supplements-herbs/kava-use-benefits-side-effects
- Web MD. What Is Cortisol? https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-cortisol
- VerywellFit. What Happens To Your Body When You Use An Electrolyte Powder Daily? https://www.verywellfit.com/using-electrolyte-powder-daily-8356603#:~:text=Benefits%20of%20Using%20Electrolyte%20Powder,healthy%20cellular%20and%20nerve%20function
- Champion Living Fitness. Understanding Mindset: Training and Its Impact on Physical Performance. https://championlivingfitness.com/blogs/fitness-in-rodeo/understanding-mindset-training-and-its-impact-on-physical-performance#:~:text=Research%20shows%20that%20having%20a,%2C%20strength%2C%20and%20overall%20performance.
- Healthline. Kava Kava: Benefits, Side Effects, and Dosage. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/kava-kava
- University of Hawai’i. Kava: The Drink of Peace. https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/deFrankJ/Streaming%20Media/Windows_Media/hcb_BEVERAGE_CLASS_F2011/text_f2011/pdf_slideshows_f2011/kava01_11112011_%20lecture.pdf
- CBC.7 ways drinking alcohol can affect your fitness goals. https://www.cbc.ca/life/7-ways-drinking-alcohol-can-affect-your-fitness-goals-1.5470308
About The Author
Jamal Bouie is an accomplished professional with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry from Lemoyne-Owen College in Memphis. Currently, he is pursuing his PhD in Biomedicine at Salus University. Jamal has worked in several industries; he began his career in pharmaceutical manufacturing and transitioned to the cannabis industry, where he specialized in analytical testing and manufacturing, playing a vital role in ensuring product safety and compliance. Now, Jamal has turned his attention to the dietary supplement field, combining his scientific acumen with his passion for health and wellness.
