Last updated September 24, 2026 What Is Kava? Effects, Uses, Dosage, and Safety Kava is a Pacific Island plant whose roots are used to prepare an earthy beverage associated with relaxation, social gatherings, and ceremony. Known botanically as Piper methysticum, it also appears in supplements studied for anxiety. Its long history is part of the appeal, but NCCIH's overview describes mixed evidence and important safety concerns, in… Read more