With the arrival of 2025, millions of adults are committing to Dry January, a monthlong health challenge to avoid drinking alcohol for the first 31 days of the year. It’s prompting some to wonder — should they consider trying a kava drink instead of their typical alcoholic beverage?
Kava is a substance made from a plant that is native to the Pacific Islands, and it has sedative and psychoactive properties. It can be consumed in various ways, including in food and beverage products. Over the past few decades, so-called “kava bars” have risen in popularity across the United States, including in Colorado. Many of these spaces promote kava as offering benefits like improving sleep and easing anxiety. Some claim kava creates a “buzz” that is similar to the effects of alcohol.
However, other institutions are warning consumers of potential risks. The California Department of Public Health, for instance, put out a consumer fact sheet in 2024 that explained there have been reports of adverse effects from chronic and heavy consumption of kava, including liver damage, vision impairment, rashes, nausea, and seizures.
To get answers on whether kava beverages may be a healthier substitute for alcohol, we spoke with Jarratt Pytell, MD, MHS, an internal medicine and addiction medicine physician and assistant professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine in the University of Colorado Department of Medicine.
The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.