The Kava Trap: Why This "Sober" Drink is Leading to Addiction & Liver FailureThe Kava Trap: Why This "Sober" Drink is Leading to Addiction & Liver Failure
The Elevate Experience
Angie Manson and Tom talk about how kava, marketed as a natural sober drink, can be addictive and seriously damage the liver. They share warning signs, health risks and why using kava can quietly undermine genuine sobriety.
16:32•21 Jan 2026
The Kava Trap: Why a “Sober” Drink May Be Harming Recovery
Episode Overview
- Kava is legal and natural but acts on the same GABA receptors as alcohol and benzodiazepines, making it addictive and mind-altering.
- Regular kava use can lead to serious liver issues, including hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver failure and kava dermopathy with dry, yellow, scaly skin.
- Kava bars can function much like traditional bars for people in recovery, quietly replacing alcohol as a new addictive habit.
- Mixing kava with alcohol greatly increases health risks and can cause severe liver damage and emergency-level complications.
- Relying on any substance to escape or change your frame of mind is flagged as a sign to seek counselling, support and a deeper look at your behaviour.
“"This isn't something you can take and call yourself sober. It's got major side effects."”
How do people cope with the challenges of staying sober? This conversation on The Elevate Experience tackles a growing issue in recovery circles: the rise of kava as a so‑called "safe" alternative to alcohol. Rehab CEO Angie Manson and co-host Tom talk through what they see on the front lines, where kava bars are becoming the new hangout for people in recovery.
Kava might be sold as a natural root tea, but as they point out, "it's legal, but it acts on the same GABA receptors in the brain as alcohol and benzodiazepines." That means it can feel like a mild, social buzz while quietly building dependence. They share how kava went from being used in their early programme as a harmless herbal aid to being recognised as something "very addictive and very damaging".
You’ll hear about worrying physical effects such as hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver failure, and the strange warning sign known as "kava dermopathy", where skin turns dry, scaly and yellow due to liver damage. They also explain why mixing kava with alcohol can "escalate these side effects like tenfold" and land people in hospital. The episode is especially useful for people in recovery, their families, and anyone who’s been told kava is a sober, healthy option.
Angie and Tom highlight practical red flags for loved ones – nights spent at kava bars, numb mouth and throat, yellowing eyes and skin – and stress that "anything that alters your frame of mind… isn't sobriety." At its heart, this is a straight-talking warning about swapping one addiction for another under the comforting label of "natural". It asks you to look past marketing, question what sobriety really means, and consider whether you’re building a life without a chemical crutch.
Could that "safe" drink be quietly pulling you back towards addiction?
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