Health officials are raising concerns as a drink marketed as a “healthy” alternative to alcohol is increasingly linked to poison center calls. Calls related to kava, a plant-based substance commonly used in ready-to-drink beverages, rose 383% between 2011 and 2025, according to a new University of Virginia Health study. Researchers report poison centers received 203 kava-related calls in 2025, up from 57 in 2011. Men ages 20 and older accounted for the largest share of those cases.
As reports have increased, so have the severity of outcomes. In 2025, nearly one-third of cases resulted in serious health effects, including complications involving the brain and heart. That figure was second only to 2024, when severe cases reached 39%.
Researchers also found a growing number of cases involving both kava and kratom, a psychoactive substance often sold in gas stations and vape shops. In 2025, those combined exposures made up about 30% of all kava-related calls.
Kava, a plant native to the Pacific Islands, has traditionally been used in cultural and religious ceremonies. In the U.S., it is commonly sold as concentrated extracts and beverages, often without regulation and frequently promoted as a safer alternative to alcohol.
However, health officials say concerns are growing. Reports have linked kava to liver toxicity, and its increasing combination with kratom, known for opioid-like effects, has raised additional red flags.
Kava-related reports had declined following a 2002 Food and Drug Administration advisory warning of severe liver injury, but cases have steadily climbed again over the past decade.
Researchers hope the findings raise awareness about the potential risks.
“These new kava products are found in stores throughout our area,” said Chris Holstege, MD, director of the Blue Ridge Poison Center, in a press release. “The public needs to be aware of potential complications associated with the consumption of these products.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recently reported that hospitalizations and poisonings involving kratom have increased more than 1,200% over the past decade.
