Amanita muscaria or kava: which is better for relaxation? Kava has far more human research. Several trials have tested it for anxiety, with mixed results: one 6-week trial found a moderate benefit, while a larger 16-week trial found none. Amanita muscaria has no anxiety trials at all, only user reports. Both act on the brain's main calming system, GABA, so they shouldn't be combined. And both carry specific risks: kava for the liver, Amanita for deep sedation. Here's how they compare.
Kava has been tested in placebo-controlled trials; Amanita muscaria hasn't. In a 6-week trial of 58 people with generalised anxiety disorder, kava reduced anxiety more than placebo, with a moderate effect size of 0.62 (Sarris 2013). But a larger 16-week trial of 171 people found no difference from placebo, and liver test abnormalities were more common with kava (Sarris 2020). Kava has been linked to rare liver injury (Teschke 2011). Amanita can cause deep sedation, with five of 25 symptomatic poison-centre patients needing intubation (Moss 2019). Don't combine them, and never mix either with alcohol.
This comparison is for adults weighing their options. Neither is a substitute for treatment of an anxiety disorder. For mushroom-based options, see our guide to the best mushroom supplements for anxiety.
What Are Kava and Amanita Muscaria?
Kava is a drink made from the root of Piper methysticum, a plant in the pepper family from the South Pacific. It's been used ceremonially and socially in Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga and Samoa for centuries. Its active compounds are kavalactones. Kava is drunk as a muddy, peppery drink or taken as capsules and extracts.
Amanita muscaria is the red-and-white fly agaric mushroom. Its active compounds are ibotenic acid and muscimol. It's usually taken dried, as capsules, as a tea or as a tincture. Our guide on how to take Amanita muscaria covers the basics.
Both are used for relaxation, sociability and sleep. Both affect the brain directly. That's where the similarities end.
How Do They Work?
Both affect GABA, the brain's main calming signal, but in different ways. Muscimol from Amanita directly activates GABA-A receptors, acting like GABA itself. Kavalactones are thought to enhance GABA-A activity and act on several other targets, including sodium and calcium channels.
The effects differ too. Kava typically produces a mild, relaxed feeling with a clear head at normal amounts, plus numbness in the mouth. Amanita at low amounts can be calming or sedating, but at higher amounts it causes dreamlike states, distorted perception, confusion and muscle twitching. Its strength also varies a lot between batches.
Because both push on the same calming system, they're likely to stack. In animal work, muscimol increased the sedative effects of alcohol, another GABA-acting substance (Liljequist 1982). That's a good reason not to combine Amanita with kava, alcohol or sedative medicines.
What Does the Evidence Show for Kava?
More than for Amanita, but mixed. In a 6-week Australian trial, 75 people with generalised anxiety disorder were enrolled and 58 were analysed. Those taking 120 to 240 mg of kavalactones a day had a larger reduction in anxiety than those on placebo, with a moderate effect size (Sarris 2013).
The same research group then ran a larger, longer trial. In 171 people with generalised anxiety disorder, 240 mg of kavalactones a day for 16 weeks didn't reduce anxiety more than placebo. Remission rates were 17.4% with kava and 23.8% with placebo. People taking kava more often reported poorer memory and tremor, and liver test abnormalities were more frequent, although no one met criteria for liver injury (Sarris 2020).
So kava may help some people in the short term, but the best and largest trial didn't confirm a benefit. Its evidence is better than Amanita's, but it isn't strong.
What Does the Evidence Show for Amanita Muscaria?
There are no clinical trials of Amanita muscaria for anxiety, stress or relaxation. Everything people report comes from personal experience, surveys and online communities. Our article on Amanita and anxiety covers what's claimed and why it hasn't been tested.
The research that does exist is about poisoning. In a US poison-centre review of fly agaric and panther cap cases, 25 of 34 people had symptoms, and five needed intubation to protect their airway (Moss 2019). Those were mostly larger, often accidental, amounts. But they show that Amanita's calming compound can tip into dangerous sedation.
What Are the Main Risks of Kava?
The best-known risk is liver injury. Cases of kava-associated liver damage led several European countries to restrict kava in the early 2000s. A review by German hepatologist Rolf Teschke described kava hepatotoxicity as a well-described condition but noted that the cause remains unclear. Poor-quality raw material, use of the wrong plant parts, and mould contamination during drying and storage are all suspects (Teschke 2011).
Other risks include drowsiness, poorer coordination and, with heavy long-term use, a scaly skin condition. Kava shouldn't be combined with alcohol, which raises both sedation and liver concerns. It's not recommended for people with liver disease or those taking medicines that affect the liver.
What Are the Main Risks of Amanita Muscaria?
Deep sedation, confusion and vomiting are the main risks. Most poisonings resolve within a day, but serious cases occur, and a death was reported in 2022 after a man ate four or five dried caps. Nausea is common early on, and its strength is hard to predict because potency varies between caps.
Amanita shouldn't be combined with alcohol, benzodiazepines, sleeping pills, opioids or other sedatives. Our guide to Amanita with SSRIs and benzodiazepines covers these interactions.
How Do They Compare at a Glance?
- Source: kava is a root from the South Pacific; Amanita is a mushroom.
- Active compounds: kavalactones vs ibotenic acid and muscimol.
- Human anxiety trials: two placebo-controlled trials for kava, one positive and one negative; none for Amanita.
- Typical effect: kava is mild and clear-headed at normal amounts; Amanita ranges from calm to deep sedation and altered perception.
- Main risk: rare liver injury for kava; deep sedation and confusion for Amanita.
- Consistency: standardised kava extracts list kavalactone content; Amanita potency is rarely measured.
How Do They Differ in Daily Use?
Kava is usually social and short-acting. A traditional kava session involves several small cups over an evening, and the effects build gently and fade within a few hours. Capsules and standardised extracts make it easier to know the amount, because good products state the kavalactone content per dose. Many people take it in the evening or before a stressful event.
Amanita is less predictable. Effects take 30 minutes to two hours to start, can last several hours, and often include a sleepy phase. That makes it a poor fit before driving, working or social plans. Its strength isn't listed on most products, because it's rarely measured. Our onset and duration guide explains the timeline.
The practical upshot is simple. Kava fits more easily into a daytime or social setting at modest amounts. Amanita, if used at all, belongs at home in the evening, with no plans afterwards and a sober person nearby for anything beyond a very small amount.
Can You Take Kava and Amanita Together?
No. Both act on the GABA system, so their sedative effects are likely to add up. No study has tested the combination. If you use one, leave a clear gap, at least a full day, before considering the other, and never take either with alcohol.
If you're thinking of switching from one to the other, start the new one at a low amount. Effects don't transfer in a predictable way.
Which Should You Choose?
If you want something with clinical testing behind it, kava has a stronger, though mixed, evidence base. Choose a standardised extract from peeled roots of a "noble" kava variety, check for liver concerns, and don't use it long term without medical advice.
If you're considering Amanita, understand that you're using something untested for this purpose, with variable strength. Start low and keep a log. Our comparison of Amanita vs melatonin and valerian covers other options for sleep.
For anxiety that affects your daily life, see a doctor. Talking therapies and prescribed treatments have much stronger evidence than either kava or Amanita.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is kava safer than Amanita muscaria?
They have different risks. Kava has been tested in trials and is well tolerated by most people short term, but it's linked to rare liver injury. Amanita hasn't been tested and can cause deep sedation. Neither is risk-free.
Does kava act like Amanita?
Partly. Both affect the GABA system, but in different ways. Kava usually feels milder and clearer. Amanita can cause stronger sedation and changes in perception.
Can kava damage your liver?
Rarely, yes. Kava-associated liver injury is documented, although the exact cause is unclear. Use quality products made from peeled roots, avoid alcohol, and stop if you notice yellow skin, dark urine or abdominal pain.
Is Amanita muscaria good for anxiety?
It hasn't been studied. Some people report calming effects, but there are no clinical trials, and higher amounts can cause confusion and agitation.
Can I drink kava with alcohol?
It's best avoided. Kava and alcohol both cause sedation, and the combination may increase liver strain.
Related Articles
- Amanita and Anxiety
- Amanita Muscaria vs GABA Supplements
- Amanita vs Melatonin and Valerian for Sleep
- Amanita Muscaria vs CBD
- Best Mushroom Supplements for Anxiety
Sources
- Sarris J, Stough C, Bousman CA, et al. Kava in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2013;33(5):643-648. PubMed 23635869
- Sarris J, Byrne GJ, Bousman CA, et al. Kava for generalised anxiety disorder: a 16-week double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2020;54(3):288-297. PubMed 31813230
- Teschke R, Qiu SX, Xuan TD, Lebot V. Kava and kava hepatotoxicity: requirements for novel experimental, ethnobotanical and clinical studies based on a review of the evidence. Phytother Res. 2011;25(9):1263-1274. PubMed 21442674
- Moss MJ, Hendrickson RG. Toxicity of muscimol and ibotenic acid containing mushrooms reported to a regional poison control center from 2002-2016. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2019;57(2):99-103. PubMed 30073844
- Liljequist S, Engel J. Effects of GABAergic agonists and antagonists on various ethanol-induced behavioral changes. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1982;78(1):71-75. PubMed 6292983