Is Kava Safe with Lorazepam?
Free · No account · based on published sources including NIH ODS, FDA drug labels, and peer-reviewed literature
Do not combine. Stop kava immediately and inform your prescriber. Seek emergency care if you experience extreme drowsiness, difficulty breathing, or loss of consciousness.
Why this interaction occurs
Both lorazepam (GABA-A receptor positive modulator) and kava (kavalactones enhance GABAergic activity) profoundly depress the central nervous system. Combined use significantly increases risk of respiratory depression, excessive sedation, coma, and death.
Evidence
Evidence level: strong.
Reported safety data
The FDA’s adverse event reporting system (FAERS) has received 139,367 reports mentioning Lorazepam. This reflects reported cases involving the medication in general — not confirmed causation, and not specific to the Lorazepam + supplement combination on this page.
FAERS reports are voluntary and cannot prove that a drug caused an event. Do not use report counts to assess the safety of this specific drug-supplement pair.
Frequently asked questions
Related interactions
All Kava interactions → · All Lorazepam interactions →
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Educational only — not medical advice.
Always confirm with your doctor or pharmacist.