Bilo Social

Research and references

Ancient roots. Modern research.

For generations across Fiji and the wider Pacific, kava has been more than a drink. It brings people together to talk, listen, welcome, celebrate and connect. Today researchers are studying the qualities long linked with kava, including relaxation, clear thinking and social connection.

A centuries-old Pacific tradition

Kava is mixed in the tanoa and shared from the bilo. The i-sevusevu, where visitors present kava to the chief, is still how guests are welcomed into a Fijian village. Tourism Fiji explains the customs and etiquette [1].

A sense of calm

Researchers have studied the calming effects of kava for decades. A 2018 review of randomised clinical trials found evidence supporting short-term relief of anxiety symptoms compared with placebo [6], and a 2013 trial reported 26% of people on kava in remission against 6% on placebo [7]. Results are not all the same: a larger 16-week trial found no difference from placebo for diagnosed generalised anxiety disorder [5], and a 2026 review concluded kava may help with short-term anxiety but is not proven for that disorder [2].

Made for connection

Perhaps the most lasting value of kava did not begin in a laboratory. A 2025 review looked at kava across its health effects and its economic and social place in Pacific life [3]. This is the tradition that inspires Bilo Social: slowing down, sharing a bilo, talking and being present with the people around you.

Not the same as alcohol

Kava works differently from alcohol and from prescription sedatives. One study compared a single dose of kava with the anti-anxiety drug oxazepam and with placebo [8]. A University of Waikato study of traditional drinking found a small gain in focus after six hours, but slower judgement of timing, and the researchers advise against driving after a kava session [4].

Respect the tradition, follow the science, and never make kava something it is not.

References

  1. Tourism Fiji. A traveller's guide to drinking kava in Fiji. fiji.travel. Read it
  2. Lowe T, Connolly G (2026). The efficacy and safety of Piper methysticum (kava) for anxiety and Generalised Anxiety Disorder: a critical narrative review. Advances in Integrative Medicine 13(3): 100695. Read it
  3. Economidis G, et al. (2025). Global perspectives on kava: a narrative systematic review of the health effects, economic and social impacts and policy considerations. Drug and Alcohol Review. Read it
  4. Aporosa SA, Ballard H, Pandey R, McCarthy MJ (2022). The impact of traditional kava (Piper methysticum) use on cognition: implications for driver fitness. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 291: 115080. Read it
  5. Sarris J, et al. (2020). Kava for generalised anxiety disorder: a 16-week double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 54(3): 288-297. Read it
  6. Smith K, Leiras C (2018). The effectiveness and safety of Kava Kava for treating anxiety symptoms: a systematic review and analysis of randomized clinical trials. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 33: 107-117. Read it
  7. Sarris J, et al. (2013). Kava in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. Read it
  8. Sarris J, et al. (2012). The acute effects of kava and oxazepam on anxiety, mood, neurocognition; and genetic correlates: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Human Psychopharmacology. Read it

This page summarises published research about kava in general. It is not a claim about Bilo Social kava. Kava is not a medicine and is not intended to diagnose, treat or prevent any condition. Talk to your doctor before drinking kava if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take medication or have liver problems.

Talk to us about Bilo Social