What Is Kratom?

Kratom is the latest thing in legal highs: a plant native to southeast Asia, which can induce psychoactive effects on the body. Traditionally, it is smoked, chewed, or brewed like tea. It is also available in powders, extracts, tablets, capsules, gums, and sweetened beverages.

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In this article, we’ll explain where kratom comes from, and what it does in your body. We’ll address the benefits of kratom, as well as the safety and side effects.

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What is Kratom?

Kratom comes from a tropical tree, Mitragyna speciosa, which is a member of the coffee family. In fact, you might even think of kratom as the “coffee” of Southeast Asia.

Let’s compare:

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In America, coffee is an addictive, but nonetheless socially-acceptable drug. It is a ubiquitous, daily habit used to provide energy. But it’s also a cultural-cornerstone, prized for its social and recreational role.

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In regions of southeast Asia, such as the southern peninsula of Thailand, kratom is pretty much exactly like that (with a few important caveats, so stay tuned). Kratom is a ubiquitous, addictive, yet socially-acceptable drug used daily to provide energy. Workers, especially manual laborers, use it to help combat fatigue and get them through the work day. In fact, rather than being stigmatized, users are often admired for their work ethic. Kratom is used socially and recreationally, consumed in tea shops. The leaves are bitter, and might be sweetened with sugar or honey.

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Sounding familiar so far? Just like coffee, kratom has stimulant-type effects. It can increase physical energy and alertness, boost your mood, increase talkativeness, and enhance social behavior.

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But despite these striking similarities, kratom isn’t exactly like coffee. For one thing, coffee doesn’t act on opioid receptors. Kratom does. In addition to its stimulating effects, kratom can also strongly induce opioid-like effects – including sedation, powerful pain relief, and even euphoria. The psychoactive effects of kratom have been compared to cocaine and morphine.

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So how is it that a single plant can be as innocuous as coffee, and simultaneously as potent and powerful as opium? Let’s look more closely at how kratom works in the body, and what kinds of effects it may have.

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What Does Kratom Do?

Kratom contains a host of bioactive compounds called alkaloids. When you consume kratom, these compounds have the ability to influence and disrupt the biochemical processes in your body – with powerful results.

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More than 25 alkaloids in kratom have been identified, but there are two in particular which are the most important and the best understood. They are mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. (Mitragynine also breaks down into 7-hydroxymitragynine.)

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Both of these alkaloids act on receptors in the body called mu-opioid receptors. These are the same receptors that interact with opioids like codeine and morphine. Research even suggests that mitragynine has 13 times the potency of morphine. Despite this, 7-hydroxymitragynine is considered the more powerful alkaloid, with up to four times higher potency compared to mitragynine. However, mitragynine is present in higher quantities.

Kratom is often regarded as a legal, more readily-available opioid-like substitute. It can be used as a powerful pain-reliever, a sedative, and to help with opioid withdrawal. However, that does not mean that kratom is an opioid. The receptors in the brain and body are not like buttons that you press. They involved complex mechanisms of activation, which is why several different compounds can interact with the same receptors in different ways, and create different effects.

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The kratom alkaloids also interact with other biochemical systems in the brain, such as serotonin, dopamine, kappa-opioid, and norepinephrine receptors. These biochemical pathways may partially contribute to the euphoric high that can come from kratom.

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Kratom Effects

The effects of kratom can depend on the dose, the strain, and the user. Kratom is used to:

·       Increase physical energy

·       Boost alertness

·       Boost mood

·       Enhance socialization

·       Relieve pain

·       Induce relaxation

·       Induce euphoria

·       Enhance sex drive

·       Increase appetite

·       Treat diarrhea (as kratom may induce constipation)

·       Treat opioid withdrawal symptoms

·       Replace alcohol in social scenarios

·       Create a topical poultice for wound-healing

·       Treat mood and psychological disorders

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You may notice that these effects are wide-ranging, and in some cases contradictory. Depending on the dose and the strain, kratom can be a stimulant or a sedative.

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 More studies are needed to verify the dose-dependent effects of kratom. However, it is generally thought that the stimulant effects occur at lower dosages, around 1-5 g of raw leaves. However, at higher doses, we begin to see more opioid-like effects. Above 5g, kratom begins to have analgesic (pain-relieving) effects. At still higher doses (up to 15g) it may induce an opioid-like euphoria. Above 15g of raw leaves, kratom could induce a stupor and dysphoria, followed by a dream-like state.

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The strain could also play an important role. Certain strains are better for boosting energy, whereas others have stronger pain-relieving properties.

What are the Benefits of Kratom?

Kratom can be used in a variety of different ways depending on the goal.

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Kratom can be used as a stimulant to increase physical energy and alertness. As we mentioned, this was a common traditional usage for kratom among manual laborers in its native southeast Asia.

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It can also be used in social settings, particularly as a substitute for alcohol or other drugs.

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An obvious advantage of kratom is that it is easily accessible and legal, particularly in comparison with true opioids. It is also thought to be less dangerous compared to opioids, with a lower risk of leading to respiratory depression (that is, difficulty breathing). Therefore, it can be used to manage opioid abuse and withdrawal, by inducing opioid-like effects with lower risk and dependency.

Safety and Side Effects

That said, it is important to realize that kratom can be addictive, and can itself create severe withdrawal symptoms. Side effects might include:

·       Weight loss

·       Fatigue

·       Constipation

·       Insomnia

·       Dry mouth

·       Frequent urination

·       Hyperpigmentation of the cheeks

·       Tremors/seizures

·       Psychosis

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Despite this, toxicity of kratom is considered to be relatively mild. One of the primary safety concerns is drug-drug interactions with other recreational substances or medications.

How Long Does Kratom Last?

Kratom can take effect within five to ten minutes after ingestion. Effects can be expected to last for five to seven hours, with the effects peaking at about two to four hours. However, mild effects may last even into the next day.

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The two most potent alkaloids in kratom have half-lives of 2.5-3.5 hours. That means that it takes about three hours for the concentration of the alkaloid in the body to be reduced by one-half. The active compounds are eliminated through the urine.

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Consuming kratom with food may delay the onset of the effects. There are also other ways to enhance extraction of the bioactive alkaloids, or enhance absorption of alkaloids in the small intestine. That is why different modes of consumption (for example, kratom capsules, tablets, or teas) can change the way you experience kratom.

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Where Can I Find Kratom Near Me?

Kratom will be available at The Green Dragon CBD soon. We’ve hand-picked our favorite, most trust-worthy brands, so you can have complete confidence in your purchase.

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As always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us for a free consultation.