News Americas, NEW YORK, NY: Kratom is a Southeast Asian herb that grows naturally in places like Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, etc.
What Is It?
Historically, it was used as herbal medicine by the natives of the regions where it grew. Its first usage goes back to hundreds of years ago, but the first documented usage was during the early 19th century.
As an herbal medicine, people would use it for managing pain holistically and for upping their energy levels. At times, it was also used for overcoming opioid addiction.
Kratom became famous in the West with the advancement of the Internet. It was the Internet that popularized it in the West sometime around the early 2000s.
Today, it is available in the form of powder, crushed leaves, capsules, and extracts. It is available both offline and online easily. While many choose to buy it locally, they can also find it online.
How To Take It?
You can consume kratom in a variety of ways. All of those methods are super straightforward and don’t require special tools, equipment, or dexterity.
With Water – This method is also called the toss n wash method and it is, by far, the simplest and most preferred method of getting it into your body. It essentially involves washing down your dose with a glass of water quickly enough so it doesn’t settle on the tongue.
As a capsule – This is pretty self-explanatory. It is just like you take any other pill or capsule. Each capsule comes pre-dosed. Typically, the dosage is at 1 gram. So, accordingly, you measure the number of capsules, and one by one you start popping them in the mouth and chase them down with a beverage (mostly water). But, you can also use juices like cranberry, apple, orange, etc.
As a tea – You can also enjoy kratom as a hot beverage. In this form, it becomes a full-fledged experience as you sip it slowly like you would coffee or tea. The recipe is pretty simple. You can either boil the crushed leaves in the water for about 20 minutes before straining or adding a sweetener of your choice.
Or, you can leave it in a hot water for a good amount of time until all the alkaloid content (it’s the chemical compound which gives its analgesic, sedating, and relaxing effects) has seeped into the water.
If any of those is throwing you off, you can always Google recipes for kratom tea which should tell you everything in great detail.
Why do People Take Kratom?
Pain relief is easily the number one reason that the majority chooses to opt for Kratom. As an herb, it carries strong analgesic and pain-relieving properties. Many studies have stipulated its analgesic effects which are attributed to the presence of alkaloids like mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine.
Another majority uses it as a replacement for harmful drugs like opioids. Many have used it as a tool to ease their way into a sober, drug-free life. Although these effects are not backed by science.
Management of mental health disorders like PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder), anxiety, depression, etc. is the 3rd leading reason behind kratom’s growing popularity.
And although a few varieties of kratom plants (also known as strains) are supposed to yield a mild high and a sense of euphoria and, it’s not why the majority uses it. Its use for recreational purposes constitutes only a small number of users.
What Does Kratom Do in the Body?
In all honesty, kratom’s working mechanism still largely remains a mystery. It’s mostly because as an herb, it’s a highly under-studied plant. However, some studies believe that kratom interacts with the brain like an opiate does which is surprising because technically kratom is not an opiate.
Some studies attribute this binding nature of kratom with the presence of mitragynine, which is the active ingredient in kratom. But, there’s a possibility that a lot of other unknown ingredients work in synergy to yield those effects which range from analgesic to sedating, to stimulating.
Kratom dose at lower level tends to lean towards being stimulating while higher doses tend to be more sedating and may make you drowsy/sleepy.
Kratom Effects
Pain management – If you suffer from pains like arthritis, fibromyalgia, muscle pain, joint pain, etc. there’s a chance you might experience some relief from kratom. But this effectiveness will depend on the dose and type you consume.
More Energy – Some strains are highly stimulating meaning they leave you feeling more energetic much like coffee. That’s why it is gaining popularity among gym lovers and bodybuilders who need that extra energy push in the gym.
Better Focus – Often some users find that it helps them stay focused with better attention. They may find studying and other mentally strenuous activities a lot easier when they consume kratom.
Improved mental health – As mentioned, kratom may help with issues like anxiety, depression, and PTSD; there’s a possibility that an occasional user may experience a more optimistic and hopeful outlook towards life.
Is it Legal or Not?
Kratom is legal in the United States; though some states and counties could have different legislation wherein, as a substance, it might be banned. That is why you should check local laws before buying, selling, or consuming it.
Over the years, there has been a lot of push by the DEA to place kratom under controlled substances list. But, so far, their efforts have been in vain.
But, as far as legality goes, it is pretty much legal. Please know that that kratom is not approved by the FDA as a drug. It has warned vendors that sell kratom for treating any medical condition. Their concern mainly stems from kratom being an unregulated substance which means there could be fake and adulterated products circulating in the market. This is why users should be beware and buy only from a trusted place.
