If you’ve walked into your local cafe and checked the menu, you might see coffee, tea, cappuccino and kratom tea. Like many people, you might wonder what it is, and how does kratom make you feel.
Kratom is an increasingly popular herbal beverage that offers pain relief and a mood boost. With today’s problem of opioid addiction, are you wondering how addictive is kratom?
Read more about kratom, its benefits and if kratom is addictive.
What Is Kratom?
Kratom (Mitagyna speciosa) is a tropical evergreen tree that belongs to the coffee family. It grows in Southeast Asia, mostly in Malaysia. It’s cultivated for its medicinal and recreational uses. The tree can grow more than 80 feet and the trunk reaches 3 feet in diameter.
Kratom’s large, glossy leaves produce the extract that’s the active component. This is mitragynine, which is the main alkaloid in kratom. It causes effects similar to opioids. Many kratom users believe this extract is helpful in withdrawing from narcotic addiction.
How Addictive Is Kratom?
Surveys from kratom users say that withdrawing from kratom is similar to giving up coffee and sugar.
The survey also says that when you stop drinking kratom tea or supplements, you might experience a runny nose, cravings and restlessness similar to breaking a habit.
How Does Kratom Work?
When you ingest kratom, it activates some of the same receptors as opioid drugs. It acts as a stimulant when taken in small doses. Larger doses have sedative effects.
Advocates of kratom like the fact that it doesn’t cause slowed breathing as opioids do. It’s also less addictive than prescription painkillers. In fact, researchers are studying kratom hoping to create a non-addictive pain killer from the herb, which could be a remedy for opioid addiction.
How Does Kratom Make You Feel?
According to kratom users, if you drink kratom tea, take kratom capsules or powder, you’ll experience the following effects:
- Mild stimulation similar to caffeine
- Quick energy boost
- Elevated mood
Pleasantly calm - Pain relief
Also, some kratom users find it an effective alternative to opioids. In fact, in Thailand people have been using kratom for morphine and opioid alternatives for centuries.
What Are the Common Forms and Doses of Kratom?
You can find different forms of kratom for sale online. It’s available in extract, powder and capsules. Because of the lack of studies and quality control, there’s no definite recommended dosage available.
Also, keep in mind that the active ingredient, mitragynine, varies depending on the form of kratom you purchase. The extracts are usually stronger than powders and capsules.
Depending on the results you want from kratom, you would take different doses. For example, if you wanted kratom for anxiety, you’d need less than if you were managing daily, chronic pain or withdrawal from opiates.
Where to Purchase Kratom
Now that you know how addictive is kratom, you might decide to try it for pain relief, anxiety or withdrawal. If so, make sure you purchase it from a reputable seller. You want to order kratom that’s processed with good manufacturing practices and not exposed to other contaminated products.
Also, consult your doctor so you can make the right choice to avoid interactions with other medications you take.
If you found this information about kratom informative, read more of our helpful content on our online magazine and blog.
