When you visit the https://www.lpath.com website, you will find that there are people who ask to know everything they need to know about kratom. For the above question to be answered, you will need to, first of all, understand what kratom is all about.
On https://www.lpath.com, kratom, whose scientific name is mitragyna speciose, is an evergreen tree which grows in the tropicals and is in the family of coffee trees. The extracts from the leaves have been used as sedative and stimulant for quite a long time with some reporting as being able to treat digestive ailments, chronic pain, and in aiding when it comes to combating withdrawal from the dependence of opium.
Is it legal?
In the United States of America, Kratom is legal but in countries such as Malaysia, Australia, Thailand, and several European countries, it is illegal. You will readily find it in stores which sell supplements and other medicines.
How and why do people use kratom?
- When used in low doses, kratom has been known to act as a stimulant. Those who used it in low doses reported having more energy, feeling more sociable, and being more alert. When used in higher doses, it has been known to act as a sedative, producing effects which are euphoric and dulling sensations and emotions.
- The main ingredients of kratom are 7-hydroxymitragynine and mitragynine. According to several types of research carried out, these particular alkaloids can have anti-inflammatory, pain relieving or relaxing of muscle effect. Due to these, you will find people utilizing it as a cure for fibromyalgia symptoms.
- The leaves of the plant which are ever dark green in color are normally dried and either powdered or crushed. You will be able to find fortified kratom powders which are normally light brown or green in color. The powders also contain extracts from other plants.
- You can get kratom in the form of a capsule, paste, and a tablet. In the United States of America, people mostly brew kratom as tea in order to utilize it to manage opioid withdrawal and pain.
Effects of Kratom as a stimulant
For kratom to act as a stimulant, you will need to just use a few grams. Within 10 minutes of ingesting, you will feel its effect which can be able to last up to 90 minutes. The effects include:
- Giddiness
- Alertness
- Reduced motor coordination
- Sociability
Sedative effects
If you use a large dose of kratom of between 10 grams to 25 grams of the leaves which are dried, it is likely to give you a sedative effect. You will have a feeling of euphoria and calmness which is likely to last up to 6 hours.
Why is Kratom controversial?
The truth is that study for kratom hasn’t been deep and that is why it has not been officially recommended for medicinal use. For a new drug to be developed, it is important to carry out clinical studies. These then help in being able to identify harmful effects which are consistent and interactions with other drugs which are harmful. They also help in identifying the right dosages which are effective and at the same time, not dangerous.
There is a likelihood that kratom can have a strong impact on the body as it contains as many alkaloids as that which is contained in hallucinogenic mushrooms and opium. There is a strong physical effect which the kratom has on the body. While some of the effects are known to be positive, there are those which are negative and a cause for concern. These are the more reasons why there is a need for more studies on kratom. It has the potential of causing effects which are adverse and its safety has not been fully established.
The mitragynine has addictive properties which have been confirmed by a study carried out and that is the major alkaloid which is psychoactive in kratom. When a drug becomes dependable, then it will likely cause side effects such as sweating, nausea, tremors, hallucinations, and inability to sleep.
The FDA hasn’t been involved in the purity or safety of this herb and thus, its production hasn’t been regulated yet. When it comes to standards for being able to safely produce kratom, there are no set standards.
Reported side effects
Some reported side effects from users include:
- Cheeks discoloration
- Constipation
- Insomnia
- Loss or lack of appetite
- Weight loss which is severe
The basics of kratom
- In low dosage, it can be used as a stimulant while in high dosage, it can be a stimulant
- Its usage is not clinically proven
- It can be used as a pain management drug
Potential side effects
- With other drugs, it can likely cause potential reactions which are deadly
- When used regularly, it can cause anorexia, addiction, and insomnia
- Even when you use it in small dosages, there are chances that you will have side effects such as anorexia and hallucinations.
Take away
In the future, after extensive research, kratom might become one of the product which will be recommended for its benefits. But at the moment, there is no clinical backup on its benefits. Without the supporting clinical research, there are several things about this particular drug which remain unknown such as safe dosage and its effectiveness, possible interactions with other drugs and side effects which are harmful including possible death. This is some of the things which you need to weigh on before you embark on taking any drug.
