What Is Kratom?

Kratom has been making headlines around the world, but not always for the best reasons. While some reports claim it is dangerous, others describe the benefits they see in the plant. All of this conflicting information can be confusing.

You might wonder what all the talk is about. What is Kratom? What does it do? Why is it newsworthy? Who are its advocates? Let’s begin with the basics.

A Simple Plant

Kratom comes from a plant called Mitragyna speciosa. It grows wild in places like Thailand, Indonesia, and Southeast Asia. Because it’s a tropical plant, it stays green all year. Once users outside the region discovered the plant’s benefits, more countries began to grow it for themselves.

Kratom is from the Rubiaceae family of plants. The Rubiaceae family is large and includes a lot of different plants. Other well-known plants in this family are the Coffea species, otherwise known as coffee.

Mitragyna speciosa is a tree that can grow to about 80 feet high and 3 feet across. The leaves are wide and glossy with a flat edge near the base and a pointed tip. Farmers dry the leaves and ground them into powder for use.

So, if you’re getting pure Kratom, the only ingredient is the powdered leaves of the Mitragyna speciosa plant. Reputable vendors will list any added ingredients on their packaging, but most don’t blend their powders with anything aside from other types of Kratom.

Kratom Types

Shopping around for Kratom, you’ll see that there are many different varieties. The first difference is the color. White, red, and green are the most common. The colors don’t come from additives but from the age of the tree.

White Kratom has white veins, red has red veins, and so on. The vein color changes as the tree gets older. It starts with white-veined leaves when the plant is young. The veins transition to green as the tree grows and become red when the tree is mature.

White Kratom uses leaves with white veins. Farmers harvest the leaves when the tree is young. This type is more potent than red, so it may not be best for beginners. It promotes a sense of alertness and focus. Some varieties are White Indo, White Vietnam, White Maeng Da, and White Borneo.

Green Kratom has similar effects to white, only much milder. Farmers harvest the leaves between the white vein stage and the red vein stage. Users describe green Kratom as being a good balance between red and white. Green Malay, Thai Green, and Green Bali are a few examples.

Red Kratom has green leaves with red veins. The leaves come from mature plants. This variety has the reputation of being very mellow, and users take it to feel relaxed. Some types of red are Red Maeng Da, Red Indo, Red Sumatra, and Red Bali.

Kratom Alkaloids

The two alkaloids in the plant that give it physiological and psychological effects are mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. Young plants have a higher concentration of mitragynine. As they age, more of that chemical converts into 7-hydroxymitragynine.

Just as the soil and climate where grapes grow can affect the flavors of wine, Kratom grown in different countries have different qualities. In most cases, the country it came from is in the name of the product.

Kratom Uses

Now that you have an idea of what Kratom is from a botanical point of view, what is it from a user’s point of view? Advocates use the powder in different ways and report various effects.

People who live where Kratom grows naturally have been using the plant as a traditional medicine for centuries. They believe it relieves pain and enhances mood. Natives gave guests Kratom as a way to welcome them to the community.

Since it spread to western countries, the plant has become part of an overall wellness plan for some users. It can promote a dependence-free lifestyle for users of opioid drugs. Some people use it to relax or to stimulate their mood.

Controversy

Kratom is a natural plant, not a chemical created in a lab by a pharmaceutical company. The FDA has not approved it but hasn’t classified it as a controlled substance either. It’s currently legal and available in most areas.

Kratom is not an opioid or an opioid substitute. It does not have the addictive power of opioids. It does, however, interact with receptors in the brain that opioids stimulate. Chocolate, cheese, and St. John’s wort also stimulate these very same receptors – called mu receptors.

Before believing any claims or reports of what Kratom’s effects are, it’s a good idea to verify the information with a reliable source. Look over the clinical evidence and the advice of healthcare professionals. Several animal studies on Kratom showed no evidence of overdose death, even at extremely high levels.

In the past, pharmaceutical companies have sought to block the use of herbal supplements and treatments. The availability of natural remedies is a direct threat to their financial success. Pharmaceutical companies invest heavily in the agencies that govern drug laws.

Advocacy

Kratom advocates believe that people should be able to access the plant if they want to use it. In most cases, advocates want regulation in place to protect users from substandard or altered products. Quality vendors are crucial to keeping kratom legal.

The American Kratom Association is the primary advocate for consumer protection. Many vendors have joined the Association in supporting keeping the plant available and safe for people to use. They also promote sustainable harvesting, good manufacturing processes, and the responsible use of Kratom.