I’ve written hundreds of articles about Kratom, but I’ve realized that I have not written an article which answers the simple question, what is Kratom? Although this question is simple, it is critically important, since whenever someone finds out about Kratom for the first time, this question is the first thing they ask, and the answer they receive to this question can permanently influence their opinion about Kratom.
Kratom is a leaf from the Mitragyna Speciosa tree, a tree which grows indigenously in Southeast Asia, primarily in Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand. In these regions Kratom has been used since ancient times as an herbal remedy for a wide variety of ailments, including counteracting Opium addiction, as a source of energy for work like Coffee, and as a way to manage pain and various diseases.
The primary alkaloids which cause Kratom’s effects are Mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, although there are dozens of other Kratom alkaloids, most of which have proven beneficial properties as well.
Mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine are opioids, somewhat similar to opiates in the sense that they induce pain relief (analgesia) and can provide a powerful mood lift, but the similarities end there.
Unlike synthetic opioids and opiates, Mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine fail to activate beta-arrestin, which is an intracellular molecule that is responsible for the deadly and highly addictive properties of synthetic opioids and opiates. Essentially, beta-arrestin activation causes respiratory suppression, which can lead to overdose death, and beta-arrestin activation also suppresses the body’s norepinephrine, leading to withdrawal symptoms when opiates are discontinued and the body’s adrenaline surges back.
In other words, Kratom miraculously provides positive opioid effects like pain relief and a mood lift, but doesn’t cause respiratory suppression nor a significant physiological addiction, since Kratom’s alkaloids do not activate beta-arrestin. This is why there has never been a scientifically proven Kratom death in history, unlike synthetic opioids and opiates which kill 50,000 Americans every year.
Due to these miraculous properties, where Kratom provides all of the good effects of opioids with none of the bad, Kratom has been used by countless people to overcome opioid addiction and drug and alcohol addiction in general. Also, Kratom has been used by countless people to overcome serious chronic pain conditions, in addition to Kratom being used by countless people to overcome mental health conditions due to Kratom’s antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects.
Therefore, people with drug addiction, chronic pain, and mental health issues should probably give Kratom a try, since there are an untold number of stories about how Kratom gave people their life back, whereas prescription medications previously failed.
On a final note, here is a much shorter answer to the question, what is Kratom? Kratom is a leaf from a tree, it is 100% natural and completely safe, and it has benefited, if not saved, the lives of countless people who were dealing with life threatening chronic pain, drug addiction, and mental health issues.