5 Surprising Kratom Benefits You Need to Know

How many of your problems, right now, are you trying to solve with pills? You take one pill for one problem, then you have to make another one for the side effects, and pretty soon you’re relying on a row of pill bottles.

You could also just feel like you need a small boost. Maybe you feel sluggish, or fuzzy, or anxious, and you want to get back to your peak. 

Either way, kratom might be able to help. As kratom rises in popularity, more people are uncovering the kratom benefits they need. One of the benefits below could be the one you’re looking for too.

Kratom Benefits and Uses

Kratom is a plant found mostly in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Papa New Guinea. It belongs to the same family as the coffee plant. The leaves of the plant can be swallowed in pills, crushed into powder, smoked, brewed as a tea, or chewed.

At low doses, kratom acts as a stimulant, while at higher doses it acts as a sedative. As a result, there are many different kratoms uses, which is why so many people shop for kratom. Even though kratom has been used safely and effectively for centuries, the DEA has considered labeling it as a Schedule I substance, the most restrictive category. This follows similar recommendations from the FDA and the Department of Health and Human Services.

Fortunately, at this point, kratom is not federally regulated. It is illegal in a handful of states and regulated in most others. That means you are still free to enjoy the following health benefits of kratom.

Treating Chronic Pain

Among habitual users, one of the most common kratom benefits in treating lasting pain. Johns Hopkins Medicine surveyed 2,798 people using kratom and found that 91% use it to treat pain. Because kratom is less addictive than some alternatives, users can take it often to address chronic issues.

Fighting Opioid Addiction

That same survey from Johns Hopkins found about 41% of respondents took kratom to treat opioid withdrawal. Among those respondents, 35% were able to go a year or more without taking other opioids. In areas where kratom grows naturally, users have frequently turned to kratom teas to address opioid addiction.

Helping Anxiety and Depression

Another key benefit of kratom is reducing depression or social anxiety. First-hand accounts from kratom users detail how kratom helped them become more warm and sociable. Medicinal use of kratom is a key part of their mental help, and it does not come with the same severe side effects as many antidepressants.

Boosting Energy

As described above, kratom can also act as a stimulant at low doses, so kratom uses also include improving energy. The alkaloids in kratom increase circulation and enhance energy transfer to muscle cells, improving your body’s ability to transport oxygen and produce energy.

Enhancing Cognition and Focus

These same stimulant effects can help you think more clearly and focus better as well. Consuming kratom releases acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter involved in focus and memory. Taking kratom also makes the brain release serotonin and dopamine, both of which are associated with improved focus and longer attention span.

A More Natural Alternative

Importantly, all of these kratom benefits come from a single plant, not some opioid developed by Big Pharma, or a sketchy energy drink. Because of these benefits, more and more researchers have been looking into kratom recently. If you’re still skeptical, a simple internet search will show you more of the kratom research going on right now.

And, if you want more tips on how to boost your health and wellness, or maximize your lifestyle, check out some of our other posts.