Kratom vs CBD for pain, anxiety

Kratom vs. CBD for Pain, Inflammation, and Anxiety

In recent years, Cannabidiol (CBD) has found fame as a potential cure-all for everything from chronic pain to anxiety. However, this has come at the expense of some other notable natural therapeutics. One such therapeutic is Kratom. The only question is, what is Kratom? Moreover, when it comes to Kratom vs. CBD, which is better for therapeutic use?

What is Kratom?

Kratom is derived from the leaves of the Southeast Asian tree, Mitragyna Speciosa. This is a tree that is a member of the coffee family. However, unlike coffee, Kratom is prohibited in some countries and some states in the U.S., due to its stimulative effects. What is Kratom and what do people use it for? Read more here.

Like Cannabis, Kratom has also been used medicinally for thousands of years. However, the therapeutic effects of Kratom differ considerably from those of cannabis or hemp-derived Cannabidiol.

Kratom vs. CBD – Effects and Therapeutic Uses

At face value, Kratom seems to promote pain relief, relieve anxiety, and improve cognitive focus in a similar way to CBD. However, Kratom works very differently to Cannabidiol after being ingested.

When smoking or consuming Cannabidiol, CBD interacts with endocannabinoid receptors in the central nervous system to help relieve symptoms of pain and anxiety. However, Kratom works more like traditional opioids and stimulative drugs.

  • Often, Kratom effects differ considerably depending on dosage levels. In smaller doses, mitragynine and 7-α-hydroxymitragynine act like stimulants. However, in higher doses, Kratom has more sedative-like effects.
  • Some research suggests that alkaloids in Kratom leaves may be able to help modulate blood insulin and glucose levels and, therefore, be of benefit to diabetes sufferers.

Kratom Opioid Withdrawal Benefits

As well as pain and anxiety relief, Kratom is also widely used to help people recover from addiction to opioids like heroin. This is thanks to the fact that Kratom is able to stimulate the same opioid receptors in the brain as drugs like heroin. However, Kratom does so without causing dependency issues.

Kratom can also help treat nausea, insomnia, pain, and mood swings that result from opioid withdrawal. However, anyone who plans to use Kratom to recover from opioid dependency should always consult with a medical professional first.

CBD and Kratom Combination Therapeutics

Is taking CBD and Kratom together a good idea? The general idea of pairing Kratom with CBD is to provide faster relief from pain among chronic pain sufferers.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that combining Kratom and CBD can also help fight fatigue, relieve stress, and help treat endometriosis, IBS, and fibromyalgia.

Sadly, few clinical studies support these claims. All we do know is that in theory, at least, Kratom may be able to provide instant pain relief to users, while CBD prolongs analgesic effects and helps fight associated inflammation.

Is Using Kratom and CBD Together a Good Idea?

As a rule, if you are new to the world of Cannabidiol therapeutics, it will usually be best to experiment with different strengths of CBD, before looking to pair CBD with Kratom.

When bought from reputable brands, both Kratom and CBD therapeutics are largely safe. However, if you take Kratom and CBD together, should side-effects manifest, it will not always be clear which plant extracts are causing which effects. As a result, experimenting with CBD first will allow you to test your tolerance levels.

When looking for Kratom supplements, it is also important to remember that Kratom is illegal in some states. At present, these include Wisconsin, Arkansas, Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Rhode Island, and Vermont.