CBD & Kratom

CBD & Kratom

Sometimes, combining two medicinal substances together can offer greater benefits than taking each substance on its own. Two natural remedies that have been growing in popularity — due to the various benefits they offer — are CBD and kratom.

Some people find both CBD and kratom beneficial and so decide to combine them. If you haven’t tried this combination, you might be wondering how the effects differ compared to taking each substance by itself. Before exploring this combination, it’s worth taking a look at CBD and kratom individually and detailing the effects of each.

What Is CBD?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is the second most prevalent active ingredient in cannabis, of which there are hundreds. While CBD is an essential component of medical cannabis, it is derived directly from the hemp plant or manufactured in a laboratory.

Hemp plants and cannabis plants are both the same species (Cannabis sativa). Hemp is any strain of Cannabis sativa that contains 0.3 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or less. THC is the compound that causes the cannabis high.

In cannabis plants, CBD alters the effects of the THC high. In high doses, THC can induce paranoia and psychotic-like symptoms. The addition of CBD, however, helps to buffer these effects, often creating a more mellow and enjoyable experience. This occurs because CBD has antipsychotic effects.

CBD is typically legal. This is because CBD products don’t contain enough THC to be considered psychoactive and, therefore, a controlled substance. For this reason, the CBD industry is booming in many countries, with products including oils, tinctures, drinks, creams, gummies, and capsules.

You can even buy CBD weed that looks and smells like normal weed. Like the other CBD products, however, this weed will contain less than 0.3 percent THC (or less than 0.2 percent THC, depending on the country).

CBD does not cause a “high” by itself, but it can still lead to some beneficial effects for users.

CBD Effects

When taking CBD, a person tends to feel more relaxation, calmness, and sedation. These effects increase the higher the dose. Possible side effects can include nausea, fatigue, drowsiness, dry mouth, and reduced appetite.

CBD Benefits

There are animal and human studies indicating that CBD can offer the following benefits:

Nonetheless, more studies are necessary to establish the benefits of CBD. Sometimes, the existing scientific evidence fails to match the marketing. Therefore, studies about the benefits of CBD can be mixed.

What Is Kratom?

Kratom refers to the leaves of the plant Mitragyna speciosa, which belongs to the coffee plant family Rubiaceae. It has a long history of use in Southeast Asia, where it has been used for various medical purposes, as well as its stimulant effects. The plant is native to Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.

Traditionally, field workers would chew on kratom leaves to help increase their energy and endurance, aid their heat tolerance, and relieve fatigue.

Kratom leaves have traditionally been chewed, crushed and brewed into a tea, or smoked. But nowadays, they are ground to make pills and kratom powders.

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Kratom Effects

The compounds found in kratom act upon various receptors in the brain, causing effects similar to those of stimulants and opioid pain relievers, depending on the dosage.

In small doses between 1-5g, kratom acts as a stimulant and appears to increase energy, causing people to feel more alert and social.

In higher doses between 5-15 g, kratom appears to have a sedative effect, similar to that of opioid pain relievers, such as morphine and codeine. This effect causes people to feel tired, calm, and euphoric.

In doses higher than 15 g, kratom’s sedative effects become more pronounced and may cause someone to lose consciousness.

Kratom leaves contain more than 40 active compounds, but mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine are the two main ones. These are the ones responsible for kratom’s effects.

It’s worth highlighting that kratom leaves from different parts of Southeast Asia have varying levels of mitragynine. Malaysian kratom leaves have a much lower concentration at 12 percent, while the figure is 66 percent for Thai kratom leaves.

RELATED: Kratom Withdrawal: Symptoms, Experiences, And Timeline

Kratom Benefits

Although many health bloggers have suggested kratom tea offers health benefits, there is very little reliable evidence to support these claims.

Nonetheless, there are studies suggesting that kratom can offer:

Some people use kratom to improve their sexual performance and enhance their physical endurance. Nevertheless, more extensive and high-quality studies are needed to understand these mechanisms.

It’s worth pointing out that some of the evidence regarding kratom’s benefits is based on surveys, which are not as reliable as controlled clinical trials.

Combining CBD And Kratom

With CBD and kratom, many overlapping effects make the two naturally suited to each other. By combining both, you can strengthen their influence.

CBD and kratom may help you manage stress better, as well as promote a feeling of calm and well-being.

It is generally safe to take these two products together. However, as with any herbal combination, it’s best to start with small dosages, building up to the recommended dosage.

Give yourself time to explore what these plants have to offer. Both CBD and kratom come in different forms and varieties. If you don’t like one combination, you can always try another. Keep in mind your specific needs and experiment to see what combination benefits you the most.

Is Combining CBD And Kratom Safe?

Using CBD with kratom, based on the safety profile of each, is not likely to result in any physical harm. However, the risks of the combination are unknown. Also, using CBD and kratom together may not suit everyone. Each individual is unique and can have a different physical reaction, with several factors influencing someone’s response.

If you discover that the CBD and kratom combination doesn’t work well for you, discontinue use and seek out a well-trained professional’s guidance.

Differences Between CBD And Kratom

The differences between CBD and kratom are due to the unique biochemistry of both plants. Despite having a similar influence at times, these two plants are very different on a molecular level. Kratom is composed of the alkaloids mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, while CBD is an active component of the cannabis/hemp plant.

Due to these inherent differences, these substances have unique effects on the body. CBD is associated with influencing the endocannabinoid system in the body, while Kratom’s alkaloids affect opioid receptors.

Despite these differences, these two substances can enhance your well-being and work in tandem with each other throughout your day. One may even say that their effects are symbiotic to a large extent.

Nonetheless, keep in mind that kratom is stimulating in low doses. This means that if you take a low dose alongside CBD, you may not feel as relaxed as if taking a higher dose.

If aiming for a greater feeling of calm and sedation, then avoid low doses of kratom. Nevertheless, taking low doses of both CBD and kratom can still induce feelings of well-being.

Issues Of Legality

It’s important to consider the legality of each of these substances. CBD and kratom can involve shifting restrictions, regulations, and laws, so before you think of purchasing them, you need to be aware of these plants’ legality in your location.

CBD is legal in the United States. This is because it’s sourced from hemp and not cannabis. In the past, CBD was placed on the DEA’s Schedule I substances list and had a long history of being lumped into the same category as cannabis, despite its different effects.

Significant changes occurred in 2018 when hemp — and its CBD derivatives — were seen to be wrongly associated with cannabis. So, CBD was removed from the DEA’s Schedule I list, where it previously sat alongside heroin and LSD. While cannabis is still a Schedule I drug, CBD has been removed from the drug scheduling system entirely.

By comparison, kratom’s legal status is more complicated. Some states have outright banned it, whereas others are still battling kratom’s legal status. This struggle has resulted in changing rules and regulations, so you’ll need to stay updated on any changes where you live.

The following states have completely banned kratom:

  • Alabama
  • Arkansas
  • Indiana
  • Rhode Island
  • Tennessee
  • Vermont
  • Wisconsin

Some states have additional restrictions, including cities and counties that have banned the sale of kratom and its consumption.

If traveling with CBD and kratom to another country, be sure to do specific research on your destination’s legal requirements.

Kratom is illegal in the following European countries:

  • Denmark
  • Norway
  • France
  • Poland
  • Latvia
  • Finland
  • Lithuania
  • Romania
  • Turkey
  • Russia
  • United Kingdom
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Sweden
  • Ireland

CBD is legal in Europe, apart from the following countries:

  • Slovakia
  • Lithuania
  • Belarus
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Montenegro
  • Albania
  • Moldova

Other European countries may not have outright bans on CBD, but they may still have restrictions and other regulations in place.

Conclusion

If you’ve been considering taking CBD with kratom, it’s essential to do your research. The health risks of this combination are largely unknown, and there has not been much study on the subject so far.

Nonetheless, many people find that CBD and kratom are naturally complementary and can support each other or provide benefits in areas that the other plant lacks. They have the potential to create a synergy, enhancing effects like pain relief, positive mood, and reductions in anxiety.

Sam Woolfe

Sam Woolfe

View all posts by Sam Woolfe

Sam Woolfe is a freelance writer based in London. His main areas of interest include mental health, mystical experiences, the history of psychedelics, and the philosophy of psychedelics. He first became fascinated by psychedelics after reading Aldous Huxley's description of the mescaline experience in The Doors of Perception. Since then, he has researched and written about psychedelics for various publications, covering the legality of psychedelics, drug policy reform, and psychedelic science.

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