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The global market for health and wellness products, including botanicals, plants, and supplements is over $140 billion, with most analysts expecting this to rise at an annual growth rate of 28%+ per year through 2028.
The fact is, consumers are increasingly aware and invested in their health and wellbeing, seeking out natural and alternative options to improve their quality of life.
Among those options are kratom and CBD, two wellness products that have skyrocketed in popularity among savvy consumers, with the kratom industry suspected to serve more than 14 million Americans and tens of millions more worldwide. Similarly, CBD has seen blockbuster adoption and success over the last decade, with one Gallop poll nearly 33% of Americans have used CBD, with Consumer Reports data showing a staggering 64 million US adults had tried the supplement within the last year.
But with all of the hype surrounding these two plant-derived products, questions have arisen regarding the pros and cons of each.
In this guide we’ll provide a succinct breakdown of the pros and cons of kratom as well as the pros and cons of CBD, providing you with insight into the potential benefits (and downsides) of both.
Kratom is a plant-derived product typically sold in the form of a powder similar in appearance and consistency to matcha tea. This powder is made from the dried and processed leaves of an evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia. Grown in tropical climates, the Mitragyna Speciosa tree is from the same family as coffee plants, but instead of caffeine, produces a unique blend of alkaloids that interact with opioid receptors when consumed.
For centuries this plant has been consumed for sustained energy, improved mood, euphoric effects, pain relief, relaxation and more.
Kratom has long been a staple across Southeast Asia, but its availability around the world (especially in Western nations) was quite limited in the past. Today, companies like the Kratom Connection are connecting consumers online with high-grade, third party lab tested kratom that is pure as well as potent.
Different strokes for different folks. Although the primary effects of kratom are similar between strains (or ‘veins’ in the kratom world), there are a multitude of varieties and strains that each offer a unique and complex experience that can be tailored to the user’s preference.
For example, you have the red hulu, white elephant, or green maeng da kratom.
Kratom is a versatile plant scientifically confirmed to interact with and influence the human body’s own natural opioid receptors. At low doses this effect is generally stimulatory, resulting in an uplifting and energized experience. At higher doses, this effect is typically more sedative, resulting in a deep state of relaxation and euphoria.
Kratom is a largely unregulated industry. As such, no standardizations currently exist for various strains or preparation of kratom. There is also very little to no oversight in the cultivation, production, storage and packaging of kratom products.
There are strides being made in this area (such as with the Kratom Consumer Protection Act), but until each state approves its own legislation, it is a ‘buyers beware’ industry.
This is why it is so important to choose companies such as The Kratom Connection. We take great pride in bringing high-quality kratom to market, direct from generational farmers to the store shelf. We also have all of our kratom batches independently tested by an FDA registered lab for purity and safety.
Although side effects are typically mild, some can be serious, especially with higher doses. Further, those with underlying medical conditions or who are on medications should abstain from taking kratom unless approved of by their doctor.
Potential Mild Side Effects According to the Cleveland Clinic May Include:
Serious but less common side effects may include:
Because of kratom’s interaction with the body’s opioid receptors, and because of its psychostimulatory and physiological effects when ingested, kratom has been shown to pose a risk of addiction for some people. Although the majority of kratom consumers use the plant without cause, others who are prone to addiction or who abuse increasingly large and/or frequent doses are at higher risk.
CBD is shorthand for the compound cannabidiol, a naturally occurring cannabinoid found in hemp and cannabis. Cannabis contains hundreds of identified cannabinoids, but CBD is the most prevalent, second only to THC in terms of concentration.
However, despite being structurally similar to THC, small molecular changes render CBD non-psychoactive. This means that CBD does not produce the euphoric ‘high’ notable with THC use. In fact, the World Health Organization has determined that, “in humans, CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential…. To date, there is no evidence of public health-related problems associated with the use of pure CBD.”
With the 2018 Farm Bill, legislation opened up the doors for the production of hemp-derived CBD, even in states where marijuana was illegal (so long as it contained less than 0.03% of THC). Since that time, the use of CBD has skyrocketed in the US and worldwide, with millions of people taking the supplement for a broad range of health concerns.
CBD is everywhere these days. From corner gas station shelves to your local supermarket. This is both a good and a bad thing (more on this in the cons section).
Given that CBD has to come from either hemp or cannabis, it is a highly regulated industry. However, much of this regulation focuses on compliance with regards to THC concentrations, NOT public safety. As a supplement, CBD is not currently under the oversight of the FDA, with compliance enforcements typically coming down from the DEA (in cases of spiked THC levels), the FTC (in cases of misleading claims), or the Department of Agriculture.
In 2017 the World Health Organization released a report citing that it had found no evidence of any adverse health outcomes regarding the use of CBD in humans. This report went on to explain that CBD is generally well-tolerated in humans and is not associated with any negative public health concerns.
In that same WHO report, the organization went on to explain that CBD does not possess a risk for psychological nor physical dependence, addition or abuse.
According to the WHO, there is clinical and scientific evidence to support that CBD may be beneficial for the treatment of epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, cancer, psychosis, Parkinson’s disease and other serious medical conditions. Recently the FDA has approved a CBD-based drug for epilepsy.
A multitude of research also confirms that CBD possesses anti-inflammatory capabilities both topically and when consumed, making it a potential therapeutic aid for those conditions where underlying inflammation is the cause.
In other studies, CBD was demonstrated to reduce stress, relieve pain, and even aid with anxiety.
Unlike kratom, users who take CBD won’t feel anything happening. CBD is NOT psychoactive. This is a major drawback for those seeking acute relief or who are seeking out plants for recreational purposes.
Despite regulations, CBD is a product category notorious for shoddy products, often with way lower amounts of CBD than what is on the label. Always make sure products are independently tested by a third-party lab.
The majority of clinical research done on CBD involved doses that far exceed those in virtually all consumer products. For example, doses of up to 600mg were shown to reduce anxiety. However, a whole 1000mg bottle that may cost upwards of $100+ would only provide LESS than two full doses.
Full-spectrum CBD, even that within the allowable range of THC, may flag on a drug test. If drug testing is a concern, CBD isolate that is lab tested for purity is the better fit.
CBD might be safe, but that doesn’t mean it is without its potential side effects. Potential side effects of CBD include:
At the end of the day, both CBD and kratom have their place. Which is the most appropriate for you or others will be based largely on personal preference, intended use, and desired effects.
Each has its pros and cons, but with this newfound information, you will be a better-informed consumer at checkout.