So what is kratom? You get a bottle of liquid extracted kratom and it’s come so far from its original form that it’s unrecognizable from the vibrant and beautiful tropical tree that it begins as. Even powdered forms and crushed leaves offer little hint as to the tree, or truly the leaf, behind the plant We Love Kratom loves to write about. Learn more by visit site of kratom journal
Kratom trees are native to Southeast Asia and Thailand, a region known for its warm and humid tropical climate. If you wanted to grow your own kratom tree it’d be absolutely feasible to do so if you lived in a plant hardiness zone rated 9 through 11, or if you’ve got a greenhouse, but it’s a plant of the rainforest so be prepared to give it all the water it’ll need to thrive! Having hot and cold running kratom in the backyard sounds like heaven, but if you’re like me the thought of growing a tree meant for the tropics is a bit too daunting.
Although the entire tree certainly has its uses, the leaf is the part which we derive our friendly neighborhood kratom from. The trees can grow as high as 60 feet in height and 15 feet in width (it is the rainforest after all!) and leaves themselves can be 7 inches long and 4 inches wide! But who wants to chew on a leaf? Well, actually a lot of people do. It was custom practice in the native land of Mitragyna speciosa for the locals to chew kratom leaves to ease common ailments, and to this day its commonly used by the natives – regardless of the “Kratom Act 2486” which the Thai government passed in 1943 in a (failed) attempt at banning kratom.
But what makes this simple little leaf so much different from the hundreds of leaves we see every day? It’s all about the active alkaloid in kratom, or really I should say alkaloids. There have been over 40 compounds isolated from kratom leaves so far, but Mitragynine is the major alkaloid which gives kratom its beneficial effects. Mitragynine is just one the major alkaloids, Mitraphylline and 7-hydroxymitragynine also lend a hand as active alkaloids. These alkaloids work as mu-opioid receptor antagonists and it’s why kratom works as the perfect alternative to opiates when it comes to people with an opium dependency.
Of course kratom is enjoyed by thousands of people, who have never had a substance abuse problem, and kratom itself is not addictive, but we encourage people to read our guide on kratom and addiction. The level of alkaloids found in an extract, powder, or even just in the crushed loose leaves determine the strength of a dose, and various strains have varying levels of alkaloids as well. This variation is what allows us to have stimulating and energetic kratom products alongside relaxing and sleep inducing Kratoms, making kratom one of the most versatile and interesting plants in the world!
