A lot is going on right now in the world of health & wellness and taking care of your body is starting to feel more important than ever before. Research shows there are a lot of things you can be doing to keep yourself healthy- from getting enough rest, to drinking plenty of water, washing your hands more often, and trying not to touch your face.
But could kratom have some hidden benefits as well? Let’s take a look.
Kratom, aka Mitragyna speciosa, is a tree-like plant that grows in Southeast Asia. Kratom powder is made from the leaves of kratom plants and has become popular in the U.S. thanks to the benefits that people experience after taking it.
But how does kratom work? How is it possible for a plant to be so helpful?
As it turns out, the answer is:
First off, what is an alkaloid? Alkaloids are organic compounds that contain nitrogen and are found in plants. Alkaloids tend to have strong physiological effects in humans and therefore are often used as drugs or poisons. Nicotine, caffeine, and morphine are all alkaloids, to name a few.
What about kratom alkaloids?
The benefits of kratom come from alkaloids present in kratom leaves. These alkaloids are what allow kratom to have such a wide range of effects- each type of kratom has different effects thanks to different levels of alkaloids present. So for example, a strain of kratom known for providing energy will have different levels of alkaloids than a kratom strain known for being relaxing.
The alkaloids present in kratom aren’t just responsible for the most noticeable effects of taking kratom- energy, focus, relief from discomfort, or improving sleep- there’s also a whole lot of lesser-known benefits to taking kratom, and right now they may be more important than ever!
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Some of the major alkaloids present in kratom (mitragynine and paynantheine, among others) are very similar to chloroquine, an alkaloid currently being researched in Wuhan, China for its effectiveness against COVID-19.
That’s right. It’s starting to look like alkaloids similar to those found in kratom may be more useful than we knew. While it is too early to say definitively whether or not chloroquine or kratom alkaloids could be beneficial when it comes to the current pandemic, it’s certainly interesting to note that scientists are looking into it.
But even if kratom and its related alkaloids aren’t as beneficial as researchers might hope, there is quite a lot of research that shows how helpful kratom can be for health in general. Kratom has been shown in studies to have immune-boosting capabilities!
Research on other kratom alkaloids has found immunostimulating, antimicrobial, and antioxidant benefits among others.
Here are some kratom alkaloids and what research has found about their uses/benefits:
(While kratom has many benefits and we believe strongly in plant-based-power, this blog is meant to be informative and should not be taken as medical advice. If you’re feeling sick, please consult a doctor.)
Isomitraphylline- possible immunostimulant
Isorhynchophylline- possible immunostimulant
Epicatechin- antioxidant (1), antibacterial (2), antiviral (3)
Isopteropodine- antimicrobial (4), possible immunostimulant
Our founder / CEO, Kemal, always uses kratom when feeling under the weather. This isn’t medical advice, merely his experience when using kratom- Kemal often says he notices relief from congestion, especially in the sinuses, when using kratom. Learn more about our CEO here!
There are quite a few more alkaloids present in kratom, but these guys are the ones with the most relevant benefits that have been discovered so far!
With the possible combination of antimicrobial, antiviral, antibacterial, antioxidant, and immunostimulant alkaloids all in one plant, research is showing us just how beneficial kratom may be for overall health! And in a time where taking care of your body is more important than ever, we think we may be adding kratom into our routine more often than usual.
Kratom is not medicine and should not be used as such, but we think it’s important to consider all the things you could be doing to keep yourself healthy & well. Do not substitute kratom for other preventative measures.
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The statements made regarding these products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The efficacy of these products has not been confirmed by FDA-approved research. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. All information presented here is not meant as a substitute for or alternative to information from health care practitioners. Please consult your health care professional about potential interactions or other possible complications before using any product. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act requires this notice.
Sources:
‘China speeds up clinical trials for COVID-19 cure’ The Star https://www.thestar.com.my/news/regional/2020/03/05/china-speeds-up-clinical-trials-for-anti-viral-cure
1. ‘Flavonoids as Antioxidants’
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/np9904509
2. ‘Antibacterial effect of kaempferol and (−)-epicatechin on Helicobacter pylori’ https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00217-016-2650-z
3. ‘Detection of the antiviral activity of epicatechin isolated from Salacia crassifolia (Celastraceae) against Mayaro virus based on protein C homology modelling and virtual screening.’ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29478125
4. ‘Antimicrobial Activity of Isopteropodine’
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/7703905_Antimicrobial_Activity_of_Isopteropodine
https://www.kratomscience.com/mitragyna-speciosa-kratom-alkaloids-effects/
