What is kratom: Nutrition facts, uses and side-effects

Health and fitness experts are promoting these leaf supplements as part of their diet

kratom-leaf-powder-use-shutterstock Representational Image | Shutterstock

Social media is a great influencer; you can hear about everything new and old that you never heard of. 

These days one of the fads that are seen everywhere is about Kratom leaf supplements. Various health experts and fitness bloggers are promoting this supplement as a major part of their diet. 

But before we believe what they are saying and buying a Kratom or using its leaves for yourself, it is better to know what it is and how it can help your body. 

What is Kratom?

 

Kratom is a type of tree that belongs to the coffee family. It is a tropical evergreen plant found in Myanmar, Malaysia, Thailand, and other South Asia countries. 

The Kratom leaf and its extract are used as a stimulant and sedative. It is found that Kratom is used for treating digestive ailments, chronic pain, and helps in relieving from opium dependence. 

However, there are not enough research studies showing that Kratom leaf has potential health effects on your body. 

Uses of Kratom leaf

 

Kratom leaves are used as medicine and as a drug for recreational purposes. If you want to use Kratom leaf for recreational purposes, leaves are directly chewed and drank in the form of tea. Chewing or drinking Kratom leaf elevates your mood as well as increases your physical endurance. 

As medicinal purposes, Kratom is used for treating cough, anxiety, depression, diarrhea, pain, diabetes, and high blood pressure and lower the symptoms like opiate withdrawal. 

How Kratom works on your body?

 

Kratom plant leaves contain chemicals, Mitragynine. It is a chemical that works in your body like an opioid drug, for instance, morphine and codeine, to get relief in body pain. 

Is it safe to use Kratom?

 

It is found that when taking Kratom directly, there are lots of issues and are unsafe for your health. It will lead to withdrawal symptoms and cause dependency. 

There are several side effects of using Kratom while consuming directly. It can cause nausea, dry mouth, vomiting, constipation, hallucination, aggression, delusion, frequent urination, and thyroid problems. 

If you are using Kratom on a regular basis, you should stop consuming it as it may lead to a decrease in appetite, muscle pain, twitches, diarrhea, watery eyes, muscle spasm, anxiety, nervousness, negative mood, and tension.

Why is Kratom controversial?

 

There are no such proven studies available that will tell you how Kratom is beneficial and its side effects, and it is safe to use for medical purposes. 

For the development of any new drug, there is a requirement of clinical and research studies. As the studies help in identifying how much a new drug is useful.

It is important to conduct a research study before the development so that each and every aspect of the new medicinal drug. 

If you are looking to buy Kratom, you first need to consult with your doctor and find whether it is helpful to your health condition. 

There are still some benefits of Kratom leaf and supplement, thus you should try but only after consulting your doctor.