The Truth About Kratom | Lively Mood
With so much information going around about our favorite herb, I think it’s a great time to shed light on some unbiased truths. These days, the information we receive is usually meant to get the strongest emotional reaction possible to generate ratings or a buzz. We see this in every aspect of the media, so it is no surprise that Kratom has not been an exception.
It is interesting to consider that Mitragyna Speciosa wasn’t mentioned by the FDA, DEA or the media until very recently despite being used in the U.S. since the 1990s (probably even earlier) according to the 8-Factor Analysis done by Pinney Associates a little over a year ago. In case you’re not familiar with this firm, they are some of the leading consultants for the pharmaceutical and OTC supplement industries in regards to addiction potential. Jack Henningfield, Ph.D. headed the analysis on Kratom and is a pretty reliable source on this particular topic. You can learn more about him here.
So, what was Dr. Henningifeld’s conclusion regarding Kratom? Well, the first point (there are 20 in total) is that Kratom does not merit classification as a controlled substance. Point 7 mentions the key alkaloids in Kratom produce effects that are mild and caffeine-like in lower dosages AND evidence from rat studies suggested Kratom did not show signs of physical dependency until outrageously large amounts were administered – the equivalent of about 800 human dosages in one sitting to be exact.
From this information alone, we can ascertain that it would take a heroic effort to make Kratom “dangerous”. The science simply doesn’t agree with any such claims. The FDA has chosen to ignore the Pinney Associates study though.
But the TRUTH is…
Kratom is not dangerous. IT IS BENIGN. But is it harmless? I suppose not. But let’s remember, almost everything that is GOOD has pros and cons. Anything can be abused (i.e., water, exercise, food, sugar).
Many of us that benefit from Kratom know how great it is. So, let’s treat our botanical buddy with respect so we can continue to benefit from it for years to come.
Just some thoughts from us at Lively Mood.
P.S.
Want to check out the study? You can find it here.
