CBD vs Kratom – Which One is Better?

kratom or cbd

Roughly 60% of everyone within the medical cannabis community uses marijuana to treat pain. Some people use it as a substitute to harmful opioids and find great relief. However, there is also another substance out there that has shown great potential in treating chronic pain – Kratom.

For those of you who don’t know what Kratom is; Kratom [Mitragyna speciose] is a species of tree from Southeast Asia with a long rich history used in Thai botanical medicine. With a composition of over 40 compounds, two alkaloids are gaining popularity in the west. These alkaloids are mitragynine (MG) and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-HMG).

In 2016, the DEA tried to schedule Kratom as a Schedule I substance, the most restrictive category in the Controlled Substance Act since 7-HMG acts on the same receptors in the brain as opioids do. Due to a public outcry, the DEA halted their scheduling until further investigation was completed. For now, Kratom is legal in most states in the US.

The way you ingest Kratom is by consuming the dried leaf, or by boiling it down to get the extract of the compounds and sub sequentially drunk in teas. For many, this provided a safer alternative to using opioids to treat their chronic pain conditions.

Let’s talk CBD

You folks here on Cannabis.net are familiar with cannabinoids, however for the sake of anyone else who might stumble on this article, I’ll provide some insight on CBD.

CBD, or Cannabidiol is one of the major cannabinoids found in both hemp and cannabis. CBD is a non-psychoactive substance that binds to CB1 and CB2 receptors in the brain. It helps with inflammation, pain management, anxiety, depression and a host of other medical problems.

Some people however, find that a 1:1 ratio of CBD and THC is most effective when treating pain, however others do proclaim that CBD alone has alleviated their pain. This is especially true when we talk about neuropathic pain.

CBD is not addictive and doesn’t get you high. As of now, there has been zero side effects documented when consuming CBD.

In fact, CBD is one of the first cannabinoids approved by the FDA for treating conditions related childhood epilepsy (Dravet’s Syndrome).

Negative Side Effects of Kratom

While Kratom has roughly the same addictive levels as caffeine, the mere fact that 7-HMG interacts with the opioid receptors, there still is a potential for patients becoming addicted to the substance. A Survey in 2014 found that, after questioning 293 people who used Kratom for treating pain, that nearly all participants showed signs of addiction, both psychologically and physically. These symptoms included, increased pain, sleeping difficulties, and anger.

Other minor side effects may include nausea, dry mouth, itching and a loss of appetite. There is a possibility to overdose on Kratom, however the dose has to be extremely high.

The Side Effects of CBD

When it comes to CBD, the side effects are very mild and there has been zero documented cases of people suffering from withdrawal when abstaining from CBD. Some of the side effects may include nausea, drowsiness and dry mouth, however, these are extremely unlikely to occur in the majority of the population.

Even the World Health Organization released a report in 2017 that claimed that CBD is non-addictive and very safe. This is partly the reason why it is legal in all 50 states as it contains no THC.

The only potential problem that could arise from taking CBD doesn’t come from the compound itself. Some manufacturers sell “fake CBD” to unwitting customers, which may contain chemicals. That’s why it’s always important that you verify that the CBD that you’re purchasing comes from a legitimate supplier.

Who wins – CBD or Kratom?

When you look at the potential downside of substances, CBD is obviously the victor. Not only is it a safer option, it won’t get you addicted.

However, when we’re talking about quick relief for pain, Kratom seems to deliver a quicker and more profound response to extreme pain. This is the main reason why so many people turned to Kratom for their relief.

Nonetheless, we don’t recommend that you use Kratom for too long as this could become habit forming over time. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you will get addicted to the substance, but it’s best to err on the safe side of life.

If you are suffering from extreme pain, you could begin using Kratom as a first response, however begin substituting it for CBD over time and wean off from Kratom completely. Kratom would be considered the “quick fix” whereas CBD offers a more elongated relief without any of the negative side effects.

Bottom Line

I’m not advocating against Kratom, I personally have never needed it. Some people that I have spoken to swear by it. Although, even though the addictive qualities of Kratom is low, there still is a slight chance that you may get addicted if you use it for too long. If you can manage with CBD alone…then that would be my recommendation.

Irrespective, do some more research on the subject matter before trying Kratom.