Kratom and Kava may sound similar to newbie users, but they are not the same. The plants share some similar traits. We will cover the similarities and differences between these two plants and their effects here in the article. Keep on reading to know how they work, how you can use them, and their safety profile.
What is Kratom?
Kratom or Mitragyna Speciosa is a plant related to the coffee family. It generally grows in Southeast Asia and the Indonesian region. Uses of these plants go back hundreds of years to the native people. The drug has analgesic, stimulating, and relaxing properties. Millions of people over the world are in love with its effects. The herb is available in different forms like capsules, liquids, dried flowers in the market. You can find more than one kind of Kratom strain. Generally, the maeng da white Kratom strains are the less potent with milder sedating and stimulating effects; the red ones have the highest potency and powerful impact; the green ones produce a mixed result of red and white ones. But the herb also has the potential for addiction.
What is Kava?
Kava is another tropical plant related to the pepper family. It grows in the Pacific Island, Indonesia, and Fiji. Native people created many drinks by mixing them with coconut water, milk, or brewing tea. They used it for ceremonial rituals, social events, and recreational purposes. Kava or Piper methysticum do not have any seeds, so humans are keeping it alive for generations after generations. But as humans took over the plant in various places, it was forced to change some nature due to weather and soil. So, Kava plants from different areas show different results. But the basic properties stay the same in all kinds of strains.
What are the similarities between Kratom and Kava?
Let’s see why people get confused between these two herbs so often.
Preparation:
There are many ways one can take their daily dose of Kratom. Some take the leaves directly, but the most popular way is to use dried leaves. Users smoke or vape the dried leaves, brew them into tea, mix the powder with water or other drinks to hide its bitter taste, or take capsules.
The Kava powder you buy in the market is the dried roots of the plants. Some users brew it into tea and drink it after filtering. Some users purchase powdered capsules.
These similarities in their preparation and look confuse some users. In Kava stores and establishments, you can both drink.
Health benefits:
On the surface level, Both Kratom and Kava offer comparable health benefits. Kratom works as a recreational substance. In low doses, it gives you an energy boost. It also makes you cheery, agitated, and more social. In high doses, it can make you high or euphoric. Controlled use of the herb also reduces your pain, alleviates stress and anxiety, and helps you sleep better.
Kava is also a recreational substance. In low doses, the drug can cause euphoria. It also increases creative energy, has a mild stimulating effect, and reduces stress. In high doses, it makes you high, significantly reduces anxiety, relaxes your tensed muscles, and helps you sleep with its sedating effects.
What are the differences between Kratom and Kava?
Now, let’s learn how we can distinguish between Kratom and Kava and what sets them apart.
Effects:
Yes, there are many similarities between the effects of Kava and Kratom. But there are some distinctions too. Kratom is a much better analgesic than Kava. Its effects mimic opioid-like effects. So, it is a suitable replacement for opiates and useful for opioid withdrawal. At high doses, the drug helps calm your brain and reduce stress. But Kava is a much-preferred supplement for anxiety and depression. It is a mild pain-reliever, but it has strong stimulating effects. The herb also has relaxation and mood-enhancing properties.
So, Kava is a much better supplement to improve your mental health, and Kratom is a potent pain-reliever and euphoric substance. Native people use Kratom to deal with physical pain and Kava in ceremonies and occasions to connect with spirituality and be more sociable.
Pharmacology:
The effects of Kratom and Kava may be similar, but the way they work in our body is separate. Kavalactones are the active ingredient in Kava plants. Though each of these ingredients has a distinct effect on our body, they all interact via the GABA receptors. These receptors directly connect to our nervous system and neurological activities. It gradually reduces the speed of the electrical signals to slow down brain activity. This property helps reduce anxiety, stress, hypertension, and depression. The drug makes you feel calm, relaxed, and tranquil. Desmethoxyyangonin, a Kavalactone, enhances dopamine release and makes you feel elevated.
Kratom strains, on the other hand, work through opioid receptors. They interact with the receptors and block the feeling of pain from our pain. It also promotes the release of dopamine and gives you a euphoric feeling. So, even when the cause of the pain still exists, we do not feel it for the time.
Origin and legal status:
Kratom plant generally grows in Southeast Asia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The drug is on the “drugs of concern” list by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). The legal status of the drug is in the gray zone.
Kava is also a tropical plant, but it grows on Pacific Islands like Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga, Hawaii, and Samoa. The drug is legal all over the United States; there is no ongoing controversy about the herb. You can find the products in grocery stores, pharmacies, food and beverages stores, and specialized Kava stores.
So, now you are well-educated about the similarities and distinctions between Kratom and Kava. Some users get concerned because both herbs can be addictive. But in reality, it is not usual to get addicted to these herbs. Still, it is better to take it slow and go easy on the dosage. Some experienced users like to mix both drugs to create synergy. Stay cautious if you try this. You can take 90% of the regular dosage of Kava and make a Kava drink however you prefer. Then add 10% of the perfect Kratom UK dosage and enjoy your drink.
