Natural health products are more popular than ever in Canada as more people embrace herbal remedies; herbal remedy use prevalence in Canada is up to 23% from 15% in 2002. Kratom is among the herbs gaining popularity in Canada’s natural wellness circles due to its purported therapeutic benefits.
Although the herb has several purported therapeutic benefits, its invigorating and mood-boosting capacity tops the list. So, does kratom actually boost mood and energy, or is it just another herbal elixir? Keep reading to discover whether kratom can enhance your health by improving your mood and energy levels.
What Is Kratom?
Before delving into kratom’s invigorating properties, begin by understanding its origins, mechanism of action in the body, and legality.
Kratom is an herbal from Southeast Asia where natives use it for various purported therapeutic benefits, including alleviating fatigue.
So, how does kratom induce its therapeutic benefits? While the research on kratom’s full potential as a therapeutic agent is in the preliminary stages, its drug profile highlights two compounds, mitragynine and 7-hydroxy mitragynine, as its primary bioactive molecules.
The two alkaloid biomolecules induce their therapeutic effects by interacting with the body’s endogenous opioid system.
Moving further, is kratom legal in Canada? No federal or provincial laws currently categorically prohibit kratom use in either jurisdiction. Therefore, consumers can purchase kratom products, from powders to capsules and teas, for personal use.
Kratom is available in multiple strains defined by the herb’s leaf venation color and country of origin. The herb’s leaf venation color varies from white to green and red, indicating different alkaloid profiles; although mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitrgynine are the dominant kratom alkaloids, it contains up to 40 identified alkaloids.
Besides leaf venation, the topography in kratom’s regions of origin also influences its alkaloid profiles. Consequently, strains typically bear names describing the leaf venation and region of origin, e.g., White Bali kratom.
The varying kratom strain alkaloid profiles translate to varying mood and energy-boosting capacities. Nonetheless, below is an overview of how kratom strains may help boost mood and energy levels.
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Kratom May Induce Anxiolytic (Anxiety-relieving) Effects
Abnormal mood changes and low energy levels have various causes, including anxiety. Unfortunately, anxiety is among Canada’s most prevalent mental health problems, affecting 41% of Canadians aged 18-29, 36% aged 30-44, and 31% above 45 years.
On the one hand, temporary anxiety is a normal reaction to uncomfortable or high-stakes situations. In contrast, persistent anxiety, manifesting as constant worry, agitation, restlessness, and even physical symptoms like an elevated heart rate and muscle tightening, is harmful to your health.
Anxiety alters the brain’s chemistry by interrupting hormonal balance and normal brain signal transmission. Such alterations may translate to anxiety disorders.
Besides the symptoms highlighted above, anxiety disorders may cause mood swings, which in turn cause physical and mental fatigue. However, kratom’s potential effect on anxiety may help restore normal moods and counter anxiety-induced lethargy.
As earlier stated, research on kratom’s effects is in its preliminary stages. Even so, it points to the herb’s potential capacity to induce anxiolytic effects by indirectly modulating the activities of neurotransmitters that transmit anxiety signals through the central nervous system. Kratom’s efficacy as a relaxing agent may help counter anxiety-induced interference in healthy mood and energy levels.
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Kratom May Induce Antidepressant Effects
Depression is a mood disorder that affects feelings, thoughts, and behavior. It manifests as depressed moods or persistent sadness, apathy, and low energy levels.
Like anxiety, depression is among the most prevalent mental health conditions across different demographics in Canada. Fortunately, kratom may counter low moods and energy levels via its potential antidepressant effects.
One literature review on kratom and plant-based pharmacology established that besides the herb’s effect on the body’s opioid system, its primary alkaloids, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine also modulate brain chemicals affecting mood. The review highlights that the alkaloids’ effects on serotonin and dopamine, two brain chemicals that impact feelings, help boost mood. By boosting mood, kratom’s primary alkaloids potentially improve energy levels by countering depression-induced lethargy.
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Kratom May Induce Sedation
Besides anxiety and depression, inadequate sleep may affect mood and energy levels. Moreover, sleep deprivation may be a symptom of such mental health disorders.
On the one hand, most Canadians meet the recommended nighttime sleep requirement, averaging 7.9 hours of sleep every night. However, nighttime insomnia is on the rise and is a possible cause of negative moods and low energy levels.
Besides health problems, sleep problems may also result from lifestyle factors like long working hours, excessive screen time, and poor sleep hygiene. Kratom may counter sleeplessness to improve mood and energy levels.
Kratom’s alkaloids’ effects on the endogenous opioid system’s receptors induce sedative effects in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore, adding low-dose kratom to your sleep routine may help counter fatigue-induced dips in energy and negative moods.
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Kratom May Induce Euphoric Effects
Euphoria is an emotional state characterized by joy, happiness, pleasure, relaxation, confidence, and other feelings of well-being. Although euphoria gets a bad rap from its association with controlled opioid substance consumption, mild euphoria is essential in maintaining healthy moods that promote healthy behavior. Moreover, euphoria induces a natural energy boost that functions as a pick-me-up when you most need it.
Kratom consumption is among the healthy ways to achieve a euphoric mood. Low dose mitragynine induces a sense of euphoria that increases sociability. However, a high kratom dose may induce a “couch lock” and sedation.
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Kratom Has Stimulant Properties
Kratom hails from the same herbal family as the coffee plant. Therefore, coffee also induces a stimulant effect characterized by an enhanced sense of alertness and rejuvenation.
The herb’s stimulant effect functions like a pick-me-up that counters physical fatigue. However, kratom’s mechanism of action in inducing its stimulant effect remains unknown.
Nonetheless, unlike its cousin coffee, which contains caffeine, low-dose kratom’s stimulant effect does not induce jitteriness. Therefore, it is an ideal anti-fatigue remedy to add to your daily routine.
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Kratom May Function As A Psychostimulant
Besides countering physical fatigue, kratom potentially functions as a psychostimulant, affecting cognitive functions. Its effect on dopamine, the primary chemical that modulates motivation, influences cognitive functions like concentration and focus. Therefore, besides countering physical fatigue, kratom may improve mood via motivation and enhance mental productivity.
Conclusion
Kratom has immense potential as a natural mood and energy booster, helping improve overall health and wellness. Therefore, consider consulting expert Canadian kratom vendors on the best kratom strains for a mood and energy boost to add to your routine.
