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KRATOM AND ALCOHOL COMBINATION
Kratom and alcohol is a subject that has come up with increasing frequency in recent years. This can be attributed mainly to the rise of kratom as a powerful supplement from the caffeine family. This Southeast Asian plant has been around for a long time. Yet in recent years, it has seen a significant bump in popularity among individuals from a wide range of backgrounds. There are a number of reasons why this is the case. We will explore those reasons here, which in turn will better help you to understand why alcohol and kratom have become a topic of interest.
The rationale behind combining the two makes perfect sense to some. The effects of alcohol are such that when combined with the benefits of kratom, the impact on the individual can be rather unique. The depressant nature of alcohol, it is said, can be used in conjunction with one strain of kratom or another to create a state in which the effects are heightened. For this reason alone, and owing to a certain degree of party culture among some individuals and age groups, people are wondering if it’s okay to combine kratom with alcohol.
To that end, you will find that there are a lot of different elements to weigh. Neither substance should be abused, as doing so can invite serious health consequences. It is important to understand exactly what alcohol does to your body, as well as what kratom does to your body. Neither substance should be consumed without researching, understanding, and/or consideration for the outcome. This fact is heightened to a greater degree when we talk about bringing them together.
Let’s start with a closer look at the general history of kratom.
ORIGINS
It is obviously impossible to know for certain, in terms of when kratom and alcohol first become popular as a combination. Given that kratom use goes back potentially centuries, with early examples going back to the 19th century, it seems likely that someone, somewhere, combined alcohol and kratom. What we know for sure is that its current interest is directly linked to the rise in popularity of kratom for both medicinal and recreational reasons.
Indeed, the most controversial thing about kratom is arguably its status among both camps. Kratom use has been traced to a wide number of health benefits. It has also become extremely popular recreationally, which is also obviously tied to some of those health benefits. When all of this is factored in with the potential for kratom abuse, it becomes easy to understand why kratom and alcohol, in particular, is controversial subject to some.
Nonetheless, it is a subject that must be addressed in the most straightforward fashion possible. It is our personal recommendation that kratom and alcohol should not be consumed together. This is particularly relevant to those with little to no experience in taking kratom. At the same time, it would be ridiculous to expect everyone to actually refrain from doing so. Indeed, many people report very positive experiences with bringing alcohol and kratom together. That is not inherently an endorsement, but it does mean every effort should be made to fully educate those who wish to try.
To that end, let’s start by talking about the benefits of kratom. With this foundation, we can better illustrate our earlier point about the direct relationship between alcohol and kratom at the same time.
PROS
Why are people raving about kratom? The better you understand this question, the easier it will be to understand the larger issue of this article. The working class of such Southeast Asian countries as Bali and Thailand were chewing kratom leaves hundreds of years ago for the clarity and energy it could provide. As time went on, it was understood that different kratom strains from different regions could produce different sorts of effects. This understanding brings us to the present, where kratom is celebrated and utilized for a plethora of reasons.
You can start with the fact that kratom has been said to benefit mental wellbeing and mood. This is due to the presence of powerful alkaloids, which among other things improve the flow of blood throughout the body. This is why many people report a stronger focus and overall clarity after consuming kratom. You can also look to kratom’s benefit of helping many to relax at the end of a long day. Certain strains of kratom have been said to promote restful sleep. This is particularly true in strains such as Red Bali.
At the same time, other strains, such as some of the strains that come from Thailand, are very similar indeed to other members of the caffeine family. This means that some strains of kratom can be consumed for a powerful, natural energy boost. The working class throughout Southeast Asia chewed the leaves of the plant in centuries past for this very reason.
When we look at such benefits, which include chronic pain management, we can begin to see why some might want to experiment with alcohol and kratom simultaneously. What is perhaps most interesting about this is the fact that many people take kratom to help them deal with withdrawal symptoms from alcohol abuse. This is an interesting comment on the versatility of kratom as a whole.
To put it another way: For those who take kratom for largely or even purely recreational reasons, there is the potential to heighten the relaxation elements of certain kratom strains. For the strains that induce more of an energized state, one can see how that effect could be used to offset some of the short-term effects of alcohol, which is indeed a depressant. The fact that kratom can enhance one’s mood in the first place can allow one to offset alcohol’s potential to make them depressed.
If we look to other benefits, such as the one regarding chronic pain management, we can also see where kratom and alcohol might be appealing to some.
All of these factors point to a better understanding of why people want to utilize the two in tandem. However, it is very important to keep in mind that we are still talking about highly problematic behaviors.
CONS
Abusing alcohol can create a litany of problems. Over the short term, it can cause dehydration, sleeplessness, depression, irritability, nausea, and headaches. Over the long term, abusing alcohol can drive an individual to madness, destroy their vital organs, or both of these things.
Likewise, kratom abuse can cause both short-term and long-term consequences. Over the short term, it can cause an individual to become nauseous, experience headaches, become depressed, or experience difficulty in sleeping. Long-term abuse of kratom can heighten all of these problems, while also creating strong symptoms associated with withdrawal. It is for this reason in particular that manufacturers and vendors insist individuals use kratom exactly as directed. Even then, an individual will still in some situations experience light nausea, a minor headache, or both of these things. If you experience any of these symptoms while drinking, combining kratom can create a disastrous experience.
Abusing the two over a long time can obviously cause some pretty serious problems, as well. It is for this reason alone that individuals who insist on trying kratom and alcohol adhere to a very particular, and very unique, dosage recommendation.
Dosage
Combining alcohol and kratom with a deep respect for your body can potentially offer a positive, mood-altering experience. At the same time, these things should not be combined with any sort of regularity.
Most proponents of using these things at the same time will tell you that low dosages of both are highly recommended. A low dosage of kratom, depending on your response to the substance, as well as what you want to achieve, is considered to be anywhere in the neighborhood of 2 to 3 grams. The amount of alcohol obviously varies, as well, but be at least noticeably less than what you would normally drink. Very slight adjustments can be made to these dosages as needed, but the problematic potential for abuse or other issues should not be ignored at any given point.
If you find that you are not feeling well after consuming kratom and alcohol, it is strongly recommended that you cease taking both substances immediately. Some use alcohol and kratom in conjunction by literally using the alcohol to swirl around and swallow the powder (kratom is also available in capsule form, which is obviously easier to combine with alcohol). This is not recommended. As is the case with drinking alcohol or consuming kratom, it is a good idea to keep yourself hydrated every step of the way. Under no circumstances should you consume alcohol or kratom on an entirely empty stomach, to say nothing of bringing the two together.
CONCLUSION
As we said before, it is senseless to believe that the potential risks of combining alcohol and kratom will keep people from doing so. To that end, we would emphasize one more time that caution should be kept in mind while experiencing the two together. Listening to and respecting how your body responds will go a long way.