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| Mitragyna speciosa is barely known in the United
States, but one of the most interesting plants we have
ever found... |
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| Kratom grows in the lush rainforests in the South of
Thailand, and has the unique position of being banned in
the country it is indigenous to...true story... |
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Long-Term Effects
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To put it in the simplest, most plain terms
possible, there has been no conclusive study carried out on the long term
effects of kratom. The last thorough study of long term kratom users was
published back in 1975. The inquiry sought to better understand native Thais who
reported an addiction to the plant after having used kratom for long stretches
of their lives, and it great quantities. In some cases, these long term users
chewed from 25-30 leaves per day, a very high dosage. Of these thirty long-term
addicts surveyed, the overwhelming majority were grown men in the age range of
30-49.
Of these men who had developed a dependence on kratom, a few common side effects
were seen from their long term addiction. Most notable was a discoloration of
skin in the region of their cheeks, surely associated with their method of
ingestion (chewing fresh leaves). There was also a drop in the amount of energy
reported by these long-term kratom addicts. However, the exact relationship
between long term kratom use and kratom addiction remains unclear. Clearly, more
research is necessary to determine how quickly addiction can onset, and to
breakdown exactly what portion of addiction is psychological, and what is
physiological.
One thing remains abundantly clear: moderation is the key to happiness and
health. This is certainly true with the various uses of the Mytragyna speciosa
plant, which has exhibited the capacity to produce euphoria among its users, but
also create problems for those who abuse its kratom in the long term. Like with
all potentially addictive substances, including alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine,
education is the key to avoiding the potential pratfalls of dependence.
Specific to Mitragyna speciosa
(Kratom):
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