Kratom VS Delta 8 THC: What’s The Difference?
Kratom and Delta 8 THC products are flooding the market right now. Unfortunately, many of them are not reputable vendors. If the price seems too good to be true, it likely is.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t find these products that are the real deal out there.
With overlapping benefits and effects, Kratom and Delta 8 may seem like a match made in Heaven, but there are some side effects that you should consider first and precautions you should take.
Read on to discover more information about these botanical substances and what they can do for you.
Kratom 101
Kratom is a tree that comes from countries in Southeast Asia and parts of Africa and has been used as a herbal remedy for treating a variety of ailments for centuries.
The plant’s scientific name is (Mitragyna speciosa), which you can find in smoke shops and online vendors around the world, including in the United States.
Approximately ten to fifteen million Americans use this remedy every day. It has been popular for centuries in countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. And, one study claims that it relieves fatigue, where people chew the leaves for their stimulant properties in small doses.
It is often made into tea, smoked, or ingested in capsules and taken to manage pain, diarrhea, and coughing.
Expect Kratom’s use to grow as it has been demonstrated to help with pain management and may even reduce opiate withdrawal.
However, there is still a potential for dependence on Kratom because of its stimulant and analgesic or sedating effects. Expect to hear everyone talking about this likely helpful plant as its popularity grows.
Delta 8 THC 101
Delta 8 THC is a cannabis compound that has become popular as a less-intense version of your typical Delta 9 THC, which is the primary cannabinoid in cannabis that gets you high. Delta 8 is an isomer or chemical analog of Delta 9 THC.
Delta 8 THC is short for delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol and can cause similar effects as regular Delta 9 THC but it’s slightly less potent.
Where Delta 9 THC has a double bond between carbon atoms 8 and 9;this altered structure causes a lower affinity for binding to the CB1 receptors responsible for eliciting the feelings associated with a high. This lesser binding is why there is a notable difference in psychotropic potency.
Delta 8 is extracted from both cannabis and hemp, but where hemp is now legal to grow due to the 2018 farm bill, most Delta 8 THC has been manufactured from hemp-derived CBD.
Though, some states are also banning the use and production of Delta 8 THC, so do your due diligence and figure out if its use is legal in your state.
Kratom VS Delta 8 THC
Kratom VS D8 Effects
Delta 8 THC has similar benefits to Delta 9 THC, but with less psychoactive and psychotropic effects. For some, this means less anxiety and paranoia but still leaves you feeling relaxed and somewhat sedated.
Yes. It will get you high, but it is often described as a “lighter” buzz than regular THC.
It’s often described as a smoother and more manageable high that gives you a feeling of relaxation from head to toe. Yet, it still gives you a clear head, so you are able to function more than you would with Delta 9 THC.
And in my experience, it leaves you present in the moment, instead of having a super cerebral high that makes your mind wander.
The buzz also lasts as long as Delta 9 THC, which is typically an hour or more depending on the consumption method. If taken in an edible form, you can feel the effects for several hours due to how the body metabolizes the gummy or chocolate bar.
Users Delta 8 report experiences of mild euphoria, happiness, and uplifted feelings, supporting pain and insomnia to some extent.
In a comparative survey, they found that users of Delta 8 THC claimed that they also felt high, relaxed, sleepy, had increased hunger, impaired memory problems, trouble performing routine tasks, and sometimes can cause paranoia. They rated these effects lower than traditional Delta 9 THC and higher than CBD.
Conversely, Kratom is a naturally occurring substance that may be effective for pain management, energy, depression, and anxiety.
And for people suffering from opiate withdrawal, Kratoms is a partial opioid receptor agonist and can ease the withdrawal symptoms associated with opioid use.
In one article, data suggested that Kratom has benefits as a stimulant, as well as a sedative effect at higher doses. It also has antinociceptive effects, which can block the detection of a painful or injurious stimulus by sensory neurons.
Sometimes it can cause dependence on its own because of the similar opioid receptor effects.
Not to mention, in the same review, it stated that it can help with inflammation and changes the blood vessels’ ability to control the passage of immune cells and other molecules.
From this, they believe it can help enhance immunity as well. Also, it may have antidepressant and anorectic (appetite-reducing) properties.
Delta 8 THC VS Kratom Benefits
Delta 8 THC benefits are predicted to be similar to Delta 9 THC and include pain, insomnia, anxiety, and nausea relief. However, more research is needed to determine how it interacts with your body and the potential benefits it will have for consumers of Delta 8.
When it comes to Delta 8 THC, there’s still little peer reviewed data available. But we do know that a 1995 study demonstrated that the compound prevented vomiting and nausea caused by cancer medication in children.
There also was a study on how appetite will be changed through the use of cannabinoids, like Delta 8 THC. It was shown to help weight loss, even when the mice the study was performed on increased their feeding habits.
Also, a 2004 study on mice showed that Delta 8 THC increased appetite even more than Delta 9 THC did. Furthermore, it even displayed signs of weight loss despite their increased food intake.
Again, in 2018, the study revealed that Delta 8 THC reduced pain and inflammation caused by eye injuries in mice.
But the main takeaway is that without further research, we do not know what benefits or long term effects this compound has on humans. And since Delta 8 THC has been banned in some states, this is preventing further research into the potential useful properties of Delta 8.
What was interesting to find was a pain testing study to determine if Kratom affected pain tolerance by testing how long participants could hold their hands in an ice bath. What they found was that before the subjects took Kratom, they only lasted an average of 11.2 seconds before removing their hand.
However, after Kratom use, the human test subjects left their hands in for 24.9 seconds. That means it more than doubled their pain tolerance. The study surmised that Kratom can help alleviate pain, but it doesn’t block it completely.
Anecdotal evidence drawn from over 280 posts on Kratom subreddits also indicates many beneficial effects like anxiolytic effects, better moods, euphoric feeling, and energy increases.
Kratom VS Delta 8 Risks & Side Effects
Delta 8 THC side effects are very similar to Delta 9 THC. These include dry mouth, red eyes, increased hunger, short-term memory issues, paranoia, distorted perception of time, impaired coordination, and anxiety.
Here too, more research is needed to determine all the side effects that Delta 8 THC may have on the mind and bodies of consumers, especially when it comes to long-term studies.
The leading cause of concern for Delta 8 risks and side effects come through the manufacturing process. This issue is why it is essential that you buy from legit companies that perform full-panel third-party testing.
Residual solvents, impurities, chemical byproducts, and other harmful compounds could be in the final product. Some of these products also contain over 0.3% of THC as well, making them illegal.
And they may also contain pesticides, heavy metals, and other unknown compounds due to the lack of regulatory oversight.
When it comes to Kratom, according to US poison control center data, they reported tachycardia in a fifth (22.5%) of adults aged 20+ exposed to Kratom by itself.
Additionally, cardiovascular issues were reported in adults 60-69 years old in 36.8% of cases, while for those over 70 years, the chance of cardiovascular problems rose as high as 51.9%.
Other Kratom users described nausea and vomiting as a potential side effect of Kratom use. Though, this was only found in 12-15% of users. However, anecdotal evidence found in Reddit posts described the same situation in high dosages.
For Kratom, regarding neurological health effects, case reports display the potential for neurological symptoms such as seizures, comas, disorientation, aphasia, and headaches.
For psychiatric issues, adverse effects to do with withdrawal from Kratom occurred, including irritation, feelings of apathy, and reduction in motivation, according to Reddit posts.
According to one data analysis, Kratom itself can cause dependence, withdrawal, and psychological symptoms such as aggression, hostility, and psychosis in extreme doses.
Combining Kratom and Delta 8 THC
At this time, there has been no clinical research carried out on the effects and safety of combining Delta 8 THC and Kratom.
However, as these two substances grow in popularity, more data will likely be revealed as things progress.
Delta 8 THC and Kratom have many similar benefits; for example, they both provide anxiety and pain relief and increase moods, but they may not mix well if used together.
Although some people in forums describe how you can take Kratom and Delta 8 THC together, whether you should take it is debatable.
Adverse interactions between the two botanical substances or other substances are likely but yet to be fully defined.It is not known yet if these two are safe on their own or combined, and it is possible that the effects may overwhelm you by becoming too strong.
However, everybody is different and will respond differently from another’s. So, if you want to take the two in combination safely, take extra precautions.
First, try both substances on their own. You may not like one or the other. And you may find you will get the benefits you seek by just taking one product or the other.
Also, be cautious with your doses. Always start low and go slow. Take the products in small increments. This will prevent you from overdosing, which will cause you to have a bad experience that takes a while to go away, depending on how you ingested the substances.
And lastly, always buy from reputable vendors for both your Kratom and Delta 8 THC products. Please make sure the companies have their Certificates of Analysis in order. And that they have completed full panel testing.
Wrapping Up Kratom VS Delta 8 THC
Now that you know a bit more about these two products on the market, be sure to shop safely.
Overall, It is generally safer to use Delta 8 THC due to the fact a deadly overdose isn’t possible; assuming you’re consuming pure Delta 8 that’s passed a full panel of third party tests.
And remember to always start low and go slow because you can always take more if you are not feeling the effects after a few hours.
Use responsibly and enjoy!
