Introduction
“Life happens, Coffee helps.” Well, as a staple beverage used commonly in our households, drinking coffee is a must-have morning (and evening) ritual. If you love coffee, you might want to try another botanical of the same Rubiaceae plant family that is quickly gaining popularity because of its many health benefits. Yes, we are talking about Kratom.
Coffee and Kratom, both native to Southeast Asian countries, are known for their energizing effects. Moreover, most of the users are getting interested in the rising trend of combining both or replacing one with the other for added benefits. In this article, we will be digging deeper to learn about their similarities and differences, health benefits, and any related potential risks of this novel combination.
Let’s begin!
Kratom VS Coffee: Similarities And Differences
Although Kratom and coffee belong to the same plant family Rubiaceae and offer similar stimulant properties, they have widely different cultural backgrounds and inside chemistry.
Coffee is considered to be a centuries old beverage, made from roasted coffee beans. It’s commonly enjoyed all over the globe as a breakfast staple. However, Kratom, originated in Southeast Asian countries a few decades ago, is an emerging botanical quickly gaining huge fan following in the US.
These two natural products are often compared because of their unique beneficial effects. Here is a comprehensive breakdown of all their comparative origin, uses, risks, and whatnot.
| Coffee | Kratom | |
| Origin | Coffee originated thousands of years ago in Ethiopia. From there, its trade began to the Middle East, Europe and later, the US. It is now an essential part of the morning and evening breakfast routine all over the globe. | Native to Southeast Asian countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Kratom is a decades old plant that was used by the locals for fatigue and common ailments. It is now gaining popularity in the US and other countries for its various benefits. |
| Mechanism Of Action | Caffeine is the main active component of coffee that works by blocking adenosine receptors in the human brain, which decreases adenosine and indirectly increases dopamine and norepinephrine levels. These actions result in enhanced energy levels, alertness, and good mood. | The main active ingredients of Kratom are known as alkaloids. Although there are more than 40 types of alkaloids present, two most important ones are Mitragynine and 7-HydroxyMitragynine. These two combine with opioid receptors of the human body, resulting in increased energy at lower doses and relaxation and comfort at higher doses. |
| Benefits | Increases mental alertness and cognition. Enhances mood. Rich in antioxidants. | Decreases discomfort. Increases energy, focus and motivation. Helps in relaxation and deep sleep. |
| Health Risks | Can cause caffeine dependence. Excessive intake of coffee can cause jitters and restlessness. Can interfere with sleep at night. | At high doses, it can cause side effects like nausea, vomiting, constipation, dizziness, and etc. |
| Legal Status | Coffee/caffeine is legal globally in all forms. | Legality of Kratom varies by country. Even though it is legal in the US on a federal level, several states have also outlawed its usage within state borders, like Arkansas, Alabama, Indiana, and others. |
Can You Replace Coffee With Kratom?
Although Kratom is quickly rising to popularity, it has still not been studied quite well. In contrast, Coffee (Caffeine) is a more commonly used beverage that has been researched quite deeply for its effects and risks. Furthermore, Caffeine crash is a well-known side effect of this much loved beverage that makes many users wary of it.
On the contrary, Kratom provides equally good but smoother and long lasting stimulating effects at low doses without making you drowsy or tired soon after. Moreover, the jitters and anxiety experienced with continuous coffee usage can also be avoided by replacing your coffee routine with Kratom.
You can also take it slow and use coffee and Kratom alternatively to limit your caffeine intake. Additionally, it will also help to avoid building up tolerance to either one.For example, if you like to drink coffee both in morning and evening, you can replace it one time with Kratom to avoid excessive intake of caffeine and promote a restful sleep.
Interestingly, Kratom can be enjoyed in a number of ways. If you are fond of waking up to a hot beverage first thing in the morning, you can brew a simmering cup of Kratom tea in the morning or like to kick-start your day with a power pack smoothie, just put in some fruits, yogurt, and your Kratom powder dose in a blender and mix it in to make a healthy Kratom smoothie. Good thing is that Kratom powder can be incorporated in any recipe and food as you may like.
Is Kratom And Coffee A Combo Good For Your Health?
If you are not interested in replacing your coffee routine, but instead amp it a bit more with some extra push, Kratom can help you in this regard also.
You can have the best of both worlds with coffee and Kratom combined. Although caffeine provides an instant energy boost, it is often short-lived. By adding Kratom in the mix, you can enjoy increased alertness and cognition for a longer time without the fear of caffeine crash.
Moreover, several users on Quora are of the view that using Kratom and coffee together is absolutely fine and even more stimulating for some. However, one user suggests avoiding this combo as Kratom provides focused energy, which can be ruined by jitteriness caused by caffeine. In another thread on Reddit, some users think that Coffee can overly potentiate Kratom that can be hard to handle, while most of them don’t feel any difference when using the two together.
Some Tips and Considerations To Keep In Mind!
- Start With Lower Doses:
If you are interested in combining coffee and Kratom, start with lower doses of both. 1-3 grams of Kratom is more than enough as a starter, as lower doses are known to be energizing and stimulating. Furthermore, coffee should also be used in moderation to avoid overstimulation or jitteriness.
- Don’t Overdo The Combo:
It is best to avoid excessive consumption of both Coffee and Kratom, as it can help build up tolerance –meaning, you will be needing more quantities of the substances to feel the same effects. Moreover, excessive use of it can cause side effects like anxiety, jitteriness, restlessness, increased heart rate, and whatnot.
- Best To Use During Mornings:
As Coffee and Kratom both cause higher energy levels and alertness, it is best to take them together in the morning or early day time. It might interfere with your sleep, if used in the evening or night.
- Keep Yourself Hydrated:
Both Kratom and coffee have dehydrating tendencies. Caffeine is a mild diuretic that can cause increased urination and water loss from the body. Similarly, Kratom can also cause dry lips and mouth due to dehydration. This is the reason that drinking plenty of water and keeping yourself hydrated throughout the day is absolutely necessary.
- Consider Any Pre-existing Health Condition:
Before starting this amazing combo of Coffee and Kratom, it is crucial to be conscious of any pre-existing medical conditions like hypertension, any cardiovascular diseases, liver diseases, anxiety, and panic disorders that can be further exacerbated by either coffee or Kratom. Though, the best step is to talk to a healthcare provider to assess your overall health and well-being before starting this combination.
Conclusion
Coffee and Kratom are two popular organic and completely natural products that belong to the same plant family. Although their pharmacology differs greatly, both have similar properties of boosting energy levels, improving cognition, alertness and focus – especially, when Kratom is used at low dosages.
If you think you are building tolerance against caffeine or want to enjoy more stimulation, not only you can replace your coffee routine with Kratom but also potentiate both with each other by combining them.
