Kratom vs. CBDA: How Do They Measure Up Against One Another?

Are you someone who follows the world of natural wellness? Great, as we’re pretty sure then, you may have come across an ever-growing array of options aimed at providing us with both physical and mental relief. As an influx of people are seeking out plant derivatives to get them through the day, we want to explore two in particular: kratom and CBDA.

Both kratom and CBDA have been getting a lot of attention in the last few years, thanks to an ever-growing list of studies, combined with anecdotal data, showing us just how valuable they can be. Let’s compare the two to give you an idea of which one might be best for you.

Contender #1: Kratom

Kratom is derived from the Southeast Asian Mitragyna speciosa tree, which is an evergreen tree related to coffee. Kratom specifically refers to the dried, finely ground leaves of the tree. These evergreen leaves boast a distinctive array of alkaloids boasting properties which can change how we feel, both mentally and physically. When we consume kratom, these alkaloids interact with opioid receptors, which are responsible for things like pain, mood, and more.

Kratom is sold in numerous strain choices, according to the specific cultivar of the tree, which can vary from one region of Southeast Asia to the next. Available in three veins, these reference the color of the leaf’s vein at the time of harvest. At different periods of maturation, the vein’s color transforms, and this color dictates how developed specific alkaloids are. Because of that, the vein of the kratom (the color) informs us of how potent the kratom is, and which specific effects are the most dominant.

Can I Get High off of Kratom?

It’s possible to get high off of kratom, based on the dosage that you take, coupled with the vein and the strain, but at the end of the day, all kratom products can potentially intoxicate you if you consume enough of them at one time. Again, the alkaloids in kratom interact with opioid receptors in the brain, and one thing we know is that these receptors can cause intoxication, similar to opiates.

Is Kratom Legal?

Kratom is legal under federal law, as it’s never been prohibited in the United States. However, a handful of states have banned it, and they are:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arkansas
• Hawaii
• Indiana
• Rhode Island
• Tennessee
• Vermont
• Wisconsin

Just be aware that also, some municipalities have banned kratom throughout the United States, despite being legal in the actual state. So, our recommendation is that you check your state laws and local laws periodically to make sure kratom is still legal where you live, as this can change without much warning.

Does Kratom Have Benefits?

Kratom is still brand-new to the Western market, and so you won’t find loads of published papers on kratom just yet, as medical researchers hasn’t had much time to dive into its effects. Still, enough scientific papers have been published for us to conclude that kratom has the potential to:

• Enhance energy, focus, and alertness
• Act as an anxiolytic
• Enhance mood
• Offers analgesic properties
• Improve sleep
• Decrease appetite

Does Kratom Have Side Effects?

Like basically any substance on the market, kratom use can cause certain side effects if it’s not taken as it’s supposed to – essentially, if you don’t follow the directions on the label, if you take too much of it, or if your body’s chemistry simply doesn’t agree with it. These side effects can include:

• Nausea
• Drowsiness
• Impaired coordination
• Increased heartrate
• Dry mouth/thirst
• Irritability/confusion
• Potential overdose

What Kinds of Kratom Products are There?

You can purchase kratom in a number of product forms, as it’s pretty easy to infuse the water-soluble kratom powder into any type of formulation. The most popular types of kratom products to explore are:

• Kratom Powder: The dried and ground up leaves, which is the pure form of kratom. It can be added to liquids or any other kind of solution you prefer.
• Kratom Liquid Extracts: These are highly concentrated liquid kratom products that are taken like a shot to offer a fast-acting and very potent experience.
• Bottled Kratom Drinks: Bottled kratom beverages include soft drinks, sparkling water, and any other type of drink infused with kratom powder.
• Kratom Teas: Kratom tea is just kratom powder placed inside of a teabag, for an easy way to extract the alkaloids into hot water.
• Kratom Edibles: Kratom gummies and other kratom-infused edibles promote long-lasting effects that come on more gradually.
• Kratom Capsules: Taking kratom in capsule form can be convenient if you’re already used to taking supplements as part of a routine.
• Kratom Vapes: These are still quite new to the marketplace, but just like any vapes, they’re available in bottle E-Liquids to be used in compatible vape pens, as well as pre-filled cartridges that attach to any 510-threaded pen-style system and AIO (All-In-One) Disposable Vapes. Vaping kratom allows you to feel the effects within minutes, but the effects don’t last as long.
• Kratom Topicals: Kratom topicals are applied to the skin, so that the alkaloids absorb transdermally.

Contender #2: CBDA

CBDA (cannabidiolic acid) has been getting a lot of hype over the last couple of years as studies have shown us its various potential benefits, once overlooked. Cannabidiolic acid, the raw precursor to cannabidiol. Before the plant undergoes heating, its cannabinoids exist in raw, acidic forms, and they behave totally differently when consumed.

Like all cannabinoids, CBDA’s effects exist because of a process in which it attaches itself to specific receptors in the body, mostly found within the nervous system, but are found in other bodily systems as well. While post-decarboxylated (heated) cannabinoids like CBD attach to cannabinoid receptors (CB receptors), as part of the endocannabinoid system (ECS), raw cannabinoids attach to non-cannabinoid receptors, like serotonin receptors, and receptors that have an important role in our inflammation response.

Can I Get High off of CBDA?

No, CBDA can’t get you high, because it doesn’t act on any cannabinoid receptors that cause intoxication – that is, CB1 receptors that other cannabinoids like THC have an affinity for. No matter how much CBDA you take, you will not get high off of it. Not only is CBD, the decarboxylated form of cannabidiolic acid, nonintoxicating, but no raw cannabinoids can cause a psychoactive effect, including THC’s raw precursor, THCA.

Is CBDA Legal?

Yes, CBDA is totally a legal cannabinoid. In 2018, the Farm Bill passed in the United States, which at last, made the hemp plant legal. This law declared that all hemp derivatives can be sold legally as long as they contain no more than 0.3% delta 9 THC by dry weight. CBDA and THC are not the same cannabinoid, and so CBDA-based products are legal. And, while states have the right to ban certain cannabis-derived products, no states have restricted sales of nonintoxicating cannabinoids like CBDA. This means that CBDA can be purchased in all 50 states, without limitations on strength, product type, possession amount, etc.

Does CBDA Have Benefits?

There are actually many published studies on the effects of CBDA, which have only really been taken seriously in the last several years. Thankfully, this gives us a good deal of insight into its potential benefits. Remember that these benefits come from the way in which CBDA is used by the endocannabinoid system to regulate important physiological processes throughout the body. In studies, cannabidiolic acid has found to have the potential to:

• Offer anti-inflammatory properties
• Increase appetite
• Improve mood
• Regulate immune function
• Possess antiviral properties

Does CBDA Have Side Effects?

CBDA is completely nontoxic to the body, and in general, cannabis is not associated with any life-threatening risks. Even in high doses, it shouldn’t cause a severe reaction. Possible side effects of CBDA are considered mild, if you even experience any, and include:

• Dry eyes
• Dry mouth
• Reduction in blood pressure
• Fatigue/drowsiness
• Increased appetite

What Kinds of CBDA-Infused Product Types are There?

CBDA is available in a number of different product types, such as the ones below:

• Flower: Raw hemp flower can be harvested before it fully matures, so that it contains a high concentration of CBDA. CBDA flower comes in specific strains based on how it’s bred.
• Vapes (Disposables and Cartridges): Vaping CBDA offers a fast-acting and potent way to get in that serving of its effects along with a nice selection of strains, all while being convenient, travel-friendly, and discreet.
• Edibles: Gummies and other edibles produce long-lasting effects with a gradual onset.
• Capsules: Capsules infused with cannabinoids can be a nice solution for those who already take supplements in a capsulated form. Those people just want to add CBDA to their regimen.
• Topicals: Topicals are applied to the skin, allowing the soothing CBDA to infuse directly into the deep tissue of the body.
• Concentrates (aka “Dabs”): Concentrates are concentrated cannabis products that are dabbed – that is, flash-vaporized at a high temperature using a special “dabbing” device – for an ultra-powerful and fast-acting experience.
• Beverages: CBDA-infused beverages offer a faster absorption than edible products, and possibly more potency due to the fact that beverages are water-soluble.
• Tinctures: CBDA tinctures offer a sublingual solution that’s easy to administer, with an onset time, duration of effects, and potency that’s between edible products and inhalable products.

Kratom or CBDA: Which One Will You Choose?

Kratom and CBDA each come in a vast array of formulations, strengths, etc., supplying a multitude of user-friendly ways to enjoy their effects and possible benefits. And, as you can see, both substances offer similar benefits – specifically related to pain, potentially – while ultimately, they accomplish these things through entirely different mechanisms. Because of that, we suggest experimenting with both kratom and CBDA to find what works for you. There’s no better place to do just that, than here at The Calm Leaf.