Posted by People experience stress or anxiety because of genetic disposition, circumstances, or a combination of both. Anyone who deals with stress or anxiety understands the desire for something to take the edge off. It can range from alcohol and drugs to herbs and other calming supplements as a form of self-treatment or self-management.
Calming supplements abound, with varying results and effectiveness. A greater sense of calm comes from an increase in emotional resilience and a reduction of stress and anxiety. With that in mind, we can examine whether kratom or psychedelic mushrooms do exactly that. If they both help people achieve mental and emotional peace, we can learn how they differ in doing so.
Kratom: For Unwinding and More
Kratom has several uses. It’s easy to think of kratom’s effects in terms of extremes, with low dosages increasing energy, focus, and a better mood, and higher dosages promoting pain relief and sedation for sleepless nights. So where does the calming effect fit in?
We can consider mid-range doses of kratom as being most effective for a sense of tranquility. It’s the best of both worlds: Not too low so it’s not stimulating, and not too high so it doesn’t make you drowsy. If the product you are looking at doesn’t have a moderate dosage available, you can work your way up from a low dose and increase by doubling that low dose.
For calm, the following neurotransmitters are important:
- Serotonin promotes emotional balance and positivity.
- Dopamine controls the brain’s fear center.
- Norepipephrine (noradrenaline) controls stress levels.
- GABA calms the nerves.
What do they have to do with kratom? The herbal supplement increases serotonin and dopamine and suppresses noradrenaline (norepinephrine). By binding to opioid receptors in the brain, kratom blocks pain, calms the nerves, and encourages a feeling of euphoria or happiness.
Kratom may also be available in more than one form. These can be faster or slower in effectiveness as well as short duration or long duration.
Pros: Long history of usage in Southeast Asia, often as leaves for tea. Most common in the form of powder or capsules at the retail level, kratom may also be available in other forms, such as extract shots. The ideal is a form without synthetic ingredients or “enhanced” kratom, so that the full alkaloid spectrum of the kratom remains; it’s more holistic.
Cons: Potential for addiction, may cause constipation, and decrease appetite. Not suitable for people who are already taking opioids. Some vendors do not do strict quality control for clean product, potency, and consistency, and dosing may not be accurate, leading to unexpected or undesirable results.
Mushrooms: Not the Usual Suspect, But Can Be
Let’s face it, psychedelic mushrooms do not have a long history of usage for calm. Even microdosing was restricted to scientific research and not publicly available. But today’s legal mushroom products without entheogens do! That’s because we already have adaptogenic and nootropic mushrooms like lion’s mane, chaga, reishi, turkey tail, and cordyceps. They increase serotonin, dopamine, and GABA to enhance mood, reduce fear, and promote calm. Also, some vendors make their own formulas, which include ingredients that mimic psilocybin. They may or may not be synthetic, but their purpose is to release serotonin and promote new neural pathways, which can reduce stress.
Microdosing legal psychedelic mushroom products is not an exact science. Because the ingredients, amounts, and potency levels differ, it’s impossible to get a standard low dose among vendors that’s one-size-fits-all. Even so, this form of microdosing can and does promote inner peace.
Mushrooms may come in many forms. Typical popular forms are chocolate bars and gummies, which boast delicious flavors, but there may also be syrups, vape pens, and chewable tablets.
Pros: Long history of usage around the world (psilocybin) for religious and healing rituals, while the term “nootropics” was coined in 1972 in alternative medicine. A variety of forms depending on the vendor. Ideally, mushroom formulas should focus on extracts without additional ingredients to enhance them, or mirror the chemistry of psilocybin while remaining fully legal.
Cons: Not suitable for people with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, or who are taking SSRIs. May be habit-forming. Syndelic and psychotropic mushrooms can cause a hallucinogenic trip. Some formulas may contain sugar, gluten, artificial flavors and colors, and non-vegan ingredients that can cause allergies, side effects, or delayed absorption. Not all formulas have precise dosing.
Can’t Decide? Enjoy Both? Choose Real Botanicals
As you can see, both kratom and mushrooms can soothe frazzled nerves and stress, but the way they do so and their drawbacks differ. If you want occasional or semi-frequent calming effects with a positive outlook, kratom might be your match. But if you want everyday or biweekly usage plus better mood, cognition, and creativity, microdosing with mushrooms could be your most helpful supplement.
Either way, Real Botanicals is one vendor that is manufacturer-direct and offers both. Every product is clean and precisely dosed for its specific purpose. Whether you’re in the market for kratom, mushrooms, or both, Real Botanicals has your back.