What's the Difference Between Kratom vs Kava?

Kratom and kava are both native to the South East Asia region. They’re both psychoactive plants that are used for medicinal purposes as well as to get high. Both of these plant-based remedies have been used for hundreds of years by Southeast Asian cultures. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t subtle differences between kratom vs kava. Let’s take a look at some pros and cons of each so you can make the right decision for your situation. In this guide, we’ll discuss what those similarities and differences are, how they can help you, and how to choose between kratom vs kava if you decide to give one of them a try.

Table of Contents

• What is Kratom?
• What is Kava?
• Differences Between Kratom vs Kava
• Side Effects of Kratom vs Kava
• Which One Should You Choose?

What is Kratom?

Kratom is an extract from the leaves of the Mitragyna speciosa plant, which is native to Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. The leaves have been used in Southeast Asia for centuries as a natural pain reliever, stimulant, and sedative.

What is Kava?

Kava is a traditional drink that’s been used in the South Pacific since around 400 AD. It’s made from the root of the kava plant and has a slightly sweet flavor. Kava usually comes in a dark brown liquid or powder form and has numbing properties.

Differences Between Kratom vs Kava

Kratom is the most widely consumed psychoactive plant in the world. It’s mostly used for medicinal purposes, but it can also be used to get high. It comes from a tree that grows natively in Southeast Asia. Kratom has been used for centuries in traditional medicine and as a stimulant drug.

Kava is made from the roots of the kava plant and it’s primarily used to get high. There are many different types of kavas, but all of them come from a single plant. Kava is sometimes referred to as “the drink of kings” because it was traditionally served at social events and parties by people who were considered royalty or important members of society. Kava is also an important part of ceremonial rituals for some Pacific Islander cultures, including Tonga, Vanuatu, Samoa, and Fiji.

The major difference between these two plants is their uses. Kratom has been traditionally used for medicinal purposes and as a pain reliever while kava has been traditionally used as a psychoactive substance that allows users to get high with ease.

Side Effects of Kratom vs Kava

Both of these plant-based remedies have been used for hundreds of years by Southeast Asian cultures. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t subtle differences between kratom vs kava. Let’s take a look at some pros and cons of each so you can make the right decision for your situation.

In this guide, we’ll discuss what those similarities and differences are, how they can help you, and how to choose between kratom vs kava if you decide to give one of them a try.

Kratom has known side effects such as nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, irritation, increased heart rate, low blood pressure, and headaches. Kava also has its own set of side effects such as dry mouth and constipation.

With that said though there are also some benefits to both of these alternatives. For example, kratom’s side effects are usually lighter than with other psychoactive herbs like marijuana or opium. Kratom also has less sedative effects which means it might be a better option if you need to stay awake while using it as well. Kratom is also generally seen as a safer alternative compared to other drugs like heroin or morphine because it doesn’t produce the same kind of physical dependence or withdrawal symptoms when someone stops taking the drug on their own without professional assistance.

One of the major downsides to kava is that it can cause liver damage. Kava is known to be toxic when consumed in high doses and in a quick period of time. It has been found to even cause a type of hepatitis.

A pro that kava has is its ability to prevent seizures, which gives it an advantage over kratom, despite being more toxic. Another pro is that kava doesn’t have any side effects like withdrawal symptoms associated with kratom use.

Finally, there are some side effects that both plants have in common including nausea and drowsiness, but these side effects tend to be less intense with kratom than they are with the other plant-based remedy.

Which One Should You Choose?

Kratom is a tree-based plant that’s native to Southern Asia. It has a long history of traditional use for medicinal purposes and as a recreational drug. On the other hand, kava is a root-based plant that’s native to Polynesia. The roots are used medicinally, but it’s also been used as a recreational drug in some cultures.