If you’ve been looking for safer options for pain relief, kratom — a Southeast Asian plant with at least 40 naturally occurring bioactive alkaloids — has probably popped up in your search results more than once.

But, how do can you know the differences in quality, potency and safety between naturally sourced kratom products?

Alexander Karp, chief scientific officer for ETHA Natural Botanics, describes his journey to find pain relief with kratom, the perils of an unregulated marketplace and why you should not mute the Pain Teacher this week on Spirit Gym.

In the Members section of this podcast, legendary skateboarder Danny Way joins the conversation to share his experiences with kratom as a more effective pain reliever than all the previous ones.

For Spirit Gym listeners: Save 15% on Element 115 kratom products developed by Alexander and Danny at Element 115 Botanicals or ETHA Natural Botanicals via the promo code PAUL15. (Special offers from Spirit Gym guests are time-sensitive and at their discretion to redeem after 30 days.)

Sign up for your Spirit Gym podcast membership, so you can access members-only extended versions of the podcast along with exclusive Q&A opportunities with Paul.

Timestamps

5:10 Our lifestyles have evolved to be more processed and synthetic at the same time more natural treatment options have become demonized by the allopathic world.

14:09 “Kratom and all of the alkaloids are like a symphony orchestra.”

16:26 Are you muting the Pain Teacher?

29:37 How Alexander became aware of kratom.

34:50 “It was out of a personal need that I had severe pain, heard about kratom, tried it and it was a miracle.”

40:44 Different alkaloids, different effects in kratom.

48:22 The complications of an unregulated market.

1:02:07 Taking a low dose of anything doesn’t imply that it isn’t a powerful one.

1:17:23 “You don’t want pain to go away 100 percent.”

1:24:47 A review of the kratom-based products Alexander’s ETHA Natural Botanicals sells.

Resources

Paul’s Living 4D conversation with Eben Britton

The work of Dr. Royal Lee and Dr. Chris McCurdy

Mitragynine

Find more resources for this episode on our website.

Music Credit: Meet Your Heroes (444Hz) by Brave as Bears

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