Kanna has become popular as an all-natural, legal alternative to party drugs like MDMA. It has mood-brightening properties that can leave you feeling less anxious and inhibited.
Scientists have found that kanna contains alkaloids like mesembrine that boost serotonin reuptake inhibition actions in the brain. This means that more of the feel-good neurotransmitter remains available to pass signals to nerve cells and enhance your moods.
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Benefits
Kanna is a natural medicinal herb used for centuries in South Africa as a relaxant and mood enhancer. Today, it’s gaining traction as an herbal supplement that helps with anxiety and depression. It’s believed to work by acting as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), increasing serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that regulates our emotions.
Kanna’s active compounds include mesembrenone, mesembrenol, and mesembranol, known collectively as mesembrine alkaloids. Mesembrenone is believed to increase the availability of serotonin by blocking a protein called vesicular monoamine transporter 2, or VMAT2. This allows more serotonin to enter the cell and has its effects. It may also boost energy use by blocking an enzyme called phosphodiesterase 4, or PDE4.
A number of studies suggest that mesembrenone and mesembrenol can act as antidepressants and help people with anxiety. However, more research is needed. Kanna is believed to have adaptogenic properties, which can help us deal with stress and anxiety by helping the body to manage it. Kanna’s calming and uplifting effects are also thought to help promote sleep, improve focus, and improve appetite.
It is believed that kanna may also have some pain-relieving benefits, but more research is needed. It’s also possible that kanna has some sedative effects and could help with insomnia.
While the scientific evidence is minimal, many users have reported that kanna can have mind-expanding effects and be helpful for spiritual awakening. Some even use it as a recreational drug, although this is illegal in most places.
Because of the potential for side effects, it’s important to speak with a doctor before taking kanna. It can interact with certain medications, including SSRIs and MAO inhibitors. It’s also not recommended to take it with alcohol or cannabis. In addition, it’s not known if giving pets or children is safe.
Dosage
Kanna is available as a powder or in pill form. The pill versions offer convenient and discreet delivery options. However, it is important to keep in mind that the effects of Kanna can vary widely depending on dosage. As such, users should start with a small dose and gradually increase it as their experience improves. The amount of time it takes for the effects of Kanna to manifest can also vary.
One of the primary effects of kanna is mood enhancement. The alkaloids in kanna can help to improve mood by influencing brain chemicals like serotonin. The compounds in kanna have been shown to inhibit serotonin reuptake, allowing it to stay active in the body and brain longer. Kanna has also been shown to have cognitive flexibility-enhancing properties. This means that it can help people to flexibly adapt their thoughts and behaviors in different situations.
Another way that kanna can enhance mood is by promoting feelings of calm and relaxation. The plant can reduce stress and anxiety levels as well as help promote sleepiness. The sedative effects of kanna may be due to the presence of mesembrine, which is a natural serotonin-uptake inhibitor. However, research on this is minimal, and more work needs to be done before any conclusions can be drawn.
Studies of Sceletium tortuosum and its commercial extract Zembrin have found that it has a mild SSRI effect and acts as a PDE4 inhibitor. This combination has been found to be effective in reducing the fear response in the amygdala of the brain. It has also been found to be an ergogenic aid, enhancing cognitive function and promoting mood.
Aside from its mood-enhancing effects, kanna has also been reported to have aphrodisiac properties and to be a potent energizing tonic. It can also have a stimulant effect at higher doses.
It is recommended to consult with a health care professional before trying any new supplements, including kanna. Generally, the supplement is considered safe and non-toxic, although some people may have allergic reactions. There are also some potential interactions with other drugs, such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Therefore, it is important to discuss any planned use of kanna with your healthcare provider.
Side Effects
Kanna is generally safe, but there are some things to keep in mind. For example, it can interact with SSRIs and antipsychotic medications. It also may lower your blood pressure and heart rate, so you should talk to your doctor before using it if you have any of those conditions. Also, the high concentration of alkaloids in kanna can be toxic to dogs and cats, so you should never give them any.
Modern scientific research supports many of the benefits associated with kanna. For example, preclinical studies have shown that kanna extract has serotonin reuptake inhibition and PDE-4 inhibition effects. These two actions on different brain chemicals have synergistic effects to help enhance mood and promote relaxation.
The mesembrine in kanna acts as a serotonin reuptake inhibitor, meaning that it prevents the brain from absorbing too much of this neurotransmitter. This may be one of the reasons why it has calming and relaxing effects. It also works to inhibit the degradation of phosphodiesterase 4, which increases serotonin availability in nerve cells.
Another way that kanna can benefit the mind is by helping to improve cognitive flexibility. This is the ability to adapt thoughts and emotions in a changing environment. Kanna has been shown to help with this by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. It can also help to relax muscles and reduce the perception of pain, which is beneficial for people with chronic musculoskeletal disorders.
While more research is needed, the preliminary results of some clinical trials suggest that kanna can be used as a natural alternative to prescription antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication. For example, a small study found that Sceletium tortuosum (the botanical name for kanna) was as effective as citalopram, a well-known antidepressant.
While there are several ways to take kanna, making tea is the most popular. You can find kanna tea bags at most grocery stores but also make your own tea from scratch. Simply boil water and add a handful of whole or cut kanna leaves to it. Let the tea steep for about 30 minutes, then strain it.
Conclusions
Kanna is an effective mood enhancer that promotes relaxation and reduces feelings of stress. It may also boost cognitive function and help you sleep better. Using it in combination with other plants that can naturally relieve anxiety, such as L-theanine, Mucuna Pruriens, Cordyceps, Lion’s Mane, and Ginseng, can boost your mood even more.
People report that kanna can have antidepressant effects, but more research is needed. In a rat study, kanna extract did cause some antidepressant-like effects but also caused ataxia (meaning they lost control of their body movements). It’s not known if this effect would happen in humans, too.
In addition to taking kanna, you can try talking therapy or working out to ease depression symptoms. Talk therapy can teach you useful coping skills to manage your feelings, and exercise can improve circulation and boost moods.
A patented standardized kanna extract called Zembrin has been used in studies on human volunteers to see if it can improve their mental health. Scientists found that this supplement significantly reduced the amygdala-hypothalamus activity associated with fear.
Other studies have shown that kanna may promote a sense of well-being and relieve the symptoms of mild to moderate depression. However, more research is needed on this too. Some research suggests that kanna might have some pain-relieving properties, but more research is needed.
Some users say that kanna can be a nootropic, meaning it enhances brain performance and boosts memory and reaction time. There isn’t a lot of scientific evidence on this, though, and the effects of kanna are more limited than some nootropic supplements.
If you want to use kanna for this purpose, be sure to consult a naturopath or herbalist first. This is especially important if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, or have other pre-existing conditions. Kanna can act as a serotonin reuptake inhibitor, and mixing it with other herbs or medications that also affect serotonin levels could lead to dangerous side effects, such as serotonin syndrome. It’s also not recommended to take kanna for more than six weeks at a time.
