The Joe Rogan Experience: Mentions of Kratom in Episodes

Joe Rogan, a popular podcast host, has talked about kratom on different occasions on his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience. Although not an established kratom advocate, he shared his experience with kratom and believes kratom is a net positive.

Rogan acknowledged that kratom has a broad range of potential benefits, such as mood and energy enhancement, soothing, relaxation, and working as a potential herbal remedy. However, the episodes responsibly didn’t fail to admit that kratom also has its risks and concerns.

Episode #876: In December 2016

In this episode, Chris Bell, a director, producer, and writer, was Rogan’s guest. They discussed the potential benefits of kratom and the controversy surrounding it. Below is a summary of the main points they discussed:

• Chris Bell shared his personal experience with kratom and the soothing effects he benefited from kratom. He also talked about his personal struggles and how kratom came through for him. Overall, Bell said kratom helps him to function better by improving his general well-being.
• Bell argues that kratom could be a natural remedy. They also cited examples of how many military veterans and those suffering have benefited from kratom.
• Another thing they discussed was the FDA and DEA’s attempt to ban kratom even though this natural plant has been in use for centuries. Both regulatory bodies pushed to label kratom a Schedule I substance.

Bell believes conspiracy is behind kratom criminalization because organizations can’t patent a plant. Rogan criticized the government for not making any effort to regulate kratom (however it is important that this episode came out in late 2016, and many states have taken regulatory approaches since then).

• The discussion went on, and they talked about how kratom works by interacting with our bodies. They agreed that kratom alkaloids interact with receptors in the brain. They talked about kratom having different strains and how kratom effects are dose dependent.
• They both discussed that people should educate themselves about the benefits of kratom and push against government bans. Rogan agrees by saying adults should have the right to choose.

In all, Joe Rogan seems to be a fan of kratom and believes it can help people in the right circumstances.

Episode #1101: In April 2018

In this episode, Rogan was joined by two brothers, Chris and Mark Bell, well-known in the fitness and powerlifting niche. While they discussed various topics, they had a segment where they talked about kratom.

During the kratom segment, Chris Bell started by sharing his personal experience with kratom, and how it has helped him as a natural remedy. He went further to explain how kratom has helped him.

Mark Bell also made some contributions by saying how some athletes and weightlifters use kratom.

For Rogan, he talked about how he has explored different herbal substances, but the range of effects from kratom intrigues him.

Other discussions border on the interactions between kratom and brain receptors. He stated this makes kratom controversial and, at the same time, offers potential benefits.

Finally, they talked about kratom not being approved by the FDA, a push for regulation, and the threat kratom poses to certain organizations. In all, their focus was on the promising effects of kratom and the controversies surrounding it, being a substance with benefits and risks.

Episode #1136: In June 2018

Just a few months after the April episode, another episode of The Joe Rogan Experience talked about kratom. This time, the guest was Hamilton Morris, a scientific researcher who investigates the cultural impact of different substances.

This episode covered different aspects of ethnopharmacology, but their discussion focused mainly on kratom, a tropical tree that is indigenous to Southeast Asia.

Morris, who is well-versed in pharmacology, explained how kratom alkaloids interact with receptors in the brain to produce different effects when taken at different doses.

He further talked about the traditional use of kratom in countries like Thailand and Malaysia. Since the government of Thailand was heavily taxing certain substances, many people turned to kratom. He claims this led to the ban of kratom by the government because they believed kratom would become a threat to certain organizations.

Talking about the complexity of the legality of kratom, Rogan and Morris discussed the controversies surrounding kratom in the U.S. and how regulatory bodies are wanting to ban it.

Throughout the episode, Morris was advocated for two things: the responsible use of kratom and the importance of giving individuals the freedom of making informed decisions on what they decide to use.

The crux of the episode is Morris’ emphasis on the fact that while absolute safety is not guaranteed, people should have the freedom to choose whatever they want, as long as they know the benefits and risks attached.

Episode #1844: In July 2022

In this episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, it was Tom Segura, an author, stand-up comedian, and podcaster, who was Rogan’s guest. Together, Rogan and Segura had an engaging discussion that covered various aspects of life, including their experiences with kratom.

Segura shared his experience of using liquid kratom extract two to three times a week before workout. He described kratom’s effects as boosting his motivation and confidence and increasing his energy levels.

Rogan and Segura went on to talk about using kratom for  providing soothing effects. They both acknowledged that kratom can be beneficial but cautioned on the lack of regulation and the need for more findings to fully understand its long-term effects.

Rogan went on to share other kratom users’ experiences. In all, their discussion on kratom focused on both the advantages and concerns surrounding kratom use. They emphasized the need to use kratom responsibly and hope for further scientific studies in the future.

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