I just stopped for gas on my way home and while I was there I wanted a beverage so I went to go inside.

I just stopped for gas on my way home and while I was there I wanted a beverage so I went to go inside. So as I'm walking in I am approached by a child. I mean this kid he was maybe fourteen years old and he comes up to me and he says hey can you buy me some Feel Free? I didn't understand what he was talking about but I said do you need food or something? And he said no I need Feel Free. And I was like sorry no. And this young kid lunged at me and tried to take my wallet out of my hand. I grabbed it really fast and I just went inside. So I go inside. I grab my drink. I go up to the cashier and I was like hey just so you know there's like some kid out there he was asking me to buy something for him and he like tried to grab my wallet and she was just like oh my gosh it's this and she pointed to this little blue bottle on the counter that I've never seen before. Looks like that. And I was like oh what's that? Like a five hour energy and she was like no this this stuff is so sad. I have people coming in here five six times a day to get this. It's so addictive and people lose their minds. So let's review what's in Feel Free which is making people become addicted to this. When I looked this product up there are two ingredients that you need to be concerned about. It's Kava and Kratom. So let's start with Kava. The active compounds in Kava primarily modulate GABA A receptors. Which is the same inhibitory neurotransmitter system that's targeted by benzodiazepines like Xanax and diazepam. So when GABA A is activated it enhances chloride ion influx into neurons leading to hyperpolarization and decreased neural excitability in pretty much simple terms. It calms the brain down reducing anxiety and muscle tension while promoting a sense of relaxation. So a long PSA, long-term use can actually lead to damage. Now let's talk about the other ingredient Kratom. Which this one is even worse. The Kratom contains several alkaloids but we're gonna focus on mitragynine, then also 7-hydroxy mitragynine which you will see usually in higher doses. So these compounds are actually partial agonists at the mu opioid receptor. Yes the same receptor that medications like morphine target. This means that Kratom can mimic the effects of opioids by triggering the brain's endogenous reward system but increased dopamine release blunting pain perception and creating feelings of like euphoria and stimulation. So this is like a fun pharmacy fact. In lower doses kratom usually acts like a stimulant but in higher doses it's more like a sedative opioid. Analogy. Feel Free is like trying to balance a high performing sports car with one foot on the gas and one foot on the brake. Kava is gonna be our brake because it slows you down via like GABAergic sedation. And kratom is our gas. It stimulates opioid receptors and dopamine pathways to boost your energy and mood. But here's the problem. Taking the supplement your brain is gonna adjust to it. These receptors are gonna become desensitized down regulated and you're gonna need more and more of this supplement to feel the same. Which this is gonna become the foundation of dependence. And with kratom involved it's pretty much very similar to like addiction with natural supplements. The reason that things can be just out and about in the market is because the FDA does not look at natural supplements before they are released. But I do think that this is probably gonna hopefully soon because this is very dangerous.