What Is Kratom? Uses, Side Effects And More
Kratom addiction and chronic use have led to cases of psychosis with hallucinations, delusion, and confusion. High-dose use may lead to fast heart rate (tachycardia) and low blood pressure (hypotension). Tremor, anorexia, and weight loss are other possible side effects of long-term use.
- Besides strictly therapeutic qualities, kratom is also considered by brain hackers an effective tool for personal growth.
- Here’s a rundown on everything you need to know about this unique plant, including its effects, common myths, and how to use it safely.
- We’re not saying that everyone selling kratom actually knows their business, but you can find many passionate vendors with knowledgeable customer service and premium-grade kratom powder.
- She is also a registered yoga Instructor with a 200-hour certification from the Kripalu Institute in Massachusetts.
In contrast, purified mitragynine has demonstrated little to no abuse potential, and is able to reduce or block rodents from self-administering heroin or morphine. In other words, mitragynine seems to be reducing the desire to ingest addictive opioids. In July of 2019 I visited a kratom plantation cocaine withdrawal symptoms going through cocaine detox in Malaysia and gained firsthand experience in the traditional preparation. Fresh leaves are picked each day and, within minutes, placed in boiling water for a couple of hours. The resultant “tea” is ladled out and generally placed into plastic bottles or bags for use throughout the day.
Curious About Kratom? Here’s What We Know, Based On Science, Of Course
Below are several ways to address common conditions—without the use of kratom. Kratom is an opioid-like herbal substance with serious side effects and a high risk for addiction. Kratom is often used by individuals to self-treat concerns, such as anxiety or opioid addiction, psychological dependence on alcohol: physiological addiction symptoms but health experts and officials strongly advise against using the drug. If you read health news or visit vitamin stores, you may have heard about kratom, a supplement that is sold as an energy booster, mood enhancer, pain reliever and antidote for opioid withdrawal.
Kratom: Weighing the Benefits and Risks
A case series (Kronstad and colleagues) described a fatal drug interaction with kratom. A substance dubbed “Krypton” – a mixture of mitragynine and a metabolite of tramadol – was found post-mortem in nine people in Sweden over a one-year period. Tramadol, an opioid-like prescription pain drug, was most likely added to kratom to boost its narcotic-like effect. In 2018 the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported it was investigating a multistate outbreak of 28 salmonella infections in 20 states linked to kratom use. They noted that 11 people had been hospitalized with salmonella illness linked to kratom. The FDA has also issued a warning to not consume kratom due to concerns that the plant’s effects put users at risk of addiction, abuse and dependence.
When to See a Health Care Provider—and How to Seek Help
Kratom, a traditional Southeast Asian herbal medicine from the leaves of the tropical tree Mitragyna speciosa, has gained favor in the U.S. as a legal high over the past decade. Almost two metric tons of kratom are imported from Southeast Asia monthly. A typical dose of kratom consists of three to five grams, suggesting over 15 million users in the U.S. The agency also has reported at least 44 deaths among people who used kratom, though many of them took other drugs along with it or used kratom that was contaminated with other substances. It’s too early to say definitively whether kratom is harmful or helpful.
Until there is a standardized product, preferably one that is prepared in the traditional way, our society must weigh the risks against the putative benefits. The risk of kratom addiction appears to be low, but there are people who are are treated for kratom addiction. It is our hypothesis that addiction to kratom is due to the inferior quality and amount of the product ingested. Science is leading the way to these answers, and the fate of kratom is in the balance. People also have used it traditionally to avoid withdrawal symptoms when opium users would exhaust their supply. This also fueled use in the U.S., with individuals seeking alternative methods to treat pain or wean themselves from opioids.
Scientists say the main kratom ingredients − mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine − partly activate brain receptors that addictive drugs do. Kratom is legal in the United States and is available for sale online and in some shops in some counties. Kratom is not listed under the U.S. schedule of controlled substances. However, kratom may seem to be in a legal gray area because several state regulations or prohibitions against the possession and use of kratom exist.