Update 2/3/20. Until recently, I'd never heard of kratom, also known as mitragyna speciosa, but a quick search revealed that this stuff is pretty popular online with many people passionate about how well it works. Kratom contains compounds that can have both stimulating and calming effects. It's promoted to help reduce pain, improve exercise, help insomnia and drug addiction among others. After looking at various blogs and videos on this stuff, I got interested. So, is it safe? Is kratom addictive? Any side effects? I'm going to just look at the research I was able to uncover and let you decide. No agendas here. Just science and rational thought. I hope this review will help you decide if kratom is right for you.
Other Kratom Reviews
Can You Trust Kratom Companies? (video review)
What Is Kratom?
Kratom, whose scientific name is Mitragyna speciosa is also known as Kratum and Ketum. It's related to the coffee plant and is usually pronounced either as “Cray-tum” or “Crah-tum.” Kratom is a tree that grows in places like Southeast Asia and the Philippines. In other parts of the world, the herb has been used to treat several conditions ranging from helping fatigue to reducing pain.
Kratom Is Also Called…
According to the FDA, kratom is also known by these other names:
| Mitragyna speciosa | biak-biak | cratom | gratom |
| ithang | kakuam | katawn | kedemba |
| ketum | krathom | krton | mambog |
| madat | Maeng da leaf | nauclea | Nauclea speciosa or thang |
Other more street slang names for this plant include “herbal Speedball” and “Thom.”
Some companies advertise “organic kratom” although whether or not organic versions of this herb are better or healthier than non-organic versions. is open to speculation.
The leaves of the tree contain various chemicals that are said to have a variety of effects such as increasing energy levels and also helping people feel calmer and at ease.
The degree to which it has either of these effects – and others- is said to be dose-dependent.
In other words, at:
- Lower doses = it has stimulant effects, almost like caffeine.
- Higher doses = it has sedative effects.
See the kratom section of this review for more information.
Kratom Active Ingredients
Because it's a plant, kratom likely has many active ingredients. That said, those that often get most of the attention include:
- Mitragynine (pronounced ma-tra-ja-neen.”)
- 7-hydroxymitragynine
I think its more complicated than this, however.
Other chemicals in kratom include:
- paynantheine
- speciogynine
Over 40 different compounds in kratom have been identified.
As stated above, at low doses, mitragynine seems to act as a stimulant. This may be why some people say mitragyna gives them more energy. At higher amounts, though mitragynine has opioid-like /sedative effects. These effects may be at the heart of the “legal high” that Kratom is sometimes marketed to provide.
The FDA, using computer analysis to look at 25 compounds in kratom, determined that the chemical structure of these compounds was similar to opioids. They went on to say that 22 of the 25 compounds would bind to opioid receptors.
Kratom Human Research
I searched the National Library of Medicine (Pubmed.gov) for these words:
- Kratom Human
- Mitragyna speciosa human
My hope was that this would reveal human clinical studies involving this herb. I did not uncover much.
Here's a summary of the human research I found:
One investigation, which involved 10 men who regularly used mitragyna. Researchers gave the men either 2 oz or 4 oz of kratom tea for 7 days.
No serious side effects were reported although all the people in the study reported tongue numbness after drinking the tea. All the people in the study also had increased heart rates and blood pressures and these appeared to occur 8 hours after drinking the tea.
Other than this study, I did not locate any other human investigations. The majority of studies I did find involved either lab animals (mice or rats) or isolated human cells that were subjected to the herb. Some of that research, I'll cover below in other sections.
Human cell research is interesting, but since we are more than isolated cells in a test tube, I don't know how well those results translate into showing the effects of this herb in live human beings.
I also found various case reports stemming from emergency room visits, which I'll list below in the side effects section. At this time, I'm forced to conclude that kratom appears to have little published, peer-reviewed clinical trials involving people.
Kratom For Opioid Withdrawal
Because kratom contains mitragynine, an opioid-like compound, it's become popular with some people trying to curb addiction to opioid drugs such as oxycodone and fentanyl among others. Does it work? In theory, molecules that look like opioids might attach to opioid receptors; this might help with withdrawal.
It sounds plausible however according to an FDA press release dated November 14 2017, “There is no reliable evidence to support the use of kratom as a treatment for opioid use disorder.”
That may be due to a lack of good human research on this.
And then one has to wonder if it did work, what would stop people from becoming addicted to kratom? It would be like going from one addiction to another. Indeed, from the comments below, kratom addiction is something some people have been wondering about and trying to take steps to avoid.
If the FDA is correct and kratom ingredients look like opioids and bind to opioid receptors, then this could lend evidence of it's alleged addictive nature.
Kratom And Pain
While mitragyna seems to have pain-killing effects, it's structure is different than morphine. But, mitragynine – one of the chemicals in the plant- can bind to the same opioid receptors as morphine does. This is likely why some people with chronic pain issues might turn to mitragyna for help.
Because of this, some have wondered if the plant (or just mitragynine) might one day be used to help people wean off drugs like opioids and heroin. As can be seen from the side effects section below, there is at least one case report of someone doing this. That said, at higher doses kratom might have a stimulant-like effect.
How Much Kratom Is Safe?
Since mitragynine can have both stimulant effects (at lower dosages) and act like a sedative (at higher doses), one has to ask the question, “How much is a little bit and how much is a lot?”
Dosage instructions for taking mitragyna can be found on the internet. However, given the lack of human research, I have to wonder who is making up these instructions? None of the websites I looked at for this review which discusses how to take kratom showed me scientific studies to back up the dosage instructions they advocated.
Some websites might base their recommendations on asking people how much they took. I'm sorry, but that's poor science. I say this because it does not take into consideration many other things that could be going on. For example:
- What if you have depression/are bipolar and take mitragyna?
- What if you have high blood pressure and mitragyna?
- What if you mix mitragyna and alcohol or other medications?
- How long does mitragyna stay in the body after you eat it vs. drink it?
Some websites say people should use a certain amount of mitragynine such as 1-2 grams for example – but again, where are these amounts coming from? Is it trial and error?
Probably.
Given the lack of human research, I recommend viewing dosage instructions skeptically.
What about long term effects? In other words, what are the effects of someone using kratom regularly for years? Unfortunately, I can't give an answer to that. The research needs to be done.
Who Uses Kratom??
I first became aware of kratom from a college student. But students are not the only people experimenting with this stuff. In a 2017 review that included over 8,000 mitragyna users who were given surveys, researchers noted that most people who responded were:
- 31-50 years of age
- Made at least $35,000 per year
The surveys also noted that side effects were most common when people used more than 5 grams per day or were very frequent users (22 doses per week). Side effects were usually gastrointestinal in nature, including constipation and nausea. This is common for many supplements and medications too.
What Is The American Kratom Association?
The American Kratom Association (AmericanKratom.org) is a non-profit advocacy group based in Virginia. The website states the organization was founded in 2014. The organization website was created in 2015. Part of their mission, they say, is to educate people on the safety of mitragyna/kratom.
The website also keeps visitors up-to-date on various legal issues relating to mitragyna and provides email addresses of local government officials who seek to increase government oversight of this herb.
While lobbying government officials and sending emails is nice, the Association, needs to fund clinical research on Mitragyna speciosa. Instead of lobbying, Senators, the best way to prove to Senators and the public that kratom is safe is to do clinical studies on Kratom itself.
Update. The American Kratom Association seems to have changed its name. Visitors going to their website (AmericanKratom.org) are redirected to another site, AmericanBotanicals.org. This site was registered in 2017. Why did they change their name?
Was it because “botanicals” is a more friendly-sounding name?
Update. Clicking on AmericanKratom.org now takes people to that url (it no longer goes AmericanBotanicals.org). Those typing searching for AmericanBotanicals.org are now redirected to AmericanKratom.org.
Is Kratom Legal In My State?
It depends on where you live. Currently, mitragyna is legal in most US states. States, where it is banned, include:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Indiana
- Rhode Island
- Tennessee
- Vermont
- Washington DC
- Wisconsin
In other states, it's not banned but some have pending legislation that would criminalize the growth and use of the plant. Around the world, mitragyna is illegal in some countries such as Thialand as well as Australia and Malaysia.
Kratom And The FDA
In 2014 the FDA sized over 5 million dollars worth of a product from a company in California citing that it deems this to be a compound “that poses a risk to public health and has the potential for abuse.” In January 2016, the FDA sized 90,000 bottles from another company.
The FDA is also detaining shipments of the product that attempt to enter the US. I have not yet seen mitragyna used in dietary supplements. I believe this may because the FDA considers it a new dietary ingredient.
A new dietary ingredient would be something that has not been in the general food supply for a long enough time to determine if it's safe or not. In cases like this, companies have to convince the FDA that new dietary ingredients are safe for humans – and by convince, I mean show them published clinical studies.
In 2017 the FDA issued a press release expression concern over the use of Kratom. The FDA has also advocated that kratom compounds chemically look like opioid pain revealing drugs.
While there are regions of the world where mitragyna has been used for a long time, I'm not aware of much in the way published human clinical trials.
Kratom And Exercise
Because mitragyna is supposed to have stimulating effects at low dosages, some might wonder if it would make a good pre-workout drink or something to add to a smoothie. I can tell you that I am not aware of any exercise-related research on this herbal preparation. I can't say if it would make someone last longer in the gym or run faster or longer. Based on that alone, I don't think it's worth spending money on.
As a side note, I'd mention that pre-workout supplements, in general, are mostly just caffeine and other ingredients that, for the most part, have little proof they work better than caffeine alone.
That said, a quick online search reveals several websites and videos where mitragyna is being marketed to bodybuilders with some saying it can improve:
- Mental focus
- Motivation
- Reduce appetite
- Boost metabolism
- Help fat loss
For all these claims and others, I can only say that human evidence for them is lacking. There are many different types (strains) of kratom out there. Different strains may have different active ingredients (there is more to this plant than just mitragynine). When human studies are published on its effects on exercise, I'll update this review.
What I can say is to be very careful experimenting that has sedative effects when lifting weights. In theory, the sedative properties of mitragyna could lead to injuries in the gym.
Kratom overdose has been implicated in the death of a 27-year-old police officer/armature bodybuilder.
Kratom And Diabetes
Can this herb help people with type II diabetes (the most common type)? Online people do discuss this. One study used to support this a rat cell study published back in 2008. Basically, this investigation noted mitragynine increased glucose uptake by cells. In theory, this would lead to lower blood sugar levels.
This sounds great, but this is a rat cell study. Yes, we share some DNA in common with rats but since we are not rats, this really isn't proof kratom helps humans with diabetes.
The best way to know is to give kratom to people with diabetes and test their blood sugar levels. To see if it might, I searched for proof it might help diabetes but do not turn up any evidence. There is no evidence mitragyna lowers AIC levels.
For the type II diabetics reading this, I can tell you there is hope but I don't feel its this herb. I have seen diabetes reversed in people. I've even seen it reversed in a quadriplegic! The key to reversing diabetes is not an herb or a supplement. It's exercise and more importantly, losing weight and eating better (fewer calories cut back on fast-acting carbs).
Does this work for everybody? No, but it works enough to make me want to tell you about it. The faster you catch type II diabetes, the better the odds of reversing it.
I've written this on the diabetes cure for more insights.
Is Kratom Addictive?
If Mitragyna speciosa can be used to help people wean off pain killers and other drugs, one wonders how difficult it might be to stop taking kratom after their withdrawal symptoms from the other drugs go away? In other words, is mitragyna addicting? The American Kratom Association's website says “Kratom is non-habit forming unless taken in extremely high doses for extended periods of time.”
Where is the clinical proof of this?
The Association goes on to say that when it is used in excess, “Kratom consumers may experience dependence, similar to caffeine dependence.”
How do they define “excess?” Is it 1 gram or 20 grams? They don't say.
The science page of the American Kratom Association does not provide any evidence showing withdrawal in humans is similar to caffeine withdrawal. See the side effects section below.
There does appear to be evidence some people can become addicted to mitragyna. In this 2014 report of 293 regular users, it was noted that more than half of those who regularly used kratom for more than 6 months, experienced “severe dependency problems.” Researchers also noted that 45% experienced “moderate” dependence.
A disturbing report comes from a 37-year-old teacher who was addicted to kratom for 2 years after taking it for carpal tunnel pain. Over time her dosage increased and each time she tried to detox from kratom she developed cravings for the herb, depression, and anxiety as well as blurred vision, loss of sleep, abdominal sweats, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Her appetite was reduced to the point where she lost weight. She admitted to hiding kratom around the house and having it shipped to a FedEx store out of fear her husband would discover her use. She feared shed lose her family if they continued to use.
Doctors in Canada reported the case of a pregnant woman who used kratom during pregnancy and up till she delivered. She was taking 18-20g of kratom powder 3 times a day (that's about 2.5 ounces a day). Two days after giving birth, her baby started having withdrawal symptoms including vomiting, irritability, jitteriness and problematic feeding. The baby had to be given morphine and eased off it to reduce the symptoms.
To me, this proves mitragyna is addicting.
Researchers in Malaysia looked at the severity of pain and sleep problems in 170 regular kratom users after they stopped using kratom tea/juice. They noted the following
- 84% experienced moderate pain
- 46% of people reported more sleeping problems
Pain that interfered with sleep was worse in those who consumed 4 or more glasses of kratom tea/juice per day (containing 76-115 mg of mitragynine). These effects were less in those who consumed 1-3 glasses of kratom tea/juice per day. The researchers concluded, “cessation from regular kratom tea/juice consumption is not associated with prolonged pain and sleep problems.”
Physical symptoms of withdrawal from mitragyna included muscle spasms and pain, sleeping difficulty, watery eyes/nose, hot flashes, fever, decreased appetite, and diarrhea. In the side effects section below, notice that one man spent $15,000 a year on kratom. That's a lot of money and it makes me wonder if addiction is a possibility, at least for some people. I believe more research needs to be done to better understand kratom addiction.
Kratom For Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a disorder where people are in pain almost all the time. It's believed to be a disorder of the nerves. While the use of kratom among those with fibromyalgia is unknown, it does occur. In the report of the teacher addicted to kratom, described above, the woman admitted she was first given the herb by a fellow teacher who was using it to manage fibromyalgia pain.
Given that mitragynine may have multiple drug interactions, it's recommended people with fibromyalgia discuss thoughts of trying kratom use with their pharmacist and fibromyalgia doctor. This is the safest and wisest course of action.
See the ribose and fibromyalgia review for more insights.
Kratom Side Effects
Until good human studies are published, it's difficult to know what long term side effects might be. Much of the research involves lab animals and test-tube studies. Many of the proposed side effects discussed below come from case reports of single individuals. I think the side effects – and severity of them – would vary according to a number of factors such as:
- How long someone took it?
- How much active ingredients are in the product?
- What medications (legal and illegal drugs too) are also being used?
- What health conditions you have?
- Does the product contain anything else?
Generally, I would say that people should not drive while using mitragyna. I also don't believe women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should take it. I would not combine it with any prescription medication or illegal drugs or over the counter medications. It's also wise to stop taking mitragyna at least 2 weeks before having surgery.
There is at least 1 report of drunk driving while taking kratom.
At various websites that discuss this topic, some people claim mitragynine was associated with a variety of side effects ranging from constipation and itching to erectile dysfunction. I was not able to find human research to substantiate most of what I saw, however.
According to Wikipedia and this kratom review, several side effects from mitragyna may occur such as:
| Nausea | Constipation | Vomiting |
| Seizures | Addiction | Psychosis |
| Elevated heart rate | Elevated blood pressure | Trouble sleeping |
| Breathing problems | Liver toxicity | Dry mouth |
| small black feces | Anorexia/weight loss |
Again, the degree to which any of these symptoms are experienced, I believe, can be related at least in part, to the points mentioned above. In November 2017, the FDA reported it was aware of at least 36 deaths associated with this herb.
Here are some potential side effects and case reports that I was able to discover. I provide these in the hopes that they help others doing their own research as to whether this herbal preparation is right for them.
Researchers in Malaysia saw, for the most part, no significant differences in blood chemistry profiles when they tested 77 people (58 regular users and 19 healthy non-users). The only difference they noted was that kratom users had higher LDL (bad cholesterol) and HDL (good cholesterol). They also noted that long term use of kratom (more than 5 years) did not seem to negatively impact the blood of users.
This same research group published a paper of 19 regular kratom tea/juice users (more than 2 years) showing no change in testosterone levels when used at 76.23mg to 94.15mg per day.
Doctors in Oklahoma reported the case of a 42-year-old man with low sex drive and low energy and low testosterone and elevated prolactin levels. He was also a frequent user of kratom. After he stopped using the product, his testosterone and prolactin levels returned to normal.
At least one cast report notes hepatitis from drinking kratom herbal tea.
News reports linked kratom induced hemorrhagic pulmonary edema to the death of a 27-year-old police officer.
There is at least one case report of Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (Leukoencephalopathy) in a man who combined kratom with the ADHD medication, Adderall. Symptoms of this disorder include headaches, elevated blood pressure, seizures and changes in vision. A CT scan revealed a small hemorrhage in his brain.
Mitragynine appears to interfere with an enzyme called “P450” which is involved in the breakdown of many prescription medications. Because of this, people who take medications are highly advised to speak to their pharmacist and doctor first.
It's theorized that mitragynine may promote hypothyroidism in some people.
Some lab animal and test-tube studies have noted that mitragynine might raise blood pressure, impair learning and be harmful to the heart. Whether or not this occurs in people is open to debate and needs more study.
Kratom Side Effects
Most of whats known about the side effects come from those who were addmited to hospitals. Let's look at some of those reports below:
- A 25-year-old man developed liver problems after 2 weeks of use. He started out taking 1-2 teaspoons or kratom powder per day and later increased the amount to 4-6 teaspoons per day (about 14-21 grams a day). It was 5 days after he stopped taking mitragynine that he started having symptoms.
- Doctors in Florida reported the case of liver toxicity in a 38-year-old man. His liver symptoms improved after he stopped using this herb.
- A 64-year-old man developed seizures and went into a coma after using kratom tea, which he was using for chronic pain.
- This report reviews the deaths of 9 people who took a special blend called “Krypton” which is a combination of kratom and O-desmethyltramadol. The ingredient called O-desmethyltramadol is a metabolite of a narcotic pain medication called tramadol.
- This report reviews the death of a 17 year old man who had a history of drug abuse. The autopsy noted he also had taken over the counter cold medications and sleeping pills too.
- A 43-year-old man started using kratom to help him get off opiate pain medications. Since he did not experience any significant alertness from kratom, he decided to combine it with a drug called modafinil, which is used to improve wakefulness. As a side note, this particular man was spending $15,000 a year on kratom. As is reported in Scientific American, he suffered only a runny nose after he stopped taking kratom.
- This report mentions a possible association between kratom addiction and the development of hypothyroidism.
- Doctors in 2018 report how a baby developed withdrawal symptoms 2 days after being born to a mother who used kratom while pregnant.
- This 2014 article reports on the death of a 36-year-old man from Denver. His autopsy noted his cause of death as “apparent acute mitragynine toxicity.”
- In this report, a 44-year-old man developed withdrawal symptoms after halting his use of the product. His symptoms included anxiety, restlessness, tremor, sweating, and cravings for kratom.
One human study noted tongue numbness with mitragynine. This same study reported that blood pressures and heart rates appeared to increase about 8 hours after ingestion.
In a 2017 review of mitragynine clinical studies titled Biochemical Benefits, Diagnosis, and Clinical Risks Evaluation of Kratom, researchers noted that while there may be some benefits of kratom, they went on to say:
“it seems that its potential side effects outweigh the benefits, and severe and real health hazards can, insidiously, lead to death. Kratom clinical, psychological, and medical manifestations can be disturbing.”
Long term side effects of using kratom are unknown although the website DrugAbuse.gov does mention these potential outcomes:
| Anorexia | Weight loss | Insomnia |
| Skin darkening | Dry mouth | Frequent urination |
| Constipation | Hallucination | paranoia |
As can be seen in the comments section below, at least one long-time user has reported dramatic problems trying to sleep, after trying to stop taking kratom.
In 2017, FDA has stated that from 2010 -2015, kratom-related calls to Poison control centers have increased 10X. Their report goes on to say that “The FDA is aware of reports of 36 deaths associated with the use of kratom-containing products.”
When Forbes writer, David Disalvo, tried various blends of kratom for several weeks, he said he did not notice any significant side effects. See his website for his experiment.
All that said, here are some general precautions for those who use this compound. This list is not complete
- Stop taking kratom at least 2 weeks before having surgery
- Do NOT use kratom while pregnant or breastfeeding (your baby will become addicted)
- If you take ANY medications at all, speak to your pharmacist /doctor first.
- Caution in those who have GI problems.
Liver Problem From Kratom
Here's a quick rundown of reports of liver toxicity from kratom use. Some of these were reported above. Reports are listed here as well to make it easier to get to the information you are seeking.
A 25-year-old man in Germany was diagnosed with liver problems 2 weeks after starting kratom.
A 38-year-old man was diagnosed with liver problems while taking kratom
See the LiverTox website for more information.
Kratom Drug Interactions
Mitragynine seems to interfere with an enzyme involved in the breakdown and metabolism of many medications. Just some of the drugs that kratom may interfere with include:
| Anti-anxiety meds | Ulcer meds | HIV/AIDS meds |
| Blood thinner meds | Insomnia meds | Antibiotics |
| Blood pressure meds | Codeine | Viagra |
| Cholesterol medicine | Dementia meds | Anti-depressant meds |
As you can see, this is a big list. There are many others not listed here. To be safe, speak to your doctor and pharmacist if you take any medications -prescription or over-the-counter.
Can You Die From Kratom?
Some have died after taking kratom. Here's a short list:
Doctors in 2018 reported on the death of a 28 yr old man who used kratom within 24 hours of going to the ER. Within 12 hours of admission to the hospital, he died of heart and brain failure.
The death of a 36-year-old Denver Colorado man was attributed to kratom overdose. His cause of death was attributed to an “apparent acute mitragynine toxicity.” His family said he told him he was addicted after 3 weeks of us.
In a 2017 press release, the FDA said it was aware of 36 deaths linked to kratom.
Given the popularity of this herb, I think death is rare. But, it's serious enough to consider before experimenting with this herbal product.
In the majority of cases, deaths have been associated with people taking other drugs too. For more on this topic see this reveiw:
Can You Die From Kratom
Kratom Quality Control
As I was writing this review I spoke to a college student who told me he purchased kratom at a gas station! Was he really buying mitragyna speciosa or something else? I have no idea although I'd be cautious about buying mitragyna at gas stations. As this News broadcast tells us some products may contain no kratom :
Odds are that large stores like Walmart, CVS, RiteAid, Target, and Costco will not sell this mitragyna. Many people get it from smoke and vape shops. Even then, I still think it may be a challenge to know what you are buying.
There are many brands of Kratom out there. For example, just a few include:
- Maeng Da
- Hulu Kapuas
- Sumatra
The plant can also be further classified by being red, white or green.
Are they all the same?
People online do discuss “fake or counterfeit kratom” but how prevalent this is, I can't say. So, how do you buy it from a company that you can trust to better your odds that you really are getting mitragyna and not a bogus or contaminated product? While nothing is foolproof, here are two things you can try that might help you in your research:
1. Google the address of the company. What do you see? Do you see an actual brick and mortar company that has its name atop a building? If yes that might be a good sign. Do you see a PO Box in the address? Do you see a strip mall where other businesses reside? If yes, that might not be a good sign.
2. Google the company name and the letters “FDA” and “FTC.” This can sometimes reveal if a company had any run-ins in the past with these agencies. I know not everybody reading this review will be fans of the FDA or FTC however, if you do this, you can read what the problems were. This can help you make a more informed decision.
Don't assume because some stranger on a YouTube video says it's safe and natural means it is. I really tried to find human research on mitragyna. What you read in this review is all the human evidence I could locate. I left nothing out to help you make the best decision for you.
Kratom & Salmonella
Adding to the controversy, on February 12th, 2018, the FDA learned of a multi-state outbreak of salmonella contamination in several brands of kratom pills, teas, and powders from many different companies. As of February 28th, the FDA found evidence of 40 people, in 27 states were sickened with salmonella after consuming This has resulted in several recalls. Here is a summary of those companies.
Here are some FDA press releases of brands which were recalled:
- Sunstone Organics recalls several lots of kratom products. Potential salmonella contamination (3/4/19)
- Blissful Remedies recalls kratom powder Lot No.: 112710. Potential salmonella contamination (7/3/18)
- Gaia Ethnobototanicals recalls powder products because of possible salmonella contamination (6/22/18)
- Precious Lion Recalls kratom due to potential salmonella contamination (5/24/18)
- Badger Botanicals recalls Red Suma, Green Suma, Green Hulu 2 and Red Hulu 2 because of Possible Salmonella contamination (5/7/18)
- Viable Solutions recalls kratom powder (4/20/18)
- NextGen Botanicals (NGB Corp) recalls Maeng Da Kratom possible salmonella contamination (4/19/18)
- Nutrizone Recalls Multiple Kratom Dietary Supplements (4/18/18)
- Club 13 recalls Kratom Maeng Da Red Powder and Capsules (April 5, 2018)**
- FDA Issues Mandatory Recall of Triangle Pharmanaturals kratom (April 3rd, 2018)
- Revibe, LLC kratom destroyed by CDC over salmonella contamination (4/3/18)
- Tamarack Inc. recalls kratom (march 23rd 2018)
- PDX Aramatics DBA Kraken Kratom expanded kratom recall (March 22, 2018)
** Kraken Kratom also goes by the names Phytoextractum and Soul Speciosa
As of April 5th 2018, the FDA reports “thirty-seven different kratom-containing products have been tested and reported positive for Salmonella.” That same day the FDA further reported that ” a total of 132 people infected with outbreak strains of Salmonella.” Furthermore, “Of those Thirty-eight people (40%) have been hospitalized. ”
On 4/3/18 The FDA ordered a mandatory recall of all powdered kratom from Triangle Pharmanaturals LLC. The FDA issued the mandatory recall after “Triangle Pharmanaturals refused to cooperate with the FDA despite repeated attempts to encourage voluntary recall.”
On April 17th, 2018, Triangle PharmaNaturals, voluntary recalled ALL of their kratom powders it manufactured between April 4th -April 17th, due to their potential to be contaminated with salmonella.
See the Company Review of Triangle PharmaNaturals.
So why so many recalls? Could it be the demand for the herb is greater than the ability of companies to ensure a quality product? Either way, don't buy mitragynine supplements based on fancy-sounding business names. Investigate who you do business with.
Kratom Salmonella Video
Here's a quick YouTube video I created on the Kratom recalls
Watch this video on YouTube if you prefer
Does Kratom Contain Psilocybin?
Psilocybin (say, sil-a-psy-been) is a psychedelic (causes hallucinations) compound found in some types of mushrooms. People use this stuff to get high. While I don't believe there is any psilocybin in kratom, people wonder if they can use both at the same time. I'm not aware of any research on this topic. Some discuss this question online and give opinions on what “worked for them” but remember following the dosage instructions from people you don't know may not be safe.
For the person reading this who wants to try this combination, the question you should ask yourself is why do you want to do this? Are you looking for a “better high” than either botanical would provide by itself? If yes, then, you may want to consider that you have a drug addiction problem. See the addiction section below.
Kratom And Drug Testing
Kratom contains many different compounds. So, I think whether or not it would show up on a drug test, would depend on if the drug test is specifically screening for any of the compounds in kratom.
Several websites I saw that discuss this say that kratom does not show up on most urinalysis drug screening tests. To me, most mean it might show up on some. For what it's worth, the Ireland drug information website notes Kratom can show up on urinalysis tests for at least 6 hours.
Online you can purchase at home kratom drug testing kits but I would not rely on those.
If drug testing is something you are worried about, I'd personally steer clear of this stuff. If you are going to use it anyway, you should ask whoever does the testing if they screen for kratom or its metabolites.
Does Kratom Work / Is It Safe?
Human research on Kratom is lacking. Even though the herb appears to offer some potential to help with pain and drug addiction, that research is in its infancy. As such, I think there a lot of unanswered questions about how kratom works, how much works, and what its side effects might be. Kratom can also be addicting. I won't preach. I've shown you the research. I'll simply leave you with these words: You are not an experiment.
I saw your article I think from last week about Kratom. It isn’t illegal in Tennessee. At least a month ago Bill was passed to keep it legal but you put an age restriction on it and labeling requirements
Hi Melody, The American Kratom Association website list it as banned in Tennessee but they also say there are some bills in the works. This may be overturned at some point.
Aloha Joe,
Thank you for the great article! It’s wonderful to see a non-biased essay on kratom, because currently, first the DEA and now the FDA are waging what amounts to DISinformation campaigns about kratom. Most of us users think it’s because kratom use is costing Big Pharma millions of dollars in lost sales of prescription medication – ya know, the ones that kill TENS of THOUSANDS of people a year?!
I hope you will look at both the American Kratom Association and the Botanical Education Alliance websites to obtain more of the truth about this amazing plant.
I agree with you that a LOT more research needs to be done on kratom. I researched it as best I could, before I started taking it for fibromyalgic pain, depression and anxiety. I take 4-5g per dose, 4 times a day, and have been doing so for 4 years.
In the beginning, when I was learning ‘my’ dosage, I took a little too much once – I got a splitting headache and became very nauseous – and threw up most of the kratom I had just taken!! I never made that mistake again, as well as finding out how hard it is to intentionally OD on kratom!
I’m now 61, and once I became a regular user, I did develop constipation. That’s the ONLY side effect I have ever experienced. And that was easily corrected by drinking more water than I had before and mixing into my ‘kratom smoothie’ 7g of an excellent fiber supplement that also contains a lot of GI tract supplements as well as probiotics! Before you ask, yes, my colonoscopies are great!
As a kind of hobby, I do research into these alleged ‘kratom deaths’, and have found all of them so far are heinously falsified. (Do you realize that a coroner is often a political appointment? I don’t think I have to spell out for you what that means, do I?)
For example, the 27-year-old NY cop/bodybuilder was supposedly found to have 3500ng@mL mitragynine in his blood according to the coroner – supposedly 5 times more than this person had ever encountered!
Well, if you use 5L as a typical amount of blood in a body, and an average amount of mitragynine found in kratom, you can see that supposedly this young officer’s hemorrhagic pulmonary edema resulted from him ONLY consuming LESS than 1.5g of kratom! And yet, we are told that kratom was the ’cause of death’ because this man was mixing the kratom into a paste and eating it before a workout. I guess I have multiple miracles each day, as I consume 3x+ more with EACH dose!!
Or what about the 36-year-old man in Denver? Again, the coroner ruled “death by kratom toxicity”, supposedly because he found “massive amounts of kratom in the brain”!!! I guess living in Denver destroys a person’s blood-brain barrier!!!
So, you see, the same “pathological science” that resulted in marijuana (and hemp!) being made illegal in the U.S. is now happening to kratom!
Now, let’s look at the actual science and real scientists concerning kratom.
On November 30, 2016, a long-awaited 8-Factor Analysis by Dr. Jack Henningfield, Ph.D., VP of Research, Health Policy, and Abuse Liability at PinneyAssociates, concluded that there is “insufficient evidence” for the DEA to ban or otherwise restrict kratom under the Controlled Substances Act.
According to the comprehensive Henningfield analysis, kratom’s potential for abuse and dependence is no greater than such widely used and unscheduled substances as “nutmeg, hops, St. John’s Wort, chamomile, guarana, and kola nut.” Here’s the link: https://www.americankratom.org/science
And, on February 8, 2018, 9 leading scientists in substance addiction and safety wrote to White House Opioid Crisis Team Leader Kellyanne Conway and Acting DEA Administrator Robert W. Patterson requesting they disregard the FDA’s latest ‘findings’ against kratom.
The scientists warned that “four surveys indicate that kratom is presently serving as a lifeline away from strong, often dangerous opioids for many of the several million Americans who use kratom. A ban on kratom that would be imposed by CSA Scheduling would put them at risk of relapse to opioid use with the potential consequence of overdose death”…as they “would be forced to use opioids to manage acute or chronic pain.” Here’s the link to that: https://www.americankratom.org/science-letter-on-kratom
Also, I don’t know how exactly you searched for studies online, but when I go to the NCBI PubMed, and look for noted kratom researcher “McCurdy, CR”, I can find the publishings that he has participated in.
So, again, thank you for a great article, and for allowing me to join in the debate!
Hi Kai! Thanks for sharing all this!
I was interesting what you said about those case studies (the police officer etc.). While I can’t comment on them as I only reported what I saw, I understand conflict of interest might be in play, given the political football kratom seems to have become. I just can’t comment on it until I see proof (memos etc.) where pressure from higher ups influenced reports from the medical examiners.
From what I’ve seen – the reports on pregnant women and what others here have said – I do think kratom can be addictive. The degree of addiction may depend on how much was taken and how long someone was taking it. There may also be individual differences in addiction susceptibility going on also.
Thanks so much for alerting me to the Pinney report on Kratom. It’s a big report (126 pages) and I do want to read up on it. What I can say at this point, having skimmed through it, is the Pinney report appears to be a white paper rather than a peer reviewed paper.
My guess is the American Kratom Association contracted the Pinney group to write a report on kratom. While I’m glad they are -finally – starting to pump some money into this, I’d prefer if Piney paper was peer reviewed. I know Dr. Henningfield is a respected expert on addition. I’ve seen previous peer reviewed papers by him on tobacco. I just wish this paper was peer reviewed too. Maybe it will be one day.
I believe the science on kratom needs to catch up to the marketing of it. There are some sketchy people and companies out there that seem to come out of nowhere. I dont like that people have to do their own experiments to see what works for them, and/or rely on you tube videos for guidance.
I wonder about quality control too. For instance, when salmonella started showing up in kratom, the FDA sent letters to companies about this. One of those companies was called Triangle PharmaNaturals, which the FDA says did not respond to their letters. I took a look at that company and could not find much about them.
Here is my review of that company.
I’m totally open to one day kratom being accepted by the mainstream. Lets do some good science on it and see.
Thanks for joining this very interesting conversation 🙂
I bought it once but ended up throwing it away. I’d LOVE not to take ibuprofen for OA issues and may try again.
I researched it, and from peoples opinions I thought I would give it a try. I have been on hydeocodone, very small dose for over 10 years, never doctor shopped etc. for lower back pain that can be mentally disruptive like a really bad tooth ache, cannot function.
Anyway my doctor in August was all of a sudden not working and I was switched to another one, could not get any answers, but safe to assume the DEA came in, so the new doctor did not want to just take me off, after I went thru drug testing etc, I was not lying but made to feel like this, but referred to pain clinic, had discussion with them and I might be thrown off Hydrocodone cold turkey, which in itself is dangerous, but because of the DEA tearing everyone apart and trying to be everybody’s doctor, i needed to try to find something to help with withdrawals and wan off before I am cut off,
so I tried Kratom, new to it, that whole day, calm and did not need to take one vicodin at all, next day i stayed to lower dose of vicodin and toady I am using Kratom, 4mg low but so far have not longed for or needed a vicodin, yes its not scientific but we are all not children and be treated as such by government saying what is always best for us, junk food etc the list goes on that can kill you, so with so many people even the elderly with severe pain in life being forced off their quality of life, and they do not abuse,
if this is a viable solution, then so be it, some people, not me will turn to Heroine. It almost seems as if the government is intentionally pushing people to harder drugs. The CDC even reported that a large amount of overdoses are to heroine and fetonyl but in my opinion the wrong people are being attacked.
We are slowly becoming a controlled race more so than ever, the government should worry more about the human trafficking problem first before this, this is a choice, not someone stealing someone elses life.
Very well stated. I agree with your assessment of being way overcontrolled and losing the right to be an adult, responsible for private decisions regarding choices made to improve one’s life.
May I respectfully add GMO foods, chemtrails clouding our skies with God only knows what substances, as well as the toxcicity and deaths of many ‘big pharma’ drugs being pushed.
Thank you. Yes, the list goes on, and we have trapped ourselves in needing the GMO food. With life being so busy, easier to grab wrong foods. I saw a story where younger people are starting to do their own farming for jobs so that is a good start. A lot of home grown stands around more so the awareness is out there.
Someday if I could buy land and just learn how to survive off of it would be great, but like many others it is a task when you need to get food on table everyday and work. Have to make it through the day to get to the next.
They have just now made Kratom a schedule I drug in my state. Snuck it in with legislation. Should at least be voted on. Crazy. Am I going to need permission to use the rest room soon. Have a wonderful new year.
I researched kratom extensively on Google scholar before I decided to try it. While there’s a lot of information there, I appreciate your emphasis on how much ISN’T known about its effects. The FDA & the American Kratom Association are at the exact opposite poles of opinion.
The FDA is sure kratom is bad, and states it is going to do research to prove it. But shouldn’t they have formed their opinion AFTER they did the research? Definitely! The AKA presents kratom as the next wonder drug that cannot hurt anyone. Again, where is their research? It’s based on word of mouth anecdotal “evidence”, not research.
Real research, as you correctly stated, is that kratom inhibits the liver’s metabolism of most prescription & OTC drugs, making drug interactions, fatal interactions, a real possibility. But without further research the exact interactions are currently unknown.
Kratom users, along with the AKA, tend to be in denial of any & all possibilities of danger associated with its use. Yet most people would scream bloody murder if a drug company sold a product without extensive testing to ensure the safety of the public. Such is the irony here. Kratom must be vigorously researched to sort out both the dangers & the therapeutic abilities.
Now for my personal experience, which is only for me. Kratom has an amazing calming effect. It has a mild pain killing effect that is amplified by its calming, meaning you still feel some of the pain but you just don’t care. It lowers my BP significantly in the first 6 hours after use, after which it goes back up. It significantly increases physical stamina starting 1-2 hours after dosing. It also ended my 7 years of tortuous insomnia that medical science could not solve. While these positive effects convinced me that kratom is deserving of careful research as an aid to a variety of health problems, there’s a bad side.
Chronic use, over 7 months using daily, leads to reduction of helpful effects. The pain killing effect turns into pain magnifying. It tends to make you tired all the time. Too much too often can make you angry for no reason at all. Abruptly stopping ramps up one’s anxiety level significantly & makes you sweat & feeling extremely cold simultaneously. This is FAR beyond caffeine withdrawal, but also far below opiate withdrawal.
All of this description is only to verify that your article was spot-on, very balanced, & honest. Nobody taking prescription drugs should experiment with kratom until we know what’s safe & what’s not. Both the FDA, DEA, & AKA need to pipe down until the research gives us the FACTS.
Hi Chris, thanks for sharing all that. I am particularly thankful for you sharing your benefits and side effects from kratom. I’m confident that you have just helped a lot of people who are also out there searching for honest answers.
The following is my educated opinion based on available research, articles I’ve read, other people’s and my own personal experiences and just some good logic and common sense.
From what I’ve gathered, definitely don’t want to mix with other drugs, sounds like a miracle drug when used responsibly. Seems like most of the adverse side effects and symptoms come from people using higher dosages, whether that’s to feel the high or possibly get the different effect out of it.
I would think maybe it’s kind of like some stimulants where some people, like those with ADHD, would feel calmed, while others would be stimulated. More than likely, if not undoubtedly, affects different people differently. I think one possibility could be that taking more does get you more of the calming effect because of an increase in some chemical that causes that, but at the same time, with the increase in the other chemicals causes the more negative side effects like those reported by those taking higher doses.
So if Kratom has chemicals in it that could be said to be at opposite ends of the spectrum, it would be like taking uppers and downers at the same time. You might feel one at a certain dosage but the other more prevalently at a different dosage and the higher the dose the more the risk, kind of like some addicts do with meth/amphetamines and opioides.
I personally have just taken small doses and can feel both main effects, some alertness with also a calming effect. Also feel the other positive effects such as pain relief, happiness and helps me sleep. No negative side effects as I keep doses small and don’t use frequently. Kind of like ibuprofen or acetaminophen or any other pain reliever, take when really needed, not every day, if more than one day in a row I make sure to discontinue for periods at a time, and I don’t take more and more and continually higher doses. Just common sense and logic.
In closing there are always rare and extreme cases with any substance, all substances, such as allergic reactions, sensitivities, or just outright intolerances. So as with anything new, do your research, maybe consult a physician if you have a history of such sensitivities or medical conditions, start off with a very small amount and see how you handle it and take just enough to help some and don’t let your body build up a tolerance so you don’t have to increase dosages and of course, if you are trying to get high, with anything, then be prepared to accept the risks, including the ultimate escape from this reality, death.
Hi Kevin, thanks for sharing that. It sounds like you are exercising common sense when using kratom.
you say small doses? what are small doses for you? i am looking for use for ptsd, anxiety in day time and help for decades of never sleeping through the night.
Hello. I have been using Kratom about 2 months for osteoarthritis pain, back pain, knee pain, lethargy, depression, anxiety and just the hope of feeling normal. It does help me sleep as well. I try to only take a little bit once a day. I find that it is very helpful and I don’t seem to be suffering from many side effects.
The main side effect I had was the itchiness. I found that lower doses relieve this.
I purposely use different strains so as not to get addicted to it although I have never had an addiction problem with anything other than chocolate. 🙂 It has been a life saver for me as I really hate taking anti-depressants all of which eventually just don’t work anymore and leave me feeling lethargic and blah.
I have been much more productive. It’s hard to describe how it makes me feel because it is not a “high” but more that I feel more focused, my attitude is better, I don’t feel the pain from my joints, and I just plain feel calm and at peace.
I think that is what I am looking for … peace. I have never used drugs, smoked or been a drinker. I don’t like taking pain medications and find that they leave me wondering what all the hype is.
This is the first supplement/item which I actually find works on me in any way. I am a senior citizen who is probably going through the normal depression/anxiety most of us seem to feel at this age.
Hi Patricia, thank you for sharing your experiences with Kratom. I’m very glad you have not really had any severe negative side effects. one thing to keep in mind is that if your need for it starts to increase, be careful with this. If Kratom really has a opioid-like properties- which seems to be – then I wonder might be an issue for some people. Remember the dose that suppresses breathing may be lower than what eases anxiety. Not to confuse Kratom with those who overdose on opioid drugs but, in theory, this might be an issue for some.
Do check back from time to time and let us know how you are doing. I have that chocolate addiction too, so you are in good company 🙂
I am also a senor w/pain, mental and physical challenges. I am wondering how/where you purchase and what form(capsule, tea,etc) it comes in?
Thank you for sharing your experience. I hope all continues to improve with the quality of your life.
Hi Connie, just be careful with dosing instructions. Start with less than what people say you should use. I cant find anything reliable on kratom dosing.
I don’t know if you’re familiar with the website Reddit, but they have a great kratom community there. Thats a place where you can find answers to all your questions. My mom is 70 and kratom has helped her a lot. Here’s a link to the page with a list of verified and vetted vendors. Good luck!
https://www.reddit.com/r/kratom/comments/7whkjb/deals_steals_021118_cmon_get_your_value_on/
Hi Tim, few questions I was hoping you can help me with:
1. who vetts the Kratom vendors?
2. whats the vetting organizations name?
3. What does kratom vetting look like – what’s the process someone goes through to get vetted ?
I looked at the Redit link you provided. All I saw was a bunch of people selling kratom.
I did a search on this and didn’t find any central organization that vetts / verifies vendors. I also didn’t see any mention of this on the American Kraom Association website (which is another problem with that org in my opinion)
I have been using Kratom for 2-3 years, as time has gone on my dosage had increased. Did not think it was too big of a deal, then one day I ran out – no sleep, several nights in a row. I had already ordered my next batch it was just running a little late, so it arrived and I got back to “normal.”
Now knowing that I was physically hooked on this stuff I wanted to get off, don’t like being hooked on anything. I am about two weeks away from last dose and it is absolute sheer hell! Do not sleep at all! Going insane! Body is aching, cranky, light headed, sh*ts, headache, absolutely the worst experience ever. Never had experience with hard drugs, can only imagine how terrible it must be, certain this is the closest second.
Don’t ever take this stuff!
TwoDinners, Sorry to hear you are going through all this but I do thank you for sharing what is happening. Have you tried talking to your doctor about how to make getting off kratom easier? I’m not sure what is out there to help but it is worth a try. Keep us posted on how you are doing.
I’ve used it about 3 years with same experience. Ran out and went through bad withdrawals. Body aches, fever, bad insomnia. The lack of sleep and heeby jeebys sent me over and I gave up and started again. Scared to quit, but know it needs to happen. Its so expensive, I spend about 200 a month.
I took it to get me off hard drugs and it did. I am very thankful for that.
In essence I traded one addiction for another, but this one isn’t ruining my life, so when I am ready I will conquer it too. Kratom works. It can get you off the pills, the opiods and the speed, but eventually you have to get off it too.
Hi Jenny, congrats on getting off drugs. I am glad Kratom helped you. You did bring up a good point that I have not heard many talking about – eventually people will need to get off kratom too if they really want to be drug-free. I hope you will keep us posted on your progress and again, BIG congratulations on the progress you have made so far.
The hallucinations claim is the one that got me. Like ‘Krypton’, I believe the DEA over exaggerated a case study in New Zealand at a methadone clinic. Patients were treated with kratom and “reported a visualization effect taking place at night in the form of vivid dreams.” So they fell into deep REM sleep, and that turned into hallucinations.
Kratom Canada, that is your theory of what happened. Let’s see what other studies show.
Hey Joe, I think you accidentally meant to use the word ‘illegal’ under the legality heading and before mentioning Indiana, Vermont, etc. Just thought I’d give you a heads up. 🙂
Kratom User, my guess is the legal/illegal status in the states may have changed since I wrote this review. I’ve re-worded the section to make it more up to date. Thanks for the heads up.
Hey Joe,
Glad to see someone give a refreshing (for the most part) unbiased report on kratom. I agree there needs to be more regulation, mostly the basics. Must be over 18 or 21, quality control, amount of alkaloids per mg etc. Right now its a bit of the wild west and any experimenting should be done with a side of caution (always start low, especially with a new batch). While I can’t provide any controlled studies I can attest it has helped me and several others, each of us with very different goals in mind.
All I would say to anyone wanting to try it is 1) research 2) don’t take anything you read/see as gospel 3) figure out if usage and benefits out weighs potentially unknown risks 4) use common sense. If its not helping you, don’t keep taking larger and larger amounts, everyone responds differently to every medication.
What you choose to eat, drink or even where you go has an affect on your body. We are all experiments for the next generation to learn what not to do, as they will be for their successors.
Artex, thanks much. Im glad it has been helping you. As for being “experiments for the next generation” I dont think that has to be so. There are Kratom advocacy groups out there. why dont they commission some studies on its safety and better try to pin down how much is best to use? Studies like Im thinking of are not expensive. Give it to some grad student and let her/him do the research and get it published in a medical journal.
I am 63 years old with chronic pain conditions due to degenerative disc disorders. I have used kratom for about a year now. It works as an excellent analgesic.It is also a mild mood elevator and can ease anxiety.It can also replace or reduce the need for hard core pain pills. I stop using it from time to time for several days to reduce tolerance and do not find it to create withdrawals.
It could, I have found, have some psychological dependency similar to missing coffee and a maple scone in the morning. If used in high doses it will not work any better for pain than in moderate amounts and can in the higher amounts produce some unpleasant effects such as nausea groggy and brain fog effects.
It is constipating so one must learn how to take a break from it by allowing about 12 hrs.between usage. natural laxative products and fiber will keep the problem controlled.
I do not think the minimal high it can produce would be pleasant enough to become a drug of abuse. As I said in higher amounts it is not something all that enjoyable. As with many substances if used in moderation by adults it is safe. I would not want to see underage people abuse or even use it and think if any law should regulate it that the law should restrict its sale to 18 or above only. Hope what I shared can help others
Hi Gary, thanks for sharing. I’m glad Kratom has been helping you. You bring up a good point about being sold to younger people. I wrote my review because that is how I was first made aware of it. There are people on the web specifically marketing it to people in HS and college, not for pain, but for getting a “legal high” or to help them feel better about themselves or feel more at ease at parties. The people doing this marketing have no knowledge of pharmacology or biology to speak of that I’ve seen.
Given the case reports of what can happen when used in conjunction with other drugs, I do think regulation is warranted.
Off topic: Joe, can you look into Shilajit (Himalayan ‘dirt’ taken as a supplement) for a possible future article? i see that LE sells it bundled with Coq10 and claims a synergistic effect.
Hi Steve99, I’ve added it to my list of things to look at. Thanks for the heads up.
I decided NOT to take it as I don’t need constipation and I’ve heard it can do that. As do opiate drugs. I was given the Fibro dx in 1999 and worked on thyroid which I believe is so CONNECTED to this Fibro stuff. Hormones and adrenals too.
One has to go deeper into issues to get to the roots…
I would say that your article is pretty close to what’s going on. There absolutely needs to be some clinicals done. I work in the health food industry and I know several stores are selling it and their main clientele are people who are trying to get off drugs. I believe Kratom may be a great way to help people get off of some of the more addictive drugs. My concern would be how addictive it is as a substitute for Heroin, Cocaine or any of the drugs tough to quit. Is it as controlling? Who knows? Research?
I also know that for every good thing an herb can do when used properly that there will be someone who abuses it. That is where the problems start. I mean right now we are selling Cannabis Oil in stores and because of it’s history has created controversy in itself even though this type has little to no THC and is very helpful for pain management, seizure control, autism and the list is long of benefits.
We just don’t need to see this herb turned into some kind of Party Drug when it has real benefit. Then the FDA will yank it. We also have to tread lightly if this herb can replace morphine as an help for addicts because the Pharmaceutical companies will lobby for it’s removal as well.
Vitaman, thanks. What you say about kratom turning into a party drug is actually what first got my attention when I learned of people marketing it to college students.
The great irony in all of this is that there are many countries who lack the over-the-top paranoia surrounding prescribed opiates and other drugs nurtured by 30 or 40 years by programs like DARE, which were willing to be dishonest with children about drugs of abuse via extreme hyperbole and even outright lies.
These countries don’t underprescribe opioid medications to those who need them most, like cancer patients, because doctors fear being targeted by police audits by officers without medical licenses. They prescribe more opioid than the US and they have a significantly lower rate of addiction.
My point in this is that addiction appears to vary by culture. Countries like Switzerland and France with very high standards of living and an educated population who have lives to wake up to everyday tend not to become addicted to these medications nearly as readily as Americans do. We’re speaking about a social issue in terms of biochemistry. We’re not speaking the same language in which the problem lives.
It irritated me to no end when I saw kratom show up marketed as a “party drug”. First of all viscerally because I wondered how the hell it could be “fun”. Secondly because it only takes one moron to poison himself out of stupidity and allow kratom to become stigmatized forever, regardless of justification or the lack of it.
Nice article Joe!
It’s nice to see that not everyone is out to destroy the reputation of Kratom. You’ve presented a bias article and are just being informative about the plant. I will say that I’m not a fan of the negative testimonials and accounts because they are very one sided, and if you decide to write a follow-up article you should try grabbing some positive testimonials off of the internet.
It’s helped people with Fibromyalgia who can barely walk be able to run again, and it’s helped those who thought they were going to overdose on drugs like Heroin and Suboxone curb their appetite. It really can help those who need it’s benefits in fantastic ways! You can checkout the forum on our site to see for yourself.
Hi Michael, thanks for sharing your thoughts about kratom. My goal was not to present a “bias” article but rather to try to sift through the peer reviewed studies and case reports I could locate and try to give people an unbiased hub of information to help them make a better choice for them. I have heard of kratom doing some interesting things for people but was not able to find any clinical trials on that. That said, given that it appears to bind opioid receptors, I would not be surprised if did indeed block pain receptors and help some people. But, I can only go where the research takes me. If you know of clinical trials (not testimonials) of kratom helping fibromyalgia, arthrhits or other ailments, please do share them and I will be glad to update my review.
I’d be hesitant to cite Narconon as a source of information. They are a controversial organization, to say the least.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narconon
Mark, thanks for the heads up about that!
Hi Joe, I’m a member of a couple forums and a few take Kratom. I bought a couple ounces and when one person said it’s constipating but no worse than opiates, I decided NOT to take it. I don’t need more constipation issues, I work to keep regular as it is. I live with bodywide chronic pain from OA and hip job, but it’s all manageable with everything I use supplement wise and a couple pain meds. MSM powder calms pain a lot for me. Pain RX herbal supplement works nice for me and advil.
Hey Joy, nice to hear from you! I did see several online mentioning constipation. I don’t know how prevalent that side effect might be, but I understand having reservations if that is a problem for someone.
Hi. Thanks so much for this review. I have tried two kinds of the best Kratom I could find from two different online sources. I have an autoimmune disease and also have had severe, intractable insomnia for well over 20 years. I’ve had sleep studies done, doctors have tried everything with me and just throw their hands up in frustration.
I don’t like medications, and try to go by natural means, essential oils, herbs, supplements and such. Although I was a bit wary about it, I had hoped Kratom, at a careful dose, would be my solution. (Just enough to get me into deep enough sleep to stay asleep for at least a few hours.) This did not work for me. It made me hyper in a very bad way. Very bad.
The problem with Kratom is that you just cannot predict what it’s going to do or how much/how little to take. It’s different for each individual from what I’ve read. Meanwhile, you are wasting money experimenting, getting bad results, and in my case, getting sick. It was costly, but I tossed it all out.
Let me say that I did research it first. I went on YouTube, Kratom forums, and read about other’s experiences with it.
One thing I noticed was the inconsistencies in dosage amounts. It was totally confusing, people’s opinions were all over the map on this! I have concluded Kratom is unstable, and I would not experiment with it again.
7BeanerPlus, thanks for sharing and I appreciate your honesty. I’m sure we looked at many of the same sites. I also was hard pressed to find acceptable dosage instructions.