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Questions about Kratom

PLEASE CONTACT US IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT KRATOM USE.

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Kratom is an herbal extract derived from the leaves of a tropical evergreen tree (Mitragyna speciosa) native to Southeast Asia. It has a long history of use in traditional medicines due to the range of sedative and stimulant-like effects associated with its use. The biologically active chemicals in kratom interact with opioid receptors in humans to produce sedation, pleasure, and decreased pain. Kratom also interacts with adrenergic receptors to produce stimulant effects. Effects occur within 5-10 minutes after ingestion and can last for 2-5 hours.

At low doses kratom can act like a stimulant, giving users increased energy, sociability, and alertness. At higher doses kratom reduces pain and provides feelings of euphoria, while at very high doses it can act as a sedative and make users drowsy.

Although traditionally used to combat fatigue and improve work productivity among farm populations in Southeast Asia, during the last two decades kratom has gained popularity as a recreational drug in the United States and Europe. Kratom is not currently an illegal substance in the United States and is widely available for purchase on the internet where it is marketed as a dietary or herbal supplement.

Some of the side Effects of Kratom Use

There are a lot of side effects associated with the use of Kratom. Here are some of the most common minor side effects include nausea, vomiting, and constipation. Reported health effects of Kratom are dose-dependent, and can also include:

  • Rapid heart rate

  • Weight loss

  • Dry mouth

  • Itching

  • Loss of appetite

  • Sweating

  • Increased urination

  • Dizziness

  • High blood pressure

  • Skin darkening

  • Liver damage

  • Muscle pain

  • Hallucinations, delusion, and confusion

  • Drowsiness

  • Sedation

  • Decreased breathing

  • Coma

  • Seizure

Dangers of Use

 

Polydrug use is common among kratom users, including those with opioid use disorder. This is very problematic, as kratom can cause herb-drug interactions, especially with other substances that act on the central nervous system. Several reports describe liver damage and even death resulting from kratom-drug interactions.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is aware of at least 36 deaths attributed to the use of products containing kratom from 2010-2015. Postmortem toxicology testing results from the State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System showed the detection of kratom in 152 cases of unintentional and undetermined opioid overdose deaths from 2016-2017, with kratom identified as the cause of death in 91 of these cases.

A recent study of data from the National Poison Data System revealed that poison control centers in the United States received about 1,800 reports involving the use of kratom from 2011-2017, including 11 reports of death. About half of these exposures to kratom resulted in serious negative outcomes that included seizures and high blood pressure.

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