How Effective Is Kratom for Managing Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms?

Those suffering from the horrors of opioid addiction know that if they want to eliminate this horrible habit, they’ve got a long and possibly painful road ahead of them. Kicking cold turkey isn’t an option for many since, after years of addiction to street drugs or pharmaceuticals, doing so is a frightening thought. Even with the best of intentions, the pain of withdrawal sends many back to using. With this in mind, many addicts are looking into the efficacy of kratom for opioid withdrawal.

Many question if a product derived from the leaves of a tree that’s native to Southeast Asia and is legal in most of the United States is a possible cure. In this article, we’ll uncover if kratom can help opioid addicts find relief and eventual salvation.

Understanding Kratom: Dosage, Benefits, and Uses

Scientifically known as Mitragyna speciosa, kratom is a tropical evergreen tree that grows in Southeast Asia. Its leaves have long been chewed or brewed as a tea for both ceremonial events and as a productivity aid for fishermen, farmers, and others with laborious jobs in the countries where the tree’s leaves are harvested.

Kratom is now available in other parts of the world and is used for its miraculous properties. For most, kratom is used to serve a few purposes. Users claim everything from an energy boost to mental clarity to pain relief. A kratom user’s experience is highly dependent on the dosage they take.

• 1 – 3 grams: At low doses, kratom acts like a stimulant. It can also enhance focus, elevate mood, and increase sociability.

• 3 – 5 grams: Medium-sized doses generally have analgesic effects and can help alleviate mild to moderate pain. Some users also report enhanced concentration and reduced anxiety without feeling sluggish or tired.

• 5 – 8 grams: Larger doses of kratom have a euphoric and sedative effect. It can also help alleviate chronic pain and helps to promote sleep. These larger dosages are recommended to help with the symptoms of opioid withdrawal.

Kratom can be used recreationally or to suit a particular purpose. The most common uses of kratom include:

• To increase energy, focus, and concentration
• For pain relief
• To enhance mood
• To help the symptoms of opioid withdrawal
• To replace opioid use

Individuals who have used kratom to help with opioid withdrawal report that 4 to 8 grams is a typical kratom dose to help lessen the symptoms of opioid withdrawal. Most repeated this dosage approximately every 4 to 6 hours to help tolerate symptoms.

The Active Compounds of Kratom and Opioid Receptors

The effects of kratom are due to its alkaloids, primarily mitragynine, and 7-hydroxymitragynine. These two alkaloids interact with the opioid receptors in the brain.

• Opioid receptor interaction: These alkaloids interact with the brain’s μ-opioid receptors. While they are similar to traditional opioid receptors, with them, there is much less of a risk of respiratory depression. They can help reduce pain while providing a mild feeling of euphoria.

• Delta- and Kappa-Opioid receptors: Kratom interacts with delta- and kappa-opioid receptors. This interaction can help with additional pain relief and enhance mood, both of which can ease the pain of opioid withdrawal.
  
• Adrenergic and Serotonergic Systems: Kratom affects these systems and regulates such things as the regulation of moods and energy levels and helps to reduce stress, all of which can help to manage the symptoms of opioid withdrawal.

The primary alkaloids in kratom interact with both opioid and opioid-like receptors in the brain and have shown promise to alleviate some of the more troublesome symptoms of opioid withdrawal.

Opioid Withdrawal and Kratom

While there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that kratom has provided relief to some suffering through opioid withdrawal, it’s also backed up with some scientific evidence. First-hand accounts are valid when they come in volumes. However, clinical trials are the accurate measure to prove these claims. Unfortunately, there have been few studies looking into the efficacy of kratom for opioid withdrawal, but some have suggested promising results.

University of Florida

A recent University of Florida study suggests that lyophilized kratom tea (known as LKT) when administered to morphine-dependent animals, did show signs of a reduction in withdrawal symptoms when they stopped providing morphine. Even when given low doses of LKT, they still showed a significant reduction in symptoms. Opioid drugs can have a dangerous impact on respiratory levels. However, LKT did not show any signs of slowing breathing rates.

Journal of Addiction Medicine

The Journal of Addiction Medicine reports that a study was conducted in Malaysia assessing the effectiveness of kratom when used by individuals with a history of heroin and methamphetamine. The study involved 332 individuals who were mandated to undergo drug rehabilitation treatment. Although the results were inconclusive, many of the participants claimed that kratom did help to relieve some of the symptoms of opioid withdrawals.

Society for the Study of Addiction

A 2008 study concluded that while kratom can help ease the symptoms of opioid withdrawals, more research is needed. This research was limited to one case study and highlighted the need for further study.

National Library of Medicine 

In 2021, the National Library of Medicine published a promising report that sought to understand if kratom use could cause physical dependence when used to help alleviate the symptoms of opioid withdrawal. Researchers concluded that kratom can help those suffering from opioid withdrawal and that kratom is less addictive. However, this study was conducted on laboratory mice.

More Research is Needed

Unfortunately, there hasn’t been sufficient research to scientifically prove that kratom can help with opioid addiction and lessen the symptoms of withdrawal. Most studies have been performed on laboratory animals or are anecdotal. However, many individuals have reported that using kratom as a form of self-treatment to help end their addictions to opioids has proved to be successful, although there is a high rate of relapse.

For further reading:

• Boyer, Edward W., et al. “Self-treatment of opioid withdrawal using kratom (Mitragynia speciosa korth).” Onlinelibrary.wiley.com. 28 June 2008
• Cinosi, Eduardo, et al. “Following the Roots of Kratom.” NIH.gov. 10 November 2015
• Karunakara, Thiruventhan, et al. “The Chemical and Pharmacological Properties of Mitragynine and Its Diastereomers: An Insight Review.” NIH.gov. 24 February 2022
• Kruegel, Andrew C. et al. “7-Hydroxymitragynine Is an Active Metabolite of Mitragynine and a Key Mediator of Its Analgesic Effects.” NIH.gov. 29 May 2019
• Singh, Darshan PhD, et all. “The Use of Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa Korth.) Among People Who Co-use Heroin and Methamphetamine in Malaysia.” Journals.lww.com. April 2022
• Todd, D.A. “Chemical composition and biological effects of kratom (Mitragyna speciosa): In vitro studies with implications for efficacy and drug interactions.” Nature.com. 05 November 2020
• Wilson, Lisa L. et al., “Lyophilized Kratom Tea as a Therapeutic Option for Opioid Dependence.”Sciencedirect.com. 01 November 2020