Kratom Products Linked to Serious Health Risks

In a gripping exposé that sends shockwaves through the community, the Tampa Bay Times has unveiled a disturbing truth about Kratom, a herbal supplement often praised for its perceived safety. Titled “Hundreds died using Kratom in Florida. It was touted as safe.”

The first installment of a journalistic series, penned by Helen Freund, Sam Ogozalek, Langston Taylor, and Hannah Critchfield on December 7, 2023, reveals a staggering death toll associated with Kratom use in Florida.

According to the Tampa Bay Times’ investigation, an alarming 580 fatalities in the past decade in Florida have been linked to Kratom use. Shockingly, 46 of these deaths resulted from Kratom overdose alone, without the presence of any additional controlled substances.

The journalistic team embarked on a groundbreaking six-month research journey, engaging with 150 scientists, medical professionals, regulators, distributors, retailers, consumers, and the grieving relatives of those who succumbed to Kratom overdose.

Now, the comprehensive study shines a light on the potential dangers Kratom products pose to public health with statistics and data that are hard to ignore. One glaring issue is the lack of regulation, with many products lacking essential information such as suggested serving size or ingredients on their packaging. Moreover, warnings about potential contraindications with prescription or other recreational drugs are conspicuously absent from most Kratom product labels.

It is important to understand the risks associated with Kratom use. It is one of many alternative health products sold at smoke shops. But as an unregulated product, patients need to know that there is no guarantee that it is safe to use. Even though you can find Kratom products sold everywhere.

Common Intake Methods and Kratom Products

Kratom products are often sold where you find Delta-THC, HHC, and other unregulated medicinals available. You can purchase Kratom in a variety of different intake methods, including capsules, Kratom tea, gummies, vapes, and pre-roll smokables.

Some other types of Kratom products sold include liquid shots, beverages, and beverage mixes. Smokable Kratom and gummies appear to be the top-selling intake methods.

Understanding Kratom: A Double-Edged Botanical Sword

Derived from the Mitragyna speciosa tree native to Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand and Indonesia, Kratom has a rich history of traditional medicinal use. Classified as a member of the coffee family, this tree’s leaves have been commonly used as both a stimulant and pain reliever.

The psychoactive and physiological effects of Kratom primarily stem from two natural alkaloids: mitragynine and 7-hydroxy mitragynine. These compounds interact with opioid receptors in the body and may engage the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors as well.

Kratom’s impact extends to the adrenal system, engaging with serotonin and dopaminergic neurotransmitters. Advocates of Kratom suggest its potential benefits in alleviating anxiety, symptoms of depression, and chronic pain.

However, recent clinical studies have painted a different picture, indicating that Kratom can, in certain instances, be more potent than morphine. The powerful influence of mitragynine and 7-OH-mitragynine on serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and kappa opioid receptors underscores the need for a thorough understanding of the herbal substance, chemical compounds, and the potential risks involved with using Kratom.

Data from public health and poison control centers dispel the myth that you cannot overdose on Kratom. In fact, the research from the Tampa Bay Times Kratom report indicated that serious adverse events can occur.

Some also believe that the substance abuse potential and Kratom addiction rates may be much higher than using cannabis. Withdrawal symptoms from Kratom may be similar to opioid withdrawal for some patients.

What Effects Can You Experience After Taking Kratom?

After you have consumed Kratom, you may start to feel the effects after ten minutes, similar to other psychoactive drugs. Those effects can persist for up to five hours, where you may be impaired after consuming Kratom.

The level of impairment you experience varies according to how much Kratom you take, the potency of the product, and your personal tolerance level for the drug. Common psychoactive and physiological effects associated with Kratom consumption are as follows:

Stimulation

The alkaloids in Kratom, especially mitragynine, can interact with the mu-opioid receptors in the brain. That can cause stimulating effects, increasing energy, focus, and alertness. Kratom also has adrenergic effects and can stimulate the release of epinephrine, or adrenaline, which causes heightened energy and alertness.

Mood Enhancement

People who suffer from debilitating symptoms of anxiety or depression may find that Kratom products provide a mood boost. There are a number of ways that Kratom can affect your mood. It modulates serotonin neurotransmitters, which can cause feelings of happiness and emotional relaxation.

Kratom may also cause changes in the serotonin levels in the brain. This type of neurotransmitter is also responsible for mood regulation. Finally, some users have found Kratom to have anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) benefits and help reduce symptoms of stress.

Pain Moderation

Comments from regular Kratom users indicate that many people may be using the herbal substance to relieve pain symptoms. The alkaloids in Kratom activate mu-opioid receptors, which can provide analgesic relief. Some studies suggest that Kratom may interact with delta-opioid receptors, which can help reduce pain perception.

Like cannabidiol (CBD), Kratom can provide natural anti-inflammatory benefits. Chronic pain is related to high levels of inflammation in the body. Address the inflammation, and you may see the level of pain severity decrease.

Sedation and Relaxation

Whether you suffer from insomnia or chronic pain that keeps you up at night, alternative medicine can help where over-the-counter and prescription remedies may not. Kratom’s interaction with mu-opioid receptors in the CNS (central nervous system) can cause sedative effects. Higher doses of Kratom (as it is biphasic) result in stronger levels of sedation.

Kratom may impact the GABAergic system in the body as well. Gamma-aminobutyric acid is a neurotransmitter that is inhibitory, so enhancing GABAergic activity in the body can result in sedative effects.

Regulatory Oversight and Safety Concerns

There may be some misconceptions about product safety in the United States. Most consumers expect that if a product is packaged and available through a retail store, it must be safe. Or have passed all relevant food and drug administration checks to protect public health.

There is currently a loophole that has not regulated certain herbal substances, synthetic and semi-synthetic THC products, and more. Kratom is one of the products that is currently unregulated. It has not received approval for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for medical use.

To the contrary, the FDA has repeatedly voiced concerns and warnings about the potential health risks associated with Kratom use. Federal laws need to be drafted to regulate all current products, including Delta-8, Delta-10, THCa, HHC, Kratom, and more. The same way that medical or adult-use cannabis is regulated, third-party tested, and batch inspected to protect public health.

Lack of Approval

Kratom products have never been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for medicinal or “recreational” use. In fact, the FDA has continued to issue warnings and track serious adverse events, including fatalities involving Kratom use.

Insufficient Clinical Trials

The FDA has stated that there are no controlled clinical trials conducted to test Kratom products for safety. Prescription medications, for example, may be required to complete 1-3 years or more of rigorous clinical trials and data review to ensure safety before the drug is approved.

To date, there have been no formal controlled clinical trials (which we are aware of) that have tested the short-term or long-term effects (and potential health risks) of Kratom use.

Inconsistency in Manufacturing and Product Contamination Issues

Medical concerns have been raised about the inconsistency in product manufacturing, contributing to variations in Kratom content and the potential inclusion of undisclosed semi-synthetic additives that may pose risks to human health.

In 2019, the FDA conducted a lab test of thirty different Kratom products, from multiple brands sold in the United States. The analysis reported significant (high) levels of lead and nickel at concentrations that exceeded safe daily exposure levels.

Heavy metal toxicity can cause fatigue, damage major organs such as the kidneys, liver, and lungs, and impact brain functioning. Some studies suggest that exposure to heavy metals may accelerate cognitive conditions like dementia and contribute to chronic diseases such as Alzheimer’s. FDA tests also found elevated levels of bacterial contaminants such as salmonella.

Is It Safe to Use Kratom?

Unless there are processes in place that provide independent or third-party testing of products, batch tracking, and other procedures for quality assurance, you can’t be sure what you are getting inside a product that is not FDA-regulated.

The journalistic reporting from the Tampa Bay Times reports hundreds of fatalities in Florida, where Kratom use was involved. Roughly fifteen percent of the fatalities were reported where Kratom was the only drug used prior to the adverse events or overdose incident.

At MedWell Health and Wellness Centers, we believe that more research is needed to determine whether short-term or long-term use of Kratom is safe for patients. That includes clinical studies to determine which prescription medications may be contraindicated (conflict) with Kratom, which may pose serious risks to patients.

Until Kratom is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, our physicians feel it is the least safe alternative health herbal remedy to use at the time of writing.