Kratom: Health Effects, Addiction Risks & Safety

Kratom is a plant that can work as a stimulant or have effects similar to opioids, depending on the amount taken. Experts are still researching its benefits, risks and long-term safety on the brain and body.

How Kratom Affects the Brain and Body

Kratom leaves have chemicals called alkaloids, mainly mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH). These attach to some of the same brain receptors as opioids. Since these receptors control feelings of pain, mood and reward, kratom can ease pain and affect emotions, especially at higher doses.

At low doses, kratom may act as a stimulant, making some people feel more alert, social and energetic. At higher doses, it can cause drowsiness and pain relief, similar to opioids, but may also lead to more side effects. The effects depend on how much and how often someone uses it.

Short-Term Effects of Kratom

In the short term, people who use kratom often notice both helpful and harmful effects. These effects can vary a lot because kratom products have different strengths and purities, and people take different amounts.

Long-Term Effects of Kratom Use

Studies have linked regular, long-term kratom use to dependence, withdrawal symptoms and possible organ damage in some people. There are still many questions, but health agencies and researchers are concerned that heavy use could cause organ damage over time.

Some people who take high doses of kratom over long time periods may also experience hallucinations.

People often use kratom for health reasons, but research has not clearly proven its safety and effectiveness. Scientists and health agencies are looking into why people use kratom and whether any real medical benefits are greater than the known risks.

Uses of Kratom

Kratom is often used for pain, mood control and drug-related withdrawal symptoms. These are self-reported by people who use kratom and are not approved medical treatments.

Does Kratom Have Benefits?

Some early research, including animal studies and a few studies on human use, suggests that kratom might help with pain relief and easing withdrawal. However, these potential benefits have not been proven in large, well-controlled studies, and experts warn of key safety concerns.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved kratom for any medical use and warns people not to use it for health problems because of risks such as liver injury, seizures and addiction. The quality and strength of kratom products can also vary significantly, making it hard to know the actual dose or how safe it is.

People use kratom in many ways, such as making tea at home or using strong liquid extracts. Each method can have different strengths and risks.

Kratom Tea

To make kratom tea, the plant’s leaves or a powder are boiled in water and then drunk as a liquid. People often use different amounts and brewing times. These can range from 15 to 20 minutes, according to kratom sellers, but as long as two to three hours, according to researchers writing in the journal Frontiers in Plant Science.

The strength of kratom tea can vary widely depending on how people make it, since the amount of active chemicals depends on the brewing process. This means individuals taking kratom may not know how much they are taking or how strong the effects will be.

Capsules, Powders and Extracts

In the United States, people often take kratom as capsules or loose powder, or mix the powder into drinks or food. Some buy liquid extracts with concentrated 7-OH, which can be much stronger than regular tea or powder because they have higher levels of active chemicals.

These products are not approved as medicines. The FDA warns that kratom sold as supplements or liquid shots can be risky, with dangers like addiction, liver injury and other side effects. Strength and purity can vary widely between brands and batches, increasing the risk of taking too much or receiving exposure to harmful substances.

Kratom is not regulated like medicine, which means there are risks from poor quality and unpredictable effects. Health agencies warn about contamination, changes in strength, the risk of addiction and other dangers that could harm individuals using kratom.

Known Safety Concerns

Kratom products often do not have quality checks, so people who take it may face hidden dangers. Federal reports mention problems with germs, chemicals and uneven doses, making it hard to know what to expect. Some people are filing kratom lawsuits as a result of risks and side effects.

Understanding Kratom Risks and Making Informed Decisions

Government health agencies say kratom is not proven to be safe or helpful for any illness. Some people have gotten very sick, had seizures or even died after using kratom. Just because something is “natural” does not mean it is safe.

If you are thinking about trying kratom, talk to your doctor first, especially if you have health problems, take other medicines or use alcohol or recreational drugs. Checking websites like the FDA’s Kratom website or the National Institute on Drug Abuse can help you learn about the risks and make safer choices.

The federal government does not regulate kratom, so its legal status depends on state laws. In some states, kratom is legal to buy and use, but in others, it is banned or controlled. Six states and Washington, D.C., have banned kratom or its main ingredients.

Other states have age limits, safety requirements or special rules about selling kratom. For example, Georgia raised the purchase age to 21 and set limits on how much of the active ingredient can be in kratom products.

Florida effectively banned one of kratom’s main chemicals in 2025 by listing it as a Schedule 1 drug, making it illegal to sell or use in the state, though kratom industry groups are challenging that regulation.

Because kratom laws vary from state to state, it’s important to check your state’s regulations before buying or using kratom. The FDA does not approve kratom for any use and warns about possible safety risks.