Talk to Patients about Kratom

The FDA issued a new warning for a liquid kratom product, based on links to death and other adverse effects. Despite efforts to keep kratom out of supplement products, it’s still available online and in some states. Make sure you understand why it’s such a hot topic and how to educate patients on the risks.

Kratom is a tree native to Southeast Asia. Its leaves contain the constituents mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, which both work like opioid drugs. Mitragynine is its most abundant constituent and is thought to be about 25% as potent as morphine. 7-hydroxymitragynine is present in much smaller quantities, but it’s estimated to be 10-13 times as potent as morphine. Despite efforts to list these constituents under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, kratom is still not a controlled substance in the US.

So why are patients taking kratom? It’s marketed in products claiming to help with energy, pain, mood, and opioid withdrawal. Its leaves were traditionally brewed in a tea, but it’s now available in many forms, including powders, capsules, liquids, and gums. Claims that it can help with opioid withdrawal, or any condition, are not supported by evidence. And kratom has many of the same serious safety concerns as other opioids – any use runs the risk of abuse, overdose, and possible death.

Make sure patients steer clear. We recently updated our monograph with all the latest safety data. Check it out to learn more.