# What does Kratom (herb) do? Anyone here tried it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 19, 2010, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kratom-herb-do-anyone-here-tried-it/561203 "2010-11-19T05:30:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![berff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/43a26b/32.png) [@berff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/berff)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kratom-herb-do-anyone-here-tried-it/561203/21 "2010-11-22T04:17:51Z")
> [@Nehemiah\_Samedi](#): > > Sorry for asking so many questions, I’m just very interested in this substance. It seems to be pretty much identical to other opiates in it’s spectrum of effects. If you mind me asking, do you find yourself getting constipated? Do you think that kratom could be successfully used as a substitute for somebody such as a heroin abuser, if their tolerance had been reduced to an appropriate level before the switch? Have you noticed an increased prevalence of dental problems since you’ve been taking it? Actually, I have never had any issues with constipation although it’s possible that others experience it. I can’t really answer your question about using it as a substitution for heroin due to my limited experience with opiates although I’ve heard of people using it for that purpose. I’m kind of curious about your last question though as I have, in fact, had at least three or four cavities in the past few years, which is more than usual for me. Is this common among opiate users? If anything, I’d say it is probably because kratom seems to increase my cravings for sugar for some reason as I never used to care much for sweets before. But I do take very good care of my teeth otherwise and I try to use sugar substitutes now. Also, I would like to credit kratom with helping me quit smoking. I smoked nearly two packs of cigarettes per day for over 10 years until I quit abruptly almost three years ago and haven’t had any cravings since. ---
**Author:** ![Nehemiah\_Samedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7993a0/32.png) [@Nehemiah\_Samedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nehemiah_Samedi)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kratom-herb-do-anyone-here-tried-it/561203/22 "2010-11-22T04:45:36Z")
> [@berff](#): > > I’m kind of curious about your last question though as I have, in fact, had at least three or four cavities in the past few years, which is more than usual for me. Is this common among opiate users? Tooth decay is pretty common among opiate users. Partially because of the sugar cravings, but also because they tend to cause dry mouth, which creates a better environment for the bacteria in your mouth. I have also read in one of my textbooks that opiates also leach calcium from your bones and teeth, making one more predisposed over time to not only dental problems (tooth decay, easier chipping, etch) but also an increased likelihood of broken bones, spinal problems and other such things. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kratom-herb-do-anyone-here-tried-it/561203/23 "2010-11-22T05:38:56Z")
> [@Nehemiah\_Samedi](#): > > I’m trying to get a feeling for how much this one in particular really affects a real person, which is why I chose to use this opportunity to ask a real person. Gotcha. OK, if I stop posting for a couple of days around the middle of next week, you’ll know I’m still on the can. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kratom-herb-do-anyone-here-tried-it/561203/24 "2010-11-23T04:27:01Z")
Kratom is illegal in Thailand. Malaysia, too. No doubt other countries in the region. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kratom-herb-do-anyone-here-tried-it/561203/25 "2010-11-23T04:44:30Z")
> [@SparkleLilly](#): > > You don’t know what the plant would look like properly, but you are willing to get it from strangers overseas online, knowing full well that many prescription meds sold online are counterfeit. This sounds like an ER visit or worse in the making. If I get it, I’m getting the whole leaves, not the powdered form or extract. But after reading some of the Erowid experiences, I’m having doubts about whether to try it or not because many people apparently report stomach trouble as one of the side effects and I don’t want to deal with that. I may just try a very small amount. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kratom-herb-do-anyone-here-tried-it/561203/26 "2010-11-23T22:41:28Z")
My 20g of kratom leaf just arrived today, prompted by this thread. Will get back to you with my experiences, but don’t want to take it on a work night. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kratom-herb-do-anyone-here-tried-it/561203/27 "2010-11-24T02:45:07Z")
I can tell you it’s pretty much thought of as sort of a poor man’s marijuana over here, except you don’t smoke it. (At least, I don’t think you do.) I think it’s official classification is something like “low-level narcotic” by the local drug agency. Not sure of the exact wording, but it’s something like that. Searching for more info, I found [this study](http://www.erowid.org/plants/kratom/kratom_journal3.shtml). ---
**Author:** ![Analogue\_Skywalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Analogue\_Skywalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Analogue_Skywalker)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kratom-herb-do-anyone-here-tried-it/561203/28 "2010-11-24T02:48:51Z")
Part of my paycheck comes from this wonderful herb. I am a manager at a medicinal herbs and tea shop in the mid-west. About four years ago people started to come into my store asking about kratom. So we did some research and started to sell it. We were a little apprehensive about it. We sell over 450 herbs historically used for medicine. We had read a lot of different things about Kratom. Positive and Negative. Kratom being lumped into legal highs, such as salvia, san pedro, and mimosa (DMT containing root bark), we had our concerns. It was a big departure from echinacea , goldenseal, ginseng, raspberry leaf, and pau d’arco. After researching it more, we found that it’s related to the coffee plant, it is high in EGCG (the same antioxidant that is praised in Green Tea). It is an immune booster. It is a good plant medicine for diarrhea. It contains a chemical very related to Yohimbine, a chemical used for Erectile Dysfunction. We slowly noticed a pattern. The people purchasing the Kratom from us were not teenage kids (Although, We do not sell to those under 18, we don’t have many asking) They are adults, who have had a previous addiction to serious opiates. I have met a heroin addict , a liquid morphine addict, an oxycontin addict and a serious hydrocodone addict. All have kicked the heavier stuff, using Kratom. Apparently, the withdrawal from Kratom is nil compared to heavier opiates. In small doses, it acts a stimulant. In larger doses, a weird combo of stimulant and opioid. Heavy doses, or double dosing will cause a nasty hangover. A kin to feeling like you are stuck on a small craft in a choppy ocean after drinking a lot of whiskey. Hungover and sea sick is not a good feeling. How ever, sticking to a 3-7 gram dose of most strains I have tried is not a bad feeling. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kratom-herb-do-anyone-here-tried-it/561203/29 "2010-11-24T05:38:18Z")
> [@Analogue\_Skywalker](#): > > I am a manager at a medicinal herbs and tea shop in the mid-west. That sounds like a cool gig. You should start an “ask the” thread. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kratom-herb-do-anyone-here-tried-it/561203/30 "2010-11-28T16:24:46Z")
> [@Analogue\_Skywalker](#): > > We slowly noticed a pattern. The people purchasing the Kratom from us were not teenage kids (Although, We do not sell to those under 18, we don’t have many asking) They are adults, who have had a previous addiction to serious opiates. I have met a heroin addict , a liquid morphine addict, an oxycontin addict and a serious hydrocodone addict. All have kicked the heavier stuff, using Kratom. Apparently, the withdrawal from Kratom is nil compared to heavier opiates. How is this different from changing addictions…or is it? Someone upthread described it as “highly addictive”. Is the difference merely that this is legal and other opiates may or may not be (depending on whether they are prescribed for legitimate reasons)? ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kratom-herb-do-anyone-here-tried-it/561203/31 "2010-11-28T16:31:29Z")
Since this thread I have tried it twice, searching for an answer to my chronic fatigue. It \*seems \*to give me more energy… I am not sure though if I am able to concentrate any better. Energy without the concentration won’t be enough. But I will try it again. It tastes nasty and I have to find a better way to ingest it. I am thinking about putting it into gelatin capsules. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kratom-herb-do-anyone-here-tried-it/561203/32 "2010-11-28T20:27:15Z")
I found it enjoyable at low doses (≤ 1 gram). Higher doses (≥ 3 grams) made me feel dopey, lethargic, anxious, and constipated. The 1 gram dose was quite pleasant, though—nice energized clearheaded feeling. ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kratom-herb-do-anyone-here-tried-it/561203/34 "2011-08-17T02:23:31Z")
Can you pass a drug test after drinking a cup or two of this Kratom tea? That’s what I want to know. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kratom-herb-do-anyone-here-tried-it/561203/35 "2011-08-17T23:10:09Z")
How does it affect blood pressure? ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kratom-herb-do-anyone-here-tried-it/561203/36 "2011-08-17T23:49:54Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > My 20g of kratom leaf just arrived today, prompted by this thread. > > Will get back to you with my experiences… So, how was it? ---
**Author:** ![Marconi\_N.Cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Marconi\_N.Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marconi_N.Cheese)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kratom-herb-do-anyone-here-tried-it/561203/37 "2011-08-18T01:42:27Z")
> [@medstar](#): > > Can you pass a drug test after drinking a cup or two of this Kratom tea? That’s what I want to know. I don’t think the standard 5 panel will detect this. I imagine there are methods to detect it, but they would be expensive. At any rate it’s not illegal, even in the hick state I live in. ---
**Author:** ![spankthecrumpet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@spankthecrumpet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spankthecrumpet)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kratom-herb-do-anyone-here-tried-it/561203/39 "2012-02-29T21:03:02Z")
Hey, **berff** , how’s the opioid addiction going? Folk in another thread need to know! ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kratom-herb-do-anyone-here-tried-it/561203/40 "2012-02-29T21:19:16Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Kratom is a legal herb from Thailand which can be easily purchased online. It may be from Thailand, but it’s certainly not legal there—neither now nor when this thread was first posted. In fact, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, [it has been illegal to cultivate the herb there since 1943](https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/bulletin/bulletin_1975-01-01_3_page003.html). I’m not sure where the OP is from, but many jurisdictions have similar prohibitions on cultivation, sale, and/or possession. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kratom-herb-do-anyone-here-tried-it/561203/41 "2012-06-12T04:00:41Z")
Update: [Police finally act on krathom trade](http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/crimes/297492/police-finally-act-on-krathom-trade). (“Krathom” is the usual spelling.) ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kratom-herb-do-anyone-here-tried-it/561203/42 "2012-06-12T05:28:31Z")
Thanks for that. Is that happening by you Siam? I found the article amusing for two reasons. 1. The whole “hey, I thought that was just a pretty indigenous tree in my yard, but now you say I can get high off it too?” angle. 2. There is some concern that people will turn the krathom into 4x100, but the buried lead is that 4x100 also has cough syrup in it. So which is contributing the offending active ingredient? Also, the mild description of the withdrawal effects was amusing. I’m wondering if the article was tongue in cheek. Or if the situation is more like a bunch of people not really caring but wondering if they are supposed to care. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kratom-herb-do-anyone-here-tried-it/561203.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kratom-herb-do-anyone-here-tried-it/561203.md?page=3)