Effects

Kratom has a strong effect on your anxiety, mood and energy levels. It lowers your anxiety level, while the feeling has been described as happy, strong, and active, with a strong desire to do work. The mind is described as calm. Thai workers use it to get through a hard day of work. Effects come on within five to ten minutes after use, and can last for several hours.

Most people describe the effects as stimulating and euphoric at lower doses, becoming sedative at higher doses. This is probably explained by the fact that mitragynine stimulates the delta opioid receptors when used in small quantities, but tends to increasingly stimulate mu opioid receptors when used in larger quantities. These are the same receptors that are stimulated when using opiate drugs.

Although the most important alkaloids are related to psychedelic substances, there appears to be no psychedelic activity. The dominant effects seem to be similar to opiate drugs, and include analgesia and cough suppression, but effects are also described as euphoric and stimulating. These effects are roughly comparable in strength to codeine.

There are some sources that suggest Kratom (like opiates) stimulates desire in women and reduces erectile problems in men. This is most likely explained by the effect of mitragynine on one’s anxiety levels. Other effects of mitragynine are a reduction in smooth muscle tone, local anesthesia, and central nervous system depression.

Acute possible negative effects include dry mouth, increased urination, loss of appetite, and constipation. Unlike opiates, mitragynine does not cause nausea or vomiting in most cases. Heavy use can result in a prolonged sleep. Read more about the effects of and warnings for the use of kratom on the warnings page