Opioid-like side effects that may occur with kratom include:
- Sedation
- Nausea
- Sweating
- Dry mouth
- Increased urination
- Loss of appetite
- Itching
- Constipation
- Dizziness
- Confusion
Case reports also describe the following adverse effects from kratom: addiction, withdrawal, hypothyroidism, and liver injury, aching of muscles and bones and jerky limb movements.
Kratom addiction and chronic use has led to cases of psychosis with hallucinations, delusion, and confusion. High-dose use may lead to fast heart rate (tachycardia) and low blood pressure (hypotension). Tremor, anorexia and weight loss are other possible side effects with long-term use.
Seizures have been reported when kratom was combined with modafinil in at least one case report. The DEA has also reported seizure adverse events with recreations kratom use.
A case series (Kronstad and colleages) described a fatal drug interaction with kratom. A substance, dubbed “Krypton” - a mixture of mitragynine and a metabolite of tramadol - was found post-mortem in nine people in Sweden over a one year period. Tramadol, an opioid-like prescription pain drug, was most likely added to kratom to boost its narcotic-like effect.
