People mainly take Kratom for mood, anxiety, energy. Based on 194 first-hand reports and 18 meta-analyses & systematic reviews in the medical literature. Ranked #104 of 1,974 overall.
Of reports that state an outcome, 45% are positive.
Of the people who reported each effect, the share who said it got better.
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses from PubMed, with their published conclusions.
At least one meta-analysis, or 5+ randomized controlled trials. The grade measures how much human research exists — read the conclusions below for what it found.
Conclusion: Based on our analysis, patients using <20 g of kratom/d could be initiated on opioid agonist therapy with 4/1 mg-8/2 mg buprenorphine-naloxone/d, while patients using kratom doses >40 g/d could be initiated with 12/3 mg-16/4 mg of buprenorphine-naloxone/day.
PubMed 32858563 ↗Conclusion: Results inform clinicians working in the mental health and substance use fields, policy-makers, and researchers about the mental health effects of this plant.
PubMed 29248691 ↗Conclusion: We systematically review existing evidence and provide our own clinical cases. Clinicians need to be aware of the withdrawal symptomatology and implement a similar approach as for opioid withdrawal with long-term maintenance to prevent relapse.
PubMed 30614408 ↗Conclusion: This systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature regarding kratom in relation to maternal and infant outcomes resulted in analysis of six case reports of prenatal kratom exposure. Maternal and infant withdrawal from kratom exposure was described in each case, resulting in pharmacologic treatment for both mothers and infants.
PubMed 33589723 ↗As stated by users — not a recommendation. Follow the label or your doctor.
How often each side effect came up across all reports.
Verbatim quotes, shortened only — each links to the original discussion.
“Kratom”
“Kratom 4g + Spirulina 2g”
“Kratom (I know it’s legal in Indonesia, not sure about the rest of the world)”
“Many strains of kratom are awesome for this. I've been using them a lot, since my shoulder surgery put me out of mountain biking condition for a while.”
“I use Kratom. I work 12 hour night shifts and it helps tremendously with energy, I never get tired if I take Kratom before and during work.”
User data from public discussions; research from PubMed. Information only, not medical advice — talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. Data updated October 2, 2026. How we rate