Native to Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, and other South Asian countries, kratom is a tropical evergreen tree in the coffee family.
Used as an alternative approach to pain management, kratom is taken by as many as five million people in the United States.
Strangely, leaves or extracts have been known to be used both as a sedative and stimulant.
Kratom has also been reported to treat chronic pain, digestive ailments, and aid with withdrawal from opium dependence.
However, there haven’t been any human trials or studies on it, and it hasn’t been approved for medical use.
Kratom’s benefits depend on how it’s used in terms of dosage and frequency.
Low doses, usually for work, boost alertness and energy. People with more energy are often more outgoing and gregarious.
However, one study on rats and mice suggested that people can develop dependency that can cause nausea, sweating, tremors, the inability to sleep, and hallucinations.