Can Kratom Cause Liver Damage?
Kratom is an emerging plant with Southeast Asian origins, where it’s commonly consumed to help field laborers maintain their energy over the course of a long workday. The plant is part of the coffee family, but has effects that can be different from the caffeinated drink, depending on the dosage size. Most notably, the chemicals in Kratom that give it its psychoactive properties can be hepatotoxic, or harmful to the liver. Read more to find out about how Kratom can be harming your organs.
Kratom Properties
Kratom is an addictive plant who two primary compounds, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, act on opioid receptors in the brain and produce stimulant-like effects in smaller doses and opioid-like effects in larger doses. Many use Kratom for a boost of energy, relax, or manage pain and opioid-withdrawal symptoms.
The plant, like many other substances, is primarily broken down in the liver, which is one of the organs responsible for detoxifying the body. While the direct mechanism of liver injury in Kratom is unknown, it has been cited as the primary cause of severe illness in dozens of cases.
Hepatotoxicity
Drug-induced liver injury is on the rise in the U.S., and alternative medicine supplements, such as Kratom, are its second-leading cause. This is because many of these substances – Kratom included – are poorly regulated and often contain highly variant concentrations of plant matter. As Kratom becomes more popular and widespread in the U.S., the number of cases of Kratom-induced liver damage has increased accordingly. Kratom ingestion and metabolism by the liver interrupts the normal process of the organ by blocking the flow of bile from the liver to the small intestine, a condition called cholestasis. Bile helps carry waste products from liver detoxification to the intestines for disposal. Cholestatic liver damage, in some cases, can be fatal.
Using Kratom in combination with other substances also dramatically increases the risk of causing liver damage. Most prescription medications, illegal drugs, and alcohol are digested in the liver. Taking Kratom can overwhelm the liver, interrupting the detoxification process, amplifying the potency of other substances in the bloodstream. This raises the risk of both overdose and liver toxicity.
Additionally, Kratom has well-documented adverse effects when taken in combination with a class of drugs known as UGT substrates. These drugs are specifically metabolized in the liver, and Kratom use interacts negatively with them. Common UGT substrates include ketamine and buprenorphine.
Symptoms of Liver Damage and Risk Factors
Liver damage from Kratom use generally presents with the following symptoms:
Common
Fatigue
Nausea
Dark-colored urine
Pruritus (excessive itchiness)
Jaundice (yellowing of the skin, eyes)
Severe
Cholestatic liver failure
Acute renal (kidney) failure
Bone marrow toxicity
Fever
Risk factors for Kratom-induced liver damage include taking Kratom regularly and using It in large doses. Additionally, combining Kratom with other substances, especially UGT substrates, also poses a significant risk of liver harm.
What should you do?
If you’re concerned about Kratom’s impact on your liver, stop taking it immediately. Almost every documented case of Kratom-induced liver damage resolved after stopping Kratom use. If you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms, seek medical care immediately.
While ceasing Kratom use can be challenging, know you’re not alone. It’s never too late to seek help. Quality addiction treatment can help you embark on a happy, healthy journey into recovery.