If kratom can positively affect our mood, ability to focus, creativity, and more, what can it do for our mental health? Kratom’s energizing and stimulant effects are, by many accounts, one of its best benefits. Some users even report replacing their morning cup of coffee with a dose of their favorite kratom. It’s natural to wonder, then, whether those stimulant-like properties could be useful when it comes to treating health conditions that traditionally respond well to stimulant medications. Could a person, say, use kratom for ADHD?
It’s complicated. To understand why, we first have to understand kratom itself: what it is, how it works, and why it’s making such a name for itself as a natural wellness solution.
First of All, What is Kratom?
Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical tree native to the southeastern Asia-Pacific region. It’s a close relative of the coffee plant in the Rubiaceae family. Traditionally used as an herbal remedy for all kinds of maladies, kratom is today celebrated for its uplifting, pain-relieving, and relaxing effects.
Historically, kratom leaves were typically chewed briefly to provide a stimulating effect. Or, they could be ingested after a long period of steaming and brewing to provide a mild sedative and relaxing effect. While kratom has a rich history in traditional folk medicine, it’s only recently become popular here in the West.
One of the first waves kratom made in the Western world was due to its ability to help some people managing opiate addiction and withdrawal manage their symptoms. Soon after, kratom’s analgesic (pain-relieving) effects made it an attractive alternative option for addressing chronic pain.
While our knowledge about kratom is still limited, it’s clear that there’s a lot more to this plant than meets the eye.
What Does Kratom Do to the Body?
The true masterminds behind the kratom effects we know and love are actually chemicals – alkaloids, to be precise, called mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH). These two are believed to be responsible for the benefits of kratom, particularly its pain-relieving properties. Both alkaloids bind to opioid receptors as partial agonists, meaning they can trigger the same sort of bodily response that a classic opioid medication might.
Unlike classic opioids like morphine, though, mitragynine and 7-OH use what is known as G-protein-based signaling when they bind to opioid receptors.
This type of signaling allows kratom’s alkaloids to avoid attracting a compound known as beta-arrestin 2, which may be responsible for many of the negative effects we associate with classical opioid use.
So, put simply, kratom’s active ingredients bind to opioid receptors much like classic opioids do. However, the use of a different kind of signaling when activating those receptors allows them to avoid attracting the attention of potentially problematic compounds.
But that’s not all kratom does to impact your body. Its alkaloids can also bind to other kinds of receptors, including serotonergic (relating to serotonin, the “happy hormone”) and adrenergic (relating to adrenaline or noradrenaline) receptors.
That means that kratom can also affect how your body sends chemical messages that affect your mood and central nervous system. This helps explain why kratom can make users feel euphoric, alert, and ready to take on the day.
Using Kratom for ADHD: What Does the Science Say?
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that can cause overactivity, difficulty paying attention, and difficulty following instructions or completing tasks. At the core of these symptoms are low levels of essential neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine. So, to “treat” ADHD – or make living with its symptoms easier – prescription medications work to increase levels of these chemicals in the brain.
Increasing the amount of dopamine and norepinephrine available helps increase attention spans, reduce hyperactivity, and control impulsive behavior. It also helps people with ADHD manage executive dysfunction.
Stimulants are the most common type of medication used to treat ADHD. And, because kratom is known for its stimulant effects, kratom has risen in popularity as a natural remedy for people with ADHD, perhaps especially those who aren’t able to or don’t want to take classic stimulant medications.
Unfortunately, research on this topic is slim to none – most studies on kratom benefits and effects have focused on chronic pain and opioid withdrawal, not mental health or behavioral health. It will likely be some time before we understand how and why kratom could help with ADHD, at least enough to make any certain claims.
What we do know right now is that kratom definitely seems to impact our brain chemistry, which means it can have powerful effects on people with conditions like ADHD.
Survey data shows that the percentage of people who report “significant improvement” in symptoms for a mental health condition after using kratom is actually higher than the percentage who reported improvement for physical health conditions, like chronic pain. Of those respondents who reported significant improvement for a mental health condition, 60.3% had been diagnosed with ADHD.
That means that the majority of the group who had the best experiences with kratom were people with ADHD – and they reported significant improvements even more often than people who used kratom for chronic pain.
Once again, researchers aren’t fully sure what about kratom, exactly, leads to these sorts of findings. However, a leading theory is that kratom’s alkaloids could affect dopamine levels by reducing the activity of certain brain cells (GABA neurons) that usually keep dopamine in check. This leads to more dopamine being released.
Long story short? Kratom contains compounds that seem to behave similarly to the active ingredients in traditional stimulants medications used to treat ADHD. As a result, it may have some potential as a tool for helping some people manage their symptoms. But we still have a lot to learn about why or how kratom seems to help some people with ADHD.
Potential Benefits of Kratom for ADHD
Let’s take a closer look at some of the specific ways that kratom can benefit those with ADHD:
- Lowering anxiety and stress levels, which may overall help with focus and mental clarity
- Promoting focus and cerebral stimulation
- Improving mood and reducing symptoms associated with depression
- Offering adaptable support; because different doses of kratom create different effects, kratom is versatile enough to help with daytime symptoms like inattention and nighttime symptoms like insomnia or restlessness
Which strain of kratom is best for ADHD?
Just like cannabis, kratom comes in different strain types, each of which is associated with specific effects. Kratom strains are split into three main categories, based on vein color or type: red, green, and white.
When it comes to the best kratom strain for ADHD, white kratom is usually the name of the game. White kratom is known for stimulating effects that keep your mind and body alert, making it ideal for people who need help focusing and staying motivated.
However, it’s possible that your results will vary. You’re not limited to only using white kratom for ADHD – any kratom strain should contain plenty of active alkaloids mitragynine and 7-OH, which are the real superstars in terms of producing therapeutic benefits.
Kratom Safety Considerations to Keep in Mind
If you’re interested in using kratom for ADHD symptom management, there are a few important things you’ll want to keep in mind to protect your health, especially if you’re already being treated for ADHD.
Above all else, it’s worth it to check with a doctor before you start using kratom. Consulting a medical or mental health professional qualified to help you understand how kratom could affect your mind and body about your individual risks is crucial.
Altering your brain chemistry is no joke, especially if it’s imbalanced in the first place. Always err on the side of question and ask questions before you try something new.
Potential Kratom Side Effects
While it’s associated with a lower risk of serious side effects than traditional opioids, kratom can cause unwanted effects such as:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Itching
- Excessive sweating
- Dry mouth
- Constipation
- Increased urination
- Drowsiness or fatigue
- Tachycardia (fast heartbeat)
- Loss of appetite
In severe cases, kratom can cause more significant side effects, including seizures and hallucinations.
The Importance of Choosing the Right Dose
To lower your risk of side effects, it’s key to choose the right dosage when ingesting your kratom products.
Different products will come with different dosage techniques. Some products, like kratom capsules, will come already pre-dosed for you. Others, like kratom powder or kratom drinks, might have recommended “serving sizes” or quantifiable doses, like “½ teaspoon per 8 oz of water.”
Start with the lowest recommended dose and slowly work your way up to a dose that meets your needs. It’s also best to only take one dose at a time, even if you’re not sure if your first dose was effective – give it at least an hour before you take more kratom, and keep your increments small.
When it comes to managing ADHD, you’ll want to be particularly mindful of your dose so that you can support your needs, not work against them. Taking too much kratom, for example, could leave you feeling more sleepy and sluggish than alert and motivated.
Be Mindful of Interactions with Prescription Medications
Because we don’t yet fully understand kratom’s pharmacology, we can’t make any assumptions about whether it will or won’t conflict with medications.
Some prescription medications, particularly stimulants, carry a risk of dependence and can cause potentially severe side effects when taken in a way that doesn’t match a doctor’s instructions. Mixing kratom with these medications could increase your risk of certain side effects or reduce the effectiveness of your medication.
What’s more, when taken along medications that act on serotonin receptors (like antidepressants), kratom can also lead to a potentially fatal condition known as serotonin syndrome.
All of this is to say that the consequences of mixing kratom with some medications can be grim, so it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Final Thoughts on Kratom for ADHD
Overall, it’s not too hard to see why many users turn to kratom for ADHD symptom management. Its properties and chemical makeup allow it to act similarly to classic stimulants, though researchers are still exploring how, specifically, kratom changes our brain chemistry to lead to the effects we observe.
So, should you use kratom for ADHD? You probably should not rely on something like kratom as a replacement for ADHD treatment prescribed by a doctor, whether that involves stimulant medications or not. But if it’s safe to do so, you may find that using kratom helps you further support your ADHD symptoms or experience the benefits of stimulants without many of their drawbacks.
Ultimately, only you and your doctor can decide what is best for your body. If you do give kratom a try, make sure you set yourself up for success by shopping with reliable sources like Gold Dragon. We work with industry-leading manufacturers to offer some of the best deals on kratom gummies (perfect for daily dosing) and other goodies that will help you meet your needs.
Need some help getting started? Reach out to us anytime for support or for a free consultation!
