Does the FDA want to control kratom because they know it’s safe?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been an outspoken enemy of legal kratom since 2012. The FDA’s official stance on kratom as of 2019 has been to warn Americans that kratom is a dangerous drug that should never be consumed. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to use Mitragyna speciosa, …

Does the FDA want to control kratom because they know it’s safe? Read More »

54. Afghanistan War Veteran Jaclyn O’Shea on surviving war, her husband’s suicide, and PTSD

Kratom Science Podcast
Kratom Science Podcast
54. Afghanistan War Veteran Jaclyn O'Shea on surviving war, her husband's suicide, and PTSD
/

Jaclyn O’Shea has such a rich story that we couldn’t possibly tell it all in this short conversation. She is a United States Army veteran who served two tours in the War in Afghanistan. Her husband fought in Iraq in the Battle of Fallujah. He became one of several veterans in that battle who suffered …

54. Afghanistan War Veteran Jaclyn O’Shea on surviving war, her husband’s suicide, and PTSD Read More »

Let’s look at the Oregon Kratom Consumer Protection Act

On June 26, Oregon’s state senate passed HB2646, the Oregon Kratom Consumer Protection Act. Governor Kate Brown is expected to sign this bill into law, making Oregon the 6th state to place regulations on kratom vendors to hopefully ensure adult access to pure, uncontaminated kratom. Like other KCPAs, this bill places an age restriction on …

Let’s look at the Oregon Kratom Consumer Protection Act Read More »

Journal Club #21: Heroin to Buprenorphine to Kratom in Appalachia

Journal Club with Dr. Jonathan Cachat
Journal Club with Dr. Jonathan Cachat
Journal Club #21: Heroin to Buprenorphine to Kratom in Appalachia
/

Study examined in this episode: Smith, K. E., Bunting, A. M., Walker, R., Hall, M. T., Grundmann, O., & Castillo, O. (2019). Non-Prescribed Buprenorphine Use Mediates the Relationship between Heroin Use and Kratom Use among a Sample of Polysubstance Users. Journal of psychoactive drugs, 51(4), 311–322. https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2019.1597224Pubmed link https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30961450/ Link to all studies covered on …

Journal Club #21: Heroin to Buprenorphine to Kratom in Appalachia Read More »

What’s causing hair loss, a rare side effect in kratom consumers?

So far, no scientific evidence has been found linking kratom and hair loss, but it seems from several online forums that a very small percentage of American consumers are experiencing this bizarre side effect. Many also report that after discontinuing kratom, their hair grows back. What could be the cause? I could find virtually no …

What’s causing hair loss, a rare side effect in kratom consumers? Read More »

53. Journalist Nick Wing on Covering Kratom

Kratom Science Podcast
Kratom Science Podcast
53. Journalist Nick Wing on Covering Kratom
/

Nick Wing is currently editor of the nonprofit journal The Appeal (theappeal.org). He spent nearly 10 years as a journalist for Huffington Post, where he did extensive in-depth reporting on kratom, starting in 2016. In the course of his work, Nick Wing discovered that one of FDA’s “kratom-related deaths” was a man who died of …

53. Journalist Nick Wing on Covering Kratom Read More »

The Big Dietary Supplements Industry Wants to Ban Kratom

Import Alert Imposed During Natural Products Association CEO’s Tenure at FDA Update: As of 2022 NPA and Daniel Fabricant appear to be no longer to be in favor of kratom prohibition*** The Natural Products Association (NPA) describes itself as the “leading trade association for dietary supplements”. Its board members include representatives from massive “nutraceuticals” manufacturers, …

The Big Dietary Supplements Industry Wants to Ban Kratom Read More »

Interview with Dr. Oliver Grundmann, Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Kratom Researcher, University of Florida

An audio version of this interview can be found on the Kratom Science Podcast #40 Kratom Science: How did you become involved with studying kratom? Oliver Grundmann: It’s an interesting way, how I got involved with kratom. In 2015 one of my Masters students who works in the forensic field with a forensic toxicology lab …

Interview with Dr. Oliver Grundmann, Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Kratom Researcher, University of Florida Read More »

Journal Club #20: Cholesterol Study on Kratom Users in Thailand

Journal Club with Dr. Jonathan Cachat
Journal Club with Dr. Jonathan Cachat
Journal Club #20: Cholesterol Study on Kratom Users in Thailand
/

A new study from Thailand (La-up, 2021) found traditional users of kratom had elevated levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL or “good” cholesterol) and low levels of triglycerides. In the largest recent study of its kind, researchers recruited 581 participants, half kratom consumers, and half who did not consume kratom as a control group. Though the …

Journal Club #20: Cholesterol Study on Kratom Users in Thailand Read More »