I'm taking one 2.5-3g kratom dose every second day. Hopefully this can ward off tolerance issues.
+ greatly reduces dizziness/OI
+ brain works! (maybe little slower than a healthy brain, but much much better than my normal brain fog crap brain!)
+ first time i've been social and enjoyed human interaction in months
+ Euphoria (not sure its really that euphoric but crap... being able to do some normal things again
+ seems to help headaches quite a bit
+ fairly cheap
+ legal and without a prescription most places
- effect seems to last 3-5 hours
- tolerance + withdrawal issues (no idea how much though)
- not a well studied drug (although used in southeast asia for hundreds of years. it appears to be relatively safe... but who knows)
Very interesting,
@panckage.
What type of kratom are you using: white vein, red vein or green vein kratom?
I tried kratom myself not so long ago (3 grams of Thai white vein kratom made as a tea), but noticed no effects. However, I need to experiment with different dose levels.
There is the odd report or two online of ME/CFS patients getting good results with kratom:
I have had M.E./C.F.S. for close to 20 years, and have been registered as ‘disabled’ for the last 10 of those as I have been unable to work or lead what most would class as an ‘ordinary’ lifestyle… mainly due to all-over body pain/aches and lack of energy.
I settled at 4or5 x 7 inch [kratom] leaves (or their equiv) in the morning, and the same again, normally, mid or late afternoon. My quality of life has increased dramatically, and I now lead a lifestyle with which most people who now know me would be shocked to find that I have M.E. I still have many of the more common M.E. symptoms, but not only are my energy levels much higher than previously, but my pain levels literally drop off by 50% within 10 mins of eating the leaves. Ref:
Kratom as an ‘aid’ for M.E./C.F.S. sufferers
The Main Active Ingredients in Kratom Are:
•
Mitragynine (plus its metabolite
mitragynine-pseudoindoxyl) which are agonists of the mu-opioid receptor and delta-opioid receptor. Mitragynine also has effects on adenosine, alpha adrenergic and serotonin receptors. Ref:
1
•
7-hydroxymitragynine which agonises mu, delta and kappa opioid receptors.
Kratom and mitragynine have different effects depending on whether taken at low or higher doses:
In low doses (1-5 grams), kratom is said to produce mild stimulant effects. At high doses (5-15 grams), kratom produces euphoria and opioid [sedative] effects. Onset of action is 5 to 10 minutes and duration is 2 to 5 hours. Ref:
Kratom
However, as to the biochemistry behind these low or high dose levels, different sources say slightly different things:
In lower dosages, mitragynine exhibits a yohimbine-like binding to alpha-adrenergic receptors, as well as some binding to the delta opioid receptors. As doses increase, binding to delta receptors increases, and in yet higher doses, crossover to mu receptors occurs. Ref:
Erowid Kratom Vault : Kratom
[Mitragynine] has been shown to be adrenergic (like some related alkaloids from yohimbe) at lower doses while at higher doses mitragynine acts on the mu and delta opiate receptors. Ref:
Chemistry of Kratom
Kratom Dosage Guidelines:
Here is a rough guideline of effects to be expected from commercial grade leaf form Mitragyna speciosa Kratom (not for Kratom extracts):
2-6 grams = mild effects (typically rather stimulant-like)
7-15 grams = medium strength effects (the effects can be stimulant-like or sedative-euphoric-analgesic)
16-25 grams = strong effects (sedative-euphoric-analgesic effects; too strong for highly sensitive people)
26-50 grams = very strong effects (sedative-euphoric-analgesic effects; TOO STRONG FOR MOST PEOPLE)
Since Mitragyna speciosa Kratom leaf can vary greatly in potency, these dosage estimates should be regarded as loose APPROXIMATIONS, and one should take care, and first read the retailer’s potency estimations. Ref:
Mitragyna speciosa Kratom dosage guidelines
Some other kratom dosage guidelines:
The doses below are for regular Kratom powder and NOT enhanced Kratom or Extract:
2 - 4 grams = mild effects (Stimulant Effects)
4 - 6 grams = medium effects (Stimulant Effects or Sedative / Analgesic Effects)
6 - 8 grams = strong effects (Sedative / Analgesic Effects; Too strong for most people)
8 grams or Higher = very strong effects (Sedative / Analgesic Effects; NOT RECOMMENDED)
Ref:
Kratom Dosage | what is the correct kratom dose?
White Vein, Red Vein And Green Vein Kratom:
As well as the kratom dose level, the type of kratom you buy (white vein, red vein or green vein) has a bearing on the effects you will experience:
White Vein: Leaves with a white vein are generally reported to be energetic and stimulating, promoting alertness, motivation, and wakefulness in low to moderate doses.
Red Vein: Red vein kratom is generally sedating and relaxing, making it a good choice for those with insomnia or muscle tension.
Green Vein: Green vein strains are a mix of both. They are not as stimulating as white vein nor as sedating as red vein. Ref:
Kratom - PsychonautWiki
Red vein kratom tends to have higher levels of 7-hydroxymitragynine than white vein. Ref:
1
Delta-Opioid Receptor Agonism Seems to Provide Neuroprotective Effects:
This study found that delta-opioid receptor agonism, but not mu-opioid nor kappa-opioid receptor agonism, protects neocortical neurons from glutamate-induced excitotoxic injury. See also
this study. This neuroprotection from glutamate induced injury seems to be mediated by the inhibitory effect of delta-opioid receptor agonism on NMDA receptor activation. Ref:
1
Mitragynine co-administrion with morphine seems to mitigate the tolerance build-up with chronic morphine treatment. Ref:
1 2 So this kratom ingredient has the potential for treating drug addiction.
These neuroprotective effects of delta-opioid receptor activation suggest that for ME/CFS purposes, it is the lower dose range of kratom (which some websites say activate delta-opioid receptors) that may work best. The low dose range of kratom is also energizing, which is presumably what you want in ME/CFS.
Delta-Opioid Receptor Agonism May Treat Pain Without Addictive Effects:
Targeting delta opioid receptor may reduce pain without causing addiction
Interesting Kratom Websites:
Kratom-World
The Kratom Bible - A Complete Guide to Kratom | Enso Botanicals