AMA #9: Kratom Risks, Does Infrared Sauna Work & Journaling Benefits
This Huberman Lab AMA preview explores the short and long-term effects of Kratom, an opioid-like substance, and its addiction potential. Dr. Huberman also details the premium channel's mission to support the free podcast and fund human research for mental and physical health, with a dollar-for-dollar match from the Tiny Foundation.
Deep Dive Analysis
8 Topic Outline
Kratom: Origin, Effects, and Controversy
Kratom's Dose-Dependent Effects and Opioid Nature
Understanding the Opioid Crisis and Addiction
Kratom as a Tool for Opioid Tapering vs. Addiction Risk
Individual Variability in Opioid Response and Addiction Risk
Pharmacology of Kratom: Opioid Receptors and Neurochemistry
Kratom's Impact on Respiration and Safety Concerns
Final Recommendations on Kratom Use
5 Key Concepts
Opioid Crisis
A term largely centered around the overconsumption and widespread addiction to opioid drugs like morphine and oxycodone, which act as painkillers, sedatives, and can induce euphoria, leading to rapid tolerance and severe addiction.
Addiction
Defined as continuing to take a substance or do something despite negative consequences, or more broadly, as the progressive narrowing of the things that give an individual pleasure.
Endogenous Opioid System
A natural system within the brain and body capable of releasing its own opioids, which bind to opioid receptors to trigger effects like analgesia (pain relief) and mild euphoria, such as during a 'runner's high'.
Mu Opioid Receptor
A specific type of opioid receptor in the brain and body that kratom, morphine, and hydrocodone primarily bind to, largely responsible for their opioid-like effects including sedation, analgesia, and euphoria.
Physiological Sigh
A spontaneous, involuntary breathing pattern involving a double inhale through the nose followed by a long exhale, discovered in the 1930s to reinflate lungs and offload carbon dioxide, which can be suppressed by opioids leading to respiratory depression.
5 Questions Answered
At low dosages, kratom acts as a mild stimulant, but at higher dosages, it acts as an analgesic and sedative. It functions as an opioid in the body, capable of causing habit formation and addiction, with potential for withdrawal symptoms and, rarely, respiratory suppression and death, especially when combined with other substances.
Kratom acts similarly to more potent opioids by binding to the mu opioid receptor, producing analgesic and euphoric effects, though generally with lower potency. While some use it to taper off stronger opioids, it carries its own significant risk of addiction and withdrawal.
Yes, a significant subgroup of people (estimated 10-40%) respond to opioids in a particularly potent way, experiencing more euphoria and being at a much higher risk for developing addiction compared to others who may find opioids nauseating or unpleasant.
Kratom is not a benign substance; its addictive potential is real and exacerbated for some individuals. The lack of regulation over kratom supplements means varying alkaloid concentrations, making consistent dosing and safety difficult to assess, and it can suppress respiration, particularly when combined with other opioids or alcohol.
If you have never taken kratom, it is strongly advised to avoid it due to its addictive potential. If you are currently taking kratom, it is crucial to be thoughtful about the dosage and recognize its opioid nature and the associated risks of addiction and withdrawal.
8 Actionable Insights
1. Avoid Kratom Use
If you have never tried kratom, you would be wise to avoid it entirely, as it is impossible to get addicted to a substance you’ve never consumed, and kratom carries a high probability of becoming habit-forming or addictive.
2. Seek Medical Help for Opioid Addiction
If you are addicted to other forms of opioids (e.g., morphine, hydrocodone), you absolutely should talk to your physician about how to safely get off of those substances.
3. Test for Addiction Signs
To self-assess for potential addiction to substances like kratom or cannabis, try abstaining for a period (e.g., a week for kratom, 10 days for cannabis); if the mere idea causes anxiety or you experience withdrawal symptoms, it indicates a reliance.
4. Taper Kratom Dosage Gradually
If using kratom to transition off more potent opioids, commit to progressively lowering your kratom dose and eventually coming off kratom entirely, as it can also be addictive.
5. Manage Kratom Dosage Carefully
If you already take kratom, be very thoughtful about the dosage, recognizing that people differ dramatically in their response to opioids, and higher doses increase addiction risk.
6. Do Not Mix Kratom
Do not combine kratom with any other opioids or alcohol, as this can suppress respiration and increase the risk of respiratory failure, which is a primary cause of opioid-related deaths.
7. Prioritize Behavior, Nutrition, Then Supplements
Adopt a health strategy that prioritizes beneficial behaviors first, followed by proper nutrition, and only then, if needed, rely on supplementation.
8. Utilize Physiological Sigh for Stress
To rapidly reduce your level of stress, perform a physiological sigh by taking a double inhale through the nose, followed by a long exhale.
3 Key Quotes
It is impossible to get addicted to a substance that you've never consumed.
Dr. Robert Merlanka
If you have not tried kratom, you would be wise to avoid it because you stand a chance to become addicted to it.
Andrew Huberman
What we should be saying is whether or not it's cannabis or alcohol or kratom or any substance for that matter. What are the potential benefits? What are the potential risks?
Andrew Huberman