Is "Kratom" an Opioid?

While often marketed as a harmless herbal supplement, the science of Kratom is complex. The plant's leaves contain over 40 active alkaloids, but the two most dominant are Mitragynine and 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH).

These compounds act as opioid receptor agonists with sedative and stimulant properties.

• The Mechanism: Just like morphine, oxycodone, or fentanyl, the active compounds in Kratom bind to the mu-opioid receptors in the brain.
• The 'Key and Lock':If your brain's opioid receptors are the "lock," Kratom's alkaloids are a "key" that turns that lock, triggering neurochemical changes that reduce pain and create euphoria.
• 7-OH Potency: Recent FDA analysis indicates that 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) is a potent opioid that can be stronger than morphine.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has analyzed Kratom at the molecular level. Their findings are definitive regarding its biological function.

"As the scientific data and adverse event reports clearly revealed, compounds in kratom make it so it isn't just a plant—it's an opioid."

— FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D.

Kratom acts on the same receptors as traditional opioids, stopping its use triggers a similar physical dependency cycle. When the brain becomes accustomed to the presence of Mitragynine or 7-OH, removing it causes the system to become unbalanced.

Shared Opioid & Kratom Detox Symptoms:

• Severe restlessness
  and anxiety
• Insomnia and sleep
  disturbance
• Muscle aches
  and bone pain
• Nausea and
  vomiting
• Intense
  cravings

Kratom's mechanism of action is similar to opioids because it also binds to the mu-opioid receptor. Medical providers treat Kratom withdrawal using the same evidence-based protocols used for other opioid use disorders.

New FDA-cleared technologies designed to treat opioid withdrawal work by stabilizing the specific neurochemicals (like endorphins) that are disrupted during this process. By targeting the root cause of the withdrawal symptoms—the opioid receptor imbalance—these therapies can offer relief without introducing new medications.