Genghis Fitness · Herbal Teas and Supplements

Kratom Tea: Traditional Use, Mitragynine Research, Documented Risks, Legal Status Across US States, and What Athletes Need to Know

Updated 2026  |  By Team Genghis Fitness  |  22 min read

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea, whose leaves have been used for centuries as a traditional herbal remedy and stimulant by local populations. In small amounts, kratom leaf tea is used traditionally as a mild stimulant to reduce fatigue during manual labour; at higher doses, it produces analgesic and sedative effects. Kratom has become increasingly popular in Western markets as an herbal supplement marketed for pain relief, energy, and opioid withdrawal support. However, it carries significant safety concerns, documented dependence potential, and a complex regulatory status in the United States and internationally. For athletes or fitness enthusiasts considering kratom tea, a complete understanding of the pharmacology, evidence base, risks, and legal landscape is essential before making any decision about use.

Active Compounds and Pharmacological Mechanisms

Kratom leaves contain over 40 alkaloids, with mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-HMG) being the primary pharmacologically active compounds. Mitragynine constitutes approximately 66 percent of the total alkaloid content and acts as a partial agonist at mu-opioid receptors while also interacting with adrenergic, serotonergic, and dopaminergic receptors. 7-Hydroxymitragynine, present in smaller concentrations but significantly more potent than mitragynine, is a full mu-opioid receptor agonist with approximately 13 times the potency of morphine by weight in animal models, according to research published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. The opioid receptor mechanism explains both kratom’s analgesic and euphoric effects at higher doses and its dependence potential, as mu-opioid receptor agonism is the same mechanism that drives opioid addiction from pharmaceutical and illicit opioids.

At low doses (1 to 5 grams of dried leaf), the stimulant effects are more prominent due to adrenergic receptor activity: increased energy, reduced appetite, and enhanced alertness. At higher doses (5 to 15 grams), the opioid receptor effects predominate: analgesia, sedation, and euphoria. This dose-dependent pharmacological shift from stimulant to opioid-like effects is unusual among plant substances and accounts for much of kratom’s complex and hard-to-categorise safety profile.

Traditional Use and Claimed Benefits

In traditional Southeast Asian use, kratom leaves were chewed fresh or brewed into tea primarily to reduce fatigue and increase work capacity during physically demanding agricultural labour. This use parallels the traditional use of coca leaves in South America for similar purposes. The traditional stimulant dose was low, with daily use by labourers consuming 1 to 3 fresh leaves. This traditional low-dose use differs substantially from the high-dose powdered extract products marketed in Western supplement markets, which concentrate alkaloids to levels not found in traditional leaf preparations.

Modern claimed benefits include pain relief (supported mechanistically by opioid receptor agonism), opioid withdrawal symptom management (several case reports and one small clinical study suggest kratom reduces withdrawal symptoms from pharmaceutical opioids), reduced anxiety at low doses (adrenergic and serotonergic activity), and increased energy at low doses. A survey study published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence found that a majority of kratom users in the US reported using it for pain relief, energy, and mood enhancement, with a subset using it to manage opioid withdrawal. The patient-reported outcomes in survey data, while informative, represent lower-quality evidence than controlled clinical trials, of which very few have been conducted on kratom in humans.

Documented Risks and Safety Concerns

Kratom’s safety profile is a significant concern that any athlete must understand before considering use. The FDA has issued multiple warnings about kratom, citing reports of serious adverse events including liver toxicity (hepatotoxicity), seizures, respiratory depression at high doses, and deaths in cases where kratom was combined with other substances (particularly benzodiazepines, alcohol, and other opioids). Research published in Clinical Toxicology analysed poison control centre data and found a significant increase in kratom-related calls over a 10-year period, with the most serious outcomes occurring in cases of polysubstance use. The hepatotoxicity cases documented in case reports suggest idiosyncratic liver reactions in some users, not dose-dependent toxicity, meaning liver injury can occur even at moderate doses in susceptible individuals.

Dependence and withdrawal syndrome are well-documented adverse effects of regular kratom use. The WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence reviewed kratom in 2021 and found evidence of dependence syndrome, withdrawal symptoms (muscle aches, irritability, insomnia, nausea, and cravings after cessation), and misuse potential. Long-term daily kratom users report withdrawal symptoms comparable in character, though typically less severe in intensity, to pharmaceutical opioid withdrawal. For athletes, the dependence potential and the cognitive and physical effects of withdrawal are directly incompatible with consistent training performance.

Legal Status Across the United States

Kratom’s legal status in the US varies by state and locality, making it essential for athletes to verify the current status in their specific jurisdiction before purchasing or possessing kratom. Kratom is currently banned at the state level in Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin. Several individual counties and cities have local bans within otherwise permissive states. Kratom is legal under federal law but has been under consideration for Schedule I classification by the DEA on multiple occasions, with a proposed scheduling action in 2016 withdrawn following significant public comment opposing the ban. The DEA and FDA continue to monitor kratom and could reclassify its status at any point. In the EU, kratom is a controlled substance in many member states. Athletes who compete in tested sports should be aware that kratom alkaloids may not be specifically listed on banned substance lists but could trigger atypical findings on expanded drug tests depending on the testing methodology used.

Kratom Drug Interactions Relevant to Athletes

Kratom has clinically significant drug interactions that athletes using any medications or supplements need to be aware of. Mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine are metabolised primarily by cytochrome P450 enzymes, particularly CYP3A4, CYP2D6, and CYP1A2. This means kratom can inhibit the metabolism of other drugs processed by these enzymes, potentially increasing blood levels and adverse effects of medications including warfarin, benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants, certain antibiotics, and many other pharmaceutical drugs. The combination of kratom with CNS depressants (alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioid medications, or muscle relaxants) carries a particularly serious risk of respiratory depression that has been implicated in the majority of kratom-associated fatalities documented in clinical literature. Athletes taking any prescription medications should consult their physician before considering kratom use, disclosing the full pharmacological profile described in this guide rather than describing it simply as an herbal tea. The interaction profile is substantially more complex than most consumers appreciate from product marketing, which typically describes kratom as a “natural” herb without disclosing its opioid receptor pharmacology. For evidence-based recovery and energy support without these interaction risks, the approaches in our muscle recovery guide and herbal tea guide provide options with clean safety profiles.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should Athletes Use Kratom for Energy or Recovery?

Given the documented opioid receptor agonism, dependence potential, hepatotoxicity risk, and complex legal status, kratom is not a supplement that can be recommended for athletes seeking energy or recovery support. The evidence-based alternatives for these purposes (caffeine for energy, adequate sleep and protein for recovery, and anti-inflammatory herbs like turmeric and ginger for recovery support) provide meaningful benefits without the safety and legal concerns associated with kratom. Athletes experiencing chronic pain that leads them to consider kratom should work with a sports medicine physician to identify appropriate pain management strategies that are compatible with athletic participation and drug testing requirements.

Is Kratom Tea Safer Than Kratom Powder or Extracts?

Traditional kratom leaf tea brewed from dried leaves contains lower alkaloid concentrations than concentrated powder extracts or extract products, and the traditional low-dose use in Southeast Asia has a safer historical profile than modern high-dose concentrated product use. However, “safer” does not mean “safe.” Even traditional leaf tea contains 7-hydroxymitragynine and mitragynine with their associated opioid receptor activity and dependence potential. The harm reduction principle of using the lowest effective dose of the least concentrated preparation applies if an adult chooses to use kratom despite the risks, but the fundamental safety concerns around dependence, liver toxicity, and drug interactions are present across all kratom preparations.