Health Benefits and Adverse Effects of Kratom: A Social Media Text-Mining Approach
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Screening Relevant Literature
2.2. Search Query Development
2.3. Data Collection and Preprocessing
2.4. Topic Identification and Validation
3. Results
3.1. Topic Identification and Validation—Kratom Benefits
3.2. Topic Identification and Validation—Kratom Adverse Effects
4. Discussion
4.1. Kratom Benefits
4.2. Kratom Adverse Effects
4.3. Linking Findings to Research Questions and Hypotheses
4.4. Implications for the Field and Practical Applications
4.5. Limitations and Future Research
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
Appendix A. Example Posts for Kratom Benefits Identified through Topic-Mining
Kratom Benefits | Example Posts |
---|---|
Chronic Pain Relief and Pain Management | “I take #kratom for chronic pain”, “I’ll have chronic pain the rest of my life, kratom lets me manage it without the brain fog or side effects of meds, now they’re trying to ban it”, “kratom has helped me with pain management”, “taking kratom which helps my daily chronic pain. I took an extra dose to help with the pain. It seems to have calmed down a little unless I move the wrong way”, “taking kratom which helps my daily chronic pain. I took an extra dose to help with the pain. It seems to have calmed down a little unless I move the wrong way”, and “I live with chronic pain but it’s very manageable while taking kratom. I don’t take narcotics anymore because of the help I receive from Kratom” |
Help with Addiction & Opiate Withdrawal | “kratom has helped give me 440 days of freedom from a decade long pill addiction”, “kratom helped me get away from the chains of addiction”, “I got off of hydrocodone because I got so addicted to them. It’s poison! Kratom helps all my symptoms without addiction”, “I take this every day. It helped me get over an addiction to opiates. I’m so thankful for Kratom!”, “with the help of #kratom I am able to go to work today and provide for myself. Something I couldn’t do while I was deep in my addiction”, and “Kratom kills withdrawal symptoms from pain meds as well as head drugs. Use it as a tool to help you! I can show you how” |
Relief Anxiety and Depression | “Kratom and Kava are two of my favorites for anxiety, depression, and pain relief. I’ve used them for a decade”, “You should try some kratom. Helping my depression and anxiety. Really really helping my depression”, “I use Kratom for pain & anxiety”, “It also helps my anxiety and severe stomach issues”, “It helps me with no side effectsadverse for Bipolar 1, PTSD, Anxiety, ADD and Chronic Fatigue”, and “I’m a big hype man for kratom as a herbal anxiety medication. I used to take all kinds of medications for it that inevitably made my depression worse and started using kratom powder to get myself off benzos. It has massively helped both my anxiety and depression” |
Help Fall Asleep | “Ever since my friend told me about kratom a few years ago, it has turned my life around so much!!!!! My anxiety is a lot better now, (I’m still a generally quiet person though) I sleep much better at night without laying in my bed for multiple hours at a time looking at the ceiling, waiting to fall asleep”, “Couldn’t agree more, interesting how something that helps me to stay energized and motivated to be productive during the day also helps me to fall asleep” |
Improve Sex Drive | “Not obsessively thinking about Kratom all the time. Sex drive returning and appetite improving. Feelings of nausea diminishing. Good stuff”, “So far, I’m finding a lot of motivation in my renewed sex drive and appreciation for music”, “Within 15 min the effects of this powder were in full force. it was as if I had taken some type of sexual enhance”, “I jumped off Kratom taking 20 g/day for 6 months and felt nothing. Just started taking it again strictly for the health benefits. My blood pressure and sex drive were amazing when I was taking it” |
Help with Blood Pressure | “Kratom is very effective at treating pain, depression, very safe and fights high blood pressure”, “Helps with anxiety, blood pressure”, “Kratom was doing fine ability to lower blood pressure”, “Kratom takes away pain (lowers blood pressure)” |
Improve Mental Health and Improve Life | “I mostly use it for mental health but have also managed pain with it”, “it helps me with pain energy and mental health, and it detoxes you”, “Have you tried #kratom ? It’s done wonders for my mental health”, “I’m having a hard time stopping using kratom. It has actually improved my life so far”, and “I took Kratom for ptsd and anxiety and depression. Worked wonders on all three and improved my life drastically” |
Mood and Energy Improvement | “Kratom has helped me tremendously with energy and mood”, “I have more energy and a better mood”, “Now I enjoy kratom for hunger suppression and mood enhancement, and there are a few carbs along for the ride”, “More energy and mood lift for sure. I’m the same way. I like kratom for mood lift, energy but also for the pain relief”, and “I take it in the mornings for anxiety and the mood lift” |
Appendix B. Example Posts for Kratom Adverse Identified through Topic-Mining
Kratom Adverse | Example Posts |
---|---|
Brain Damage and Cause Death | “Tradition of non-science explains how kratom gets labeled cause of death by “coroners””, “kratom as an anticancer agent. It has #psychoactive potential, but could it also cause frontal lobe brain damage”, “New Information on the Death of ***** by Kratom overdose claim”, “kratom led to seizures and significant brain damage”, and “I can hardly remember words for the life of me. I have an extensive vocabulary oh, but I’m not sure whether to blame it on brain damage or using too much kratom” |
Cause Nausea | “I have had intense nausea every time I’ve used Kratom”, “No. But I’ve experienced nausea on large doses of Kratom”, “Kratom nausea isn’t the same deal. Careful friend”, “Yea, nausea is a very common side effect of Kratom use”, and “Kratom and beer sounds vomit inducing. Nausea city” |
Hair Loss | “Daily use of very high doses like 15-50g can cause rapid hair loss and a lil liver damage but yea kratom usually pretty safe”, “True but Kratom can become a pretty nasty habit in itself. Personally, hair loss, weight loss, depression after long term use”, “I lost weight and muscle mass and hair loss constipation, looked like a cancer patient. And I couldn’t stop taking kratom”, “I’d say the hair loss thing should be a warning on all packages of kratom if it remains legal”, and “Eating Kratom a lot leads to constipation, eating unknown traces of heavy metals, constipation, hair loss, and many other things” |
Heart Related Issues (Heart Attack, Cardiac Arrest, Heart Racing) | “Yeah, Kratom makes my heart race really bad. Ended up in the ER once”, “Kratom slows your heart, anesthesia slows it a shit load more. Stop taking it now”, “Kratom can mess with the heart rate so I really wouldn’t recommend mixing it with speed”, “Kratom has some calcium channel blocking compounds so be careful with that and your heart”, and “coworker of mine started doing kratom. Had an enormous heart attack three weeks later” |
Elevated Temperature | “My body temperature does get crazy sometimes from kratom, only specific batches”, “I also switch strains and vendors too that I used to keep a steady rotation on my body would have chills then go onto sweats the fluctuating body temperature is horrible”, “It’s great for pain and mood but can make hot flashes/sweating worse”, and “I find that kratom itself can give me hot flashes though and I’ll start sweating profusely at times” |
Kill Sex Life and Suppress Sex Drive | “Kratom took away my sexual desire and drive”, “Both kratom and Lexapro will suppress sex drive and functioning”, “Side note, I am sexually useless on days I use kratom”, and “Nobody really knows what the actual side effects are from kratom, especially with disorders like depression, but there is definitely a hormonal side effect based off a lot of anecdotal evidence of lowered sex drive” |
Liver related issues (Liver Damage, Liver Pain, Liver Failure) | “Just to let ya’ll know, it’s not all propaganda that Kratom is dangerous. I suffered liver damage from a small amount of Kratom”, “I also had liver problems after Kratom. Just weed for me now”, “Mixing booze with kratom is actually quite nice, but surely hard on the liver”, “kratom appears to be cardio and liver toxic actually”, and “Looks like my liver and long term Kratom use don’t like each other” |
Runny Nose | “Having my own surgery tomorrow after a week break from Kratom. Main issue for me has been runny nose”, “I quit kratom CT taking roughly 3g a day and only got a stomachache, runny nose, and a bit moody for like 2-3 days”, “5 years of kratom here, I’ve been on the same dosage since I started and only get a runny nose, and some lethargy”, “I get a runny nose from kratom too, I have no solutions other than take less”, and “I have not had that experience, at most it lasts 2 days with runny nose and maybe some trouble sleeping for a night” |
Scratch Itch | “Long term kratom user from multiple sources and vendors, itching is very common”, “It didn’t happen at first, she loved kratom...but in a few days, she started itching, then hived out bad”, “I get itching from kratom and pretty much any other opioid or opiate”, “Itching is DEFINITELY a side effect of kratom, just as it is with other classic opioids”, and “if I take kratom every day, I get rashes within a week” |
Seizure | “I had a seizure last time I took Kratom”, “Had a seizure a couple months ago. Only thing I had was Kratom”, “The first time I took phenibut, kratom and adderall I had a seizure”, “yeah I know it sounds stupid but when I had the seizure I was just on kratom”, and “my cousin had a seizure from drinking too much kratom” |
Respiratory System Issues (Shortness of Breath, Respiratory Depression, Stop Breathing) | “Kratom does cause respiratory depression, at least a little bit”, “Benzos plus kratom can lead to respiratory depression. Be safe”, “Yea do not ever mix an opiate and kratom, that will give anyone respiratory depression”, “It does not cause respiratory depression. And you’re fine, not a single person has died from kratom alone”, and “kratom does cause respiratory depression, for me. It’s identical to opiates. Again, this is just my experience” |
Stay Hydrated–Dry Mouth | “Kratom made me feel emotionless, dizzy, and gave me a dry mouth”, “Been trying different strains and have dry mouth”, “Hmm, Kratom doesn’t cause me dry eyes but a dry mouth is another story”, “I do know Kratom makes me very thirsty and dries out my mouth”, and “Although Kratom is a very safe herb taking too much for your metabolism can lead to nausea/vomiting, loss of libido, dry mouth, constipation” |
Upset Stomach and Constipation | “I like Kratom but I do not like the constipation it causes”, “Although Kratom is a very safe herb taking too much for your metabolism can lead to nausea/vomiting, loss of libido, dry mouth, constipation”, “I quit kratom CT taking roughly 3g a day and only got a stomach ache, runny nose, and a bit moody for like 2-3 days”, “Don’t mix immodium and kratom. Kratom causes constipation”, and “Kratom. Wasn’t really worth it for the nausea and constipation” |
Weight Loss | “True but Kratom can become a pretty nasty habit in itself. Personally, hair loss, weight loss, depression after long term use”, “Yes and the weight loss is why I’m stopping kratom”, “Thanks for the suggestion but I think that kratom is behind this, possibly indirectly from causing weight loss”, “I am dealing with excessive weight loss right now and suspect kratom has something to do with it”, and “Kratom usually takes my appetite so that causes weight loss” |
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(kratom OR Kakuam OR Ketum OR Krathom OR kratom*) AND (relief* OR alleviat* OR reduc* OR lessen* OR ease OR improv* OR prevent* OR avoid* OR cure* OR withdrawal OR enhance* OR treat* OR help* OR boost*) AND (fatigue OR pain OR diarrhea OR cramps OR muscle OR libido OR mood OR depress* OR anti* OR suppress* OR addict* OR appetite OR hunger) AND–(http OR https OR RT) |
(kratom OR Kakuam OR Ketum OR Krathom OR #kratom*) AND (nausea OR itch* OR sweating OR (dry AND mouth) OR constipation OR (increas* AND urin*) OR appetite OR seizure OR hallucinations OR (muscle AND aches) OR insomnia OR (irritability OR irritable) OR hostility OR aggression OR (emotional AND changes) OR (runny AND nose) OR jerky OR “weight” OR appetite OR chill* OR vomit* OR liver OR “muscle pain” OR dizziness OR dizzy OR drowsiness OR elusion OR depress* OR breath* OR bronchitis OR coma OR death OR rash* OR dermatitis OR diarrhea OR headache OR suicide OR suicidal OR heart OR bleed* OR cancer OR memory, OR addict*, OR Hostil* OR Aggress* OR inability) AND–(http OR https OR RT) AND–(relief* OR alleviat* OR reduc* OR lessen* OR ease OR improv* OR prevent* OR avoid* OR cure* OR withdrawal OR enhance* OR treat* OR help* OR boost*) |
Benefits | Adverse Effects | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
50,331 | 87.3% | 28,337 | 87.8% | |
7352 | 12.7% | 3929 | 12.2% | |
#of Social Media Users | 22,940 | 14,135 |
Kratom Benefits | Percentage |
---|---|
Help with Addiction and Opiate Withdrawal | 32.49% |
Relief Anxiety and Depression | 26.08% |
Chronic Pain Relief and Pain Management | 22.49% |
Mood and Energy Improvement | 7.23% |
Improve Mental Health and Improve Life | 5.46% |
Help with Blood Pressure | 2.79% |
Improve Sex Drive | 1.88% |
Help Fall Asleep | 1.57% |
Kratom Adverse Effects | Percentage |
---|---|
Cause Nausea | 46.80% |
Upset Stomach and Constipation | 12.60% |
Heart Related Issues (Heart Attack, Cardiac Arrest, Heart Racing) | 9.00% |
Respiratory System Issues (Shortness of Breath, Respiratory Depression, Stop Breathing) | 8.00% |
Liver related issues (Liver Damage, Liver Pain, Liver Failure) | 6.80% |
Brain Damage and Cause Death | 4.70% |
Weight Loss | 3.40% |
Seizure | 3.20% |
Stay Hydrated—Dry Mouth | 2.20% |
Hair Loss | 1.00% |
Elevated Temperature | 0.80% |
Scratch Itch | 0.80% |
Runny Nose | 0.50% |
Kill Sex Life and Suppress Sex Drive | 0.30% |
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Wahbeh, A.; Al-Ramahi, M.; El-Gayar, O.; Nasralah, T.; Elnoshokaty, A. Health Benefits and Adverse Effects of Kratom: A Social Media Text-Mining Approach. Informatics 2024, 11, 63. https://doi.org/10.3390/informatics11030063
Wahbeh A, Al-Ramahi M, El-Gayar O, Nasralah T, Elnoshokaty A. Health Benefits and Adverse Effects of Kratom: A Social Media Text-Mining Approach. Informatics. 2024; 11(3):63. https://doi.org/10.3390/informatics11030063
Chicago/Turabian StyleWahbeh, Abdullah, Mohammad Al-Ramahi, Omar El-Gayar, Tareq Nasralah, and Ahmed Elnoshokaty. 2024. "Health Benefits and Adverse Effects of Kratom: A Social Media Text-Mining Approach" Informatics 11, no. 3: 63. https://doi.org/10.3390/informatics11030063