Does kratom work for pain?

Informal surveys suggest that kratom is commonly used in the Western countries for pain relief, but research in humans is very limited.^[1] To date, one randomized clinical trial in 26 male chronic Kratom users living in Malaysia showed that drinking a kratom tea decoction increases pain tolerance one hour after ingestion compared to drinking a placebo. Increased pain tolerance was measured because participants who ingested a kratom drink were able to keep their hand in an ice-cold bath for about 10 seconds longer compared to those who consumed a placebo.^[2] However, there is animal research showing that kratom and its main ingredient mitragynine can reduce acute and chronic pain. At least 23 studies in animals (mice, rats, or dogs) suggest that kratom extract and its ingredient mitragynine have therapeutic effects in alleviating experimentally induced acute pain (via thermal or mechanical stimulus), and at least two animal studies suggest that it is beneficial for chronic neuropathic pain.^[1]