First Controlled Human Study Confirms Kratom Boosts Pain Tolerance

Why it matters

Despite millions of people using kratom for pain relief, almost no controlled human research existed — this randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study is among the first to objectively confirm kratom's analgesic effect.

The big picture

This landmark study provides the first objective clinical evidence that kratom increases pain tolerance in humans, strengthening the scientific foundation for kratom as a legitimate pain management intervention and accelerating calls for pharmaceutical development.

Key findings

• • Pain tolerance (cold pressor test) increased significantly 1 hour after kratom ingestion: from 11.2s to 24.9s (p=0.02)
• • Placebo showed no change: 15.0s pre vs. 12.0s post
• • 26 male regular kratom users with mean 6.1 years of daily use; no withdrawal signs during 10–20 hour discontinuation
• • Kratom was administered as a decoction matched with placebo for taste and appearance

What they say

Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover study; n=26 male daily kratom users; conducted by Universiti Sains Malaysia and Yale School of Medicine; published in Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine (2020).

Bottom line

This rigorous controlled trial objectively confirms kratom significantly increases pain tolerance in humans, providing the strongest clinical evidence yet for its analgesic properties.