National Survey of 11,545 Adults Finds 9.1% Kratom Use Rate, With Product Type Shaping Risk

Why it matters

Understanding how kratom use prevalence varies by product formulation allows clinicians, public health officials, and regulators to target interventions at specific product categories rather than treating kratom as a monolithic substance with uniform risks.

The big picture

Multiple national kratom surveys now exist but often differ in methodology and estimates — with federal NSDUH data estimating under 1% use while surveys targeting more kratom-aware populations yield much higher figures. This study stands out for explicitly comparing outcomes by product type, examining whether pills, gummies, shots, and powders carry different risk profiles.

Key findings

• Out of 11,545 respondents, 1,049 reported current kratom use — a 9.1% prevalence, far above federal survey estimates of under 1%
• The most common reasons for kratom use were pain relief (57.5%), relaxation and stress relief (53.6%), and boosting energy (49.6%)
• Higher adverse effects were reported with increased doses of gummies, capsules, tablets, and pills
• A significant positive correlation was found between consuming kratom shots or extract powder more frequently and improved pain relief
• The most common product forms were pills, gummies, and powder formulations

What they say

"The lack of standardization and consistency in kratom products results in unpredictable effects, emphasizing the need for increased research to establish reliable safety guidelines for dosage recommendations," the authors concluded.

Bottom line

A national survey of over 11,000 adults found about 1 in 11 used kratom, with pills and high-concentration products linked to greater adverse effects — underscoring that product type, not just kratom itself, is a key driver of safety outcomes.