2-paragraph summary:

This study looked at the effects of using kratom, a plant that grows naturally in Southeast Asia, on people’s cholesterol levels. Kratom has been used for centuries as a traditional medicine, but it is now illegal in many places. The researchers compared the cholesterol levels of people who use kratom to people who don’t. They found that kratom users had higher levels of “good” cholesterol (HDL) and lower levels of triglycerides, which are a type of fat in the blood. These are both signs of a healthy heart. The researchers think that the chemicals in kratom might be responsible for these beneficial effects on cholesterol.

The study was done in the real world, with 581 people living in a special area of Thailand where kratom use is allowed. It was conducted on humans, not animals. The researchers carefully looked at factors like age, weight, smoking, and drinking that could also affect cholesterol levels, to make sure the differences they saw were really due to kratom use.

Key takeaways:

• Kratom use was associated with higher levels of “good” HDL cholesterol
• Kratom use was associated with lower levels of triglycerides
• These effects on cholesterol and triglycerides could have benefits for heart health
• The study was conducted in the real world, not a lab, and looked at human participants
• The researchers took into account other factors that could affect cholesterol levels

For further reading:

Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844021008917

Full Citation:

Aroon La-up, Udomsak Saengow, Apinun Aramrattana. High serum high-density lipoprotein and low serum triglycerides in Kratom users: A study of Kratom users in Thailand. Heliyon, Volume 7, 2021, e06931.