The Diuretic Effects of Kratom: Causes, Risks, and Solutions

Kratom is a diuretic which means it causes you to excrete water from the body quicker and has the tendency to dehydrate. Dehydration due to kratom’s diuretic nature can lead to side effects, such as a dry mouth, dry skin and constipation.

Therefore, there is a need to understand the diuretic aspects of kratom and learn how to reduce the dehydrating risks associated with it. This article will cover everything that has to do with kratom-related diuresis, including the potential mechanism of how it works.

What is a Diuretic, and Is Kratom Considered One?

Diuretics in the medical sense are medications that help you remove excess fluid and salt from your body, thereby making you urinate more frequently. Your kidneys are in charge of taking away extra water and salt from your body, converting them to urine, which you eventually pee out.

Clearing excess fluids from your body is the reason for taking diuretics, and there are some benefits from this process. A diuretic helps to reduce the amount of fluid in your blood, thereby making your heart pump more efficiently. This can help improve your heart health and help to regulate your blood pressure. Diuretics also help with swelling caused by excess water (edema) and also improve your kidney function.

While there are potential benefits to taking diuretics, there are also side effects that come with them. Some of the side effects include headache, tiredness, loss of appetite, muscle cramps, and electrolyte imbalance.

Now that you know what a diuretic is, the next question is, is kratom a diuretic? Kratom has mild diuretic effects, but it cannot be classified alongside other traditional diuretics. Regardless, kratom can interact with medications and cause you to pee more frequently so those with kidney issues or those taking medications should speak with their doctors before using kratom.

Why Do You Urinate More Frequently After Taking Kratom?

Many kratom users report frequent urination after taking kratom, which can lead to dehydration if you don’t hydrate properly. There is limited research as to why this frequent urination happens with kratom.

Kratom belongs to the coffee plant family, and both kratom and coffee can make you pee more frequently. Since there are studies on the connection between caffeine and diuresis, the same principle might apply for kratom.

When you drink coffee, it causes your body to pass signals to your pituitary gland that slow down or hold back the production of ADH hormone. This in turn causes your kidneys to not reabsorb water, thus increasing the excretion of water via urine.

Similar mechanisms may apply to kratom, and since kratom alkaloids, mainly mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, have more complex effects than caffeine, kratom’s diuretic effects may be potentially stronger than coffee’s.

Therefore, we may say that mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine are the two compounds potentially responsible for kratom’s diuretic effects. These compounds interact with receptors in the brain, and these interactions can influence the autonomic nervous system. This whole process can potentially affect bladder function and lead to frequent urination.

Taking kratom in larger doses could have a more significant diuretic impact. The larger the amount of kratom you take, the stronger the signals to your body to remove more water and salt through urine may be.

Since higher doses of kratom have potential relaxing and soothing effects, this might also contribute to changes in fluid balance and excretion. While there is still limited research on the impact of  kratom on dehydration, you should always stay hydrated when using kratom, regardless of your dose.

The Risks of Kratom Dehydration

Dehydration is considered one of the catalysts of some of the adverse health effects of kratom. Below are the risks associated with kratom dehydration:

• Risk to kidneys: Dehydration can cause byproducts to build up in your body, and this can put more strain on your kidneys. This can negatively affect your kidney function.
• Constipation: It is a well-known fact that water aids digestion. This means that a lack of water could affect how your body breaks down and processes food, leading to constipation.
• Electrolyte Imbalance: Since the potential diuretic effect of kratom causes you to lose fluids, it may also reduce the amount of electrolytes like sodium and potassium. This is called an electrolyte imbalance and can lead to dizziness, cramps, and weakness.
• Headaches and Tiredness: Dehydration can cause your blood volume to decrease. And a decrease in blood volume is a recipe for headache and tiredness.

How to Mitigate Kratom Dehydration

No doubt, kratom users have attested to the dehydrating effect of kratom. Nevertheless, there are ways you can reduce the effect of kratom dehydration.

First, you want to make sure you maintain proper hydration practices by drinking plenty of water before, during, and after using kratom. Also, since dehydration can cause electrolyte imbalance, make sure you incorporate beverages that are rich in electrolytes, such as pickle juice, watermelon juice or sports drinks. Other hydrating foods like fruits and veggies should also be incorporated.

If you are used to taking kratom with coffee, this can also lead to increased dehydration – the caffeine in coffee also has diuretic effects. Furthermore, you should be aware of the signs of dehydration – while thirst is a strong indication, other things like urine color, dry mouth and skin dryness are signs to be mindful of. If you notice any of these dehydrating indicators, you should drink more water.

Lastly, feeling excessively dehydrated may be an indicator that you are going beyond your dosage limit. We always recommend that you start with small doses and only increase gradually if there is a need. Aside from the possible risk of dehydration, using higher doses of kratom frequently has been the major reason for an increase in kratom’s side effects.

If you think something else may be responsible for your dehydration, don’t hesitate to speak with your healthcare provider.

CONTENT DISCLAIMER: The content on this page is strictly for entertainment purposes only. The content below has not been medically reviewed and is not intended to offer advice for use or intended use. For more information about kratom and its potential dangers, please visit the fda.gov site.