5d • Kratom Science
Natural Kratom vs. Commercial 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) Products
Why These Are Not the Same Thing
There is growing confusion around kratom because some people claim that since mitragynine can convert into 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) in the human liver, natural kratom is “basically the same” as commercial 7-OH products.
That claim is scientifically incorrect.
Here is the clear, factual difference.
1. Mitragynine and 7-OH Are Not Equivalent in the Body
Natural kratom leaf contains mitragynine as its primary alkaloid.
When consumed orally, a very small fraction of mitragynine is metabolized in the liver into 7-hydroxymitragynine.
- This conversion is trace-level
- It represents well under 1% of the mitragynine consumed
- Most estimates place it around 0.01%–0.1%
In practical terms, this means the body produces micrograms, not milligrams, of 7-OH.
Commercial 7-OH products deliver milligram-level doses directly, bypassing the body’s natural metabolic limits.
2. The Liver Is a Limiting System, Not a Production Factory
The human liver does not efficiently convert mitragynine into 7-OH.
- 7-OH is a minor metabolic byproduct, not a primary outcome
- Most mitragynine is converted into other metabolites, not 7-OH
- First-pass metabolism naturally caps exposure
This is a built-in biological safeguard.
Commercial 7-OH products remove that safeguard entirely.
3. Potency Does Not Equal Exposure
Yes, 7-OH is more potent per milligram than mitragynine.
That fact is often misused.
What matters is how much actually reaches the bloodstream.
Natural kratom:
- Slow oral absorption
- Low peak concentrations
- Mixed alkaloid profile
- Trace endogenous 7-OH formation
Commercial 7-OH products:
- High potency
- High concentration
- Rapid spikes
- No alkaloid balance
- No metabolic ceiling
These are fundamentally different pharmacological profiles.
4. A Simple Real-World Comparison
A typical serving of plain-leaf kratom may contain 30–50 mg of mitragynine
Endogenous 7-OH formation from that amount is measured in micrograms
A single commercial 7-OH tablet may contain 10–20 mg of isolated 7-OH
To reach that amount naturally would require hundreds of grams to kilograms of leaf, which is not physiologically realistic.
5. Why This Distinction Matters
Conflating natural kratom with commercial 7-OH products:
Misrepresents the science
Misleads consumers
Confuses regulators
Puts responsible businesses at risk
Distracts from the real source of concern
Natural kratom has a long history of traditional use.
Commercial 7-OH products are a modern, lab-driven invention.
They are not interchangeable.
Bottom Line
The statement
“Your body makes 7-OH anyway, so it’s the same thing”
is false.
- Natural kratom produces trace amounts of 7-OH through normal metabolism
- Commercial products deliver pharmacologically significant doses directly
- The difference is not opinion, branding, or ideology
- It is dose, pathway, and biology
Natural kratom is self-limiting by design.
Commercial 7-OH products are not.
This is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.
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Natural Kratom vs. Commercial 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) Products
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