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

For years, kratom has existed in a strange regulatory limbo. Widely used, heavily debated, and often misunderstood. Critics have relied on anecdotes and worst-case assumptions, while consumers and researchers have asked for something far more boring and far more powerful: real data. Now we have it. A newly published randomized clinical trial evaluating dried kratom leaf powder in healthy adults delivers the most rigorous safety data to date. The findings are measured, clinical, and inconvenient for sensational headlines. Kratom talk is usually loud, political, and emotional. This is the opposite: a controlled human study, published January 5, 2026 in Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, testing a well-characterized dried kratom leaf powder in healthy adult volunteers, with placebo controls, dose escalation, and close medical monitoring. This post breaks down what the study did, what participants experienced, what the labs showed (especially liver enzymes), and what the authors concluded about abuse potential and withdrawal. Then we translate it into practical takeaways for real-world “plain leaf kratom” consumers. This post also discusses the broader implications for kratom studies. New peer-reviewed research adds to a substantial body of scientific evidence highlighting the safety of natural kratom leaf. What This Study Set Out to Answer The study was designed to answer a basic but critical question: Is traditionally prepared, plain kratom leaf powder safe and tolerable when used by healthy adults under controlled conditions?

Kratom talk is usually loud, political, and emotional. This is the opposite: a controlled human study, published January 5, 2026 in Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, testing a well-characterized dried kratom leaf powder in healthy adult volunteers, with placebo controls, dose escalation, and close medical monitoring. This post breaks down what the study did, what participants experienced, what the labs showed (especially liver enzymes), and what the authors concluded about abuse potential and withdrawal. Then we translate it into practical takeaways for real-world “plain leaf kratom” consumers. What Study Was This? This is the Single Ascending Doses of Kratom in Healthy Nondependent Adults With Opioid Experience Study done by the FDA. Design: randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-escalation trial in 116 healthy adults (49 active, 67 placebo).Product: MitraLeaf, an encapsulated dried Mitragyna speciosa leaf powder with defined mitragynine content and very low 7-OH listed on the Certificate of Analysis. Dosing plan: - Single dose (SD): one of four mitragynine dose levels delivered via leaf powder. - Multiple dose (MD): the same people then took 15 once-daily doses at their assigned level. - Follow-up: monitoring continued for 23 days after the last dose. The Big Headline Result No serious adverse events and no deaths occurred in the active kratom group or placebo group. The authors concluded the dried leaf powder was “safe and well tolerated” at the tested doses, with no evidence of meaningful abuse potential or withdrawal during the study window. That is not a “kratom is harmless forever” card. It is a strong data point: controlled conditions, known product, known doses, careful monitoring. Read More

At some point, we have to step back and ask a very basic question: how did we end up criminalizing medicinal plants? Plants predate governments, laws, and pharmaceutical companies by hundreds of millions of years. Long before modern medicine existed, human beings relied on the natural world for healing. Leaves, roots, bark, flowers, and resins were our first pharmacy. That fact has not changed just because we invented pills. Medicinal plants have been a vital part of human health and wellness for centuries. In my view, medicinal plants in their natural form should never be scheduled or illegal. Cannabis. Coca. Kratom. Poppy. These are not inventions. They are part of the natural world, and they have been used responsibly by cultures across the globe for thousands of years. When governments outlaw whole plants, they are not protecting public health. They keep repeating the same mistake. Plants Are Not the Problem The Importance of Medicinal Plants in Modern Health History makes this painfully clear. Whenever a plant has been banned, the ban has not eliminated use. It has only pushed people toward more dangerous alternatives. Alcohol prohibition did not stop drinking. It created organized crime and poisoned products. The war on drugs did not end addiction. It escalated overdoses, incarceration, and black-market innovation. Addiction is a human condition, not a botanical one. You cannot legislate it away. Plants, in their natural state, tend to be self-limiting. They contain complex profiles of compounds that work together, often creating natural ceilings on effect. Whole-plant use is typically slower, less concentrated, and more ritualized.

I'm sharing my recent bloodwork metabolic panel results. I get numerous questions about how natural kratom can affect bloodwork and health in general. I've been a daily kratom consumer since 2016. I use roughly 5 grams 4 times per day. I use my tested kratom and do not purchase anywhere else. Making sure that you are consuming clean kratom is very important. There are heavy metals and specific areas that should not be harvested from. I am also including a link to my heavy metals hair test from earlier this year. https://christophersorganicbotanicals.com/clean-living-htma-test-heavy-metals-in-kratom/