You might want to leaf this drug alone.<\/p>\n
A new study<\/a> found that calls to the nation\u2019s poison centers about a natural supplement marketed as an energy booster, mood lifter and pain reliever have soared about 1,200% over the past decade.<\/p>\n Hospitalizations, and even some deaths, have climbed in tandem, leaving health experts sounding the alarm about a product that\u2019s widely available in vape shops, gas stations and online.<\/p>\n A growing number of Americans are using an herbal substance to self-medicate \u2014 and some are paying the price. WavebreakMediaMicro \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n \u201cThe data reflects a concerning trend,\u201d Dr. Chris Holstege<\/a>, a researcher and director of the University of Virginia Health System\u2019s Blue Ridge Poison Center, said in a press release.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThis trend found in the national data is also occurring in our local clinical practice, with more patients presenting to UVA Health following serious complications associated with kratom products,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Kratom, an herbal substance made from the leaves of a tree native to Southeast Asia, has grown increasingly popular in the US, where it\u2019s legal at the federal level. The supplement is typically sold as dried powders, capsules or concentrated liquids.<\/p>\n Kratom\u2019s leaves contain two psychoactive compounds, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), which bind to the same brain receptors as prescription opioids like codeine and morphine. <\/p>\n Its effects vary dramatically depending on how much you take.<\/p>\n \u201cKratom affects the brain like a stimulant at low doses \u2014 boosting energy, focus and mood,\u201d Dr. Joseph Volpicelli<\/a>, a clinical adviser for Oar Health<\/a>, previously told The Post<\/a>. \u201cSimilar to a sedative at higher doses, it also provides pain relief and euphoria.\u201d<\/p>\n Many users turn to kratom to self-treat chronic pain, anxiety or depression, and some even use it to manage withdrawal<\/a> from opioids. <\/p>\n Kratom is legal in the US at the federal level, though some states have banned it. irissca \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n But the plant is far from harmless. It has been linked to a wide range of negative health effects, from mild symptoms to life-threatening complications<\/a>, and can be addictive. <\/p>\n The risks are especially high with products engineered to be far more potent than natural leaves, often containing synthetic 7-OH<\/a>, which greatly increases the chance of abuse and dependency. <\/p>\n Intrigued by kratom\u2019s growing use and potency, researchers at UVA Health analyzed poison center calls and found more than 14,400 reported exposures between 2015 and 2025.<\/p>\n Last year set a record with 3,434 reports, up from just 258 a decade prior.<\/p>\n Most of the cases involved men in their 20s and 30s, though reports among people aged 40 to 59 also jumped, suggesting the plant is reaching a wider audience.<\/p>\n Hospitalizations linked solely to kratom climbed even more sharply, rising from 43 in 2015 to 538 in 2025 \u2014 an increase of more than 1,150%. <\/p>\n Kratom can cause a range of side effects, including nausea, vomiting, constipation, drowsiness, dry mouth, itching, loss of appetite and muscle pain, according to the\u00a0Drug Enforcement Administration<\/a>.<\/p>\n More serious complications have been reported with heavy or chronic use, or when kratom is mixed with other substances like illegal drugs or antidepressants.<\/p>\n These can include organ damage, high blood pressure, rapid heart rate, psychosis, respiratory issues, seizures, muscle breakdown, substance use disorder and withdrawal symptoms.<\/p>\n Contamination is another worry. Kratom products are unregulated, meaning there\u2019s no guarantee of what\u2019s inside. Some have tested positive for toxic metals<\/a> or harmful bacteria such as Salmonella<\/a>.<\/p>\n Hospitalizations linked to kratom in the US rose more than 1,150% between 2015 and 2025. ARHIT \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n When used alongside other substances, the researchers found that hospitalizations soared nearly 1,300% over the decade, from 40 to 549. In 2025 alone, 60% of these multi-substance cases led to serious medical outcomes, and half required hospitalization.<\/p>\n The human toll is clear: Between 2015 and 2025, at least 233 deaths involved kratom<\/a>, with 184 of those cases linked to multiple substances. <\/p>\n \u201cWe are experiencing a marked increase in kratom associated products being sold in the US market,\u201d Holstege said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe want the public to be aware that these products contain chemicals of varying concentrations such as mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine that have complex pharmacological actions and can cause drug interactions and adverse consequences in humans.\u201d<\/p>\n Already in the first few months of 2026, deaths linked to kratom have continued to mount. <\/p>\n In January, the 22-year-old daughter of former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Austin Beutner died after consuming a mix of prescription drugs and kratom<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cMy family has experienced the unimaginable loss of our beloved daughter Emily,\u201d he wrote on X. \u201cShe was a magical person, the light of our lives. We are still in mourning.\u201d <\/p>\n Looking to curb the risks of kratom, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced last year that he would push for a federal crackdown on 7-OH products<\/a>. <\/p>\n The Food and Drug Administration wants 7-OH classified as Schedule I \u2014 the same category as heroin and LSD \u2014 reserved for drugs with no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.<\/p>\n \u201c7-OH is an opioid that can be more potent than morphine,\u201d FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said in a July statement<\/a>. \u201cAfter the last wave of the opioid epidemic, we cannot get caught flat-footed again.\u201d<\/p>\n Even the American Kratom Association, long a defender of the plant, supports the crackdown on chemically altered 7-OH products.<\/p>\n