US Health Officials Urge Ban on Potent Opioid Ingredient in Energy Drinks
Federal regulators target 7-hydroxymitragynine, a concentrated component of kratom, citing risks mirroring the opioid crisis.
U.S. health authorities are issuing a stark warning regarding a chemical increasingly found in popular energy drinks, gummies, and supplements. This ingredient, 7-hydroxymitragynine, a potent derivative of the kratom plant, is now the focus of a potential nationwide ban due to its opioid-like properties.
Concerns Mount Over Concentrated Kratom Component
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services stated that their regulatory action specifically targets products containing this synthesized form of kratom, not the natural plant leaf itself. The agency highlighted that 7-hydroxymitragynine is an opioid that can exhibit greater potency than morphine, prompting calls for enhanced public awareness and regulatory controls.
“7-OH is an opioid that can be more potent than morphine. We need regulation and public education to prevent another wave of the opioid epidemic.”
—Marty Makary, FDA Commissioner
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will review the FDA’s recommendation to place 7-hydroxymitragynine on the federal government’s most restrictive list of illegal substances, a category that includes LSD and heroin. Such a ban would require the DEA to develop and finalize new regulations.
Industry Divided on Proposed Restrictions
Dietary supplement companies that sell kratom have actively urged the Food and Drug Administration to take action against products containing 7-OH, describing it as a dangerously concentrated synthetic version of the original compound. Last month, the FDA dispatched warning letters to seven companies marketing drinks, gummies, and powders infused with 7-OH, citing violations such as a lack of safety evaluations and unsubstantiated medical claims.
In response, **Ryan Niddel** of Diversified Botanics, a company that distributes kratom supplements, praised the FDA’s move. He stated, “The FDA demonstrated the exact kind of data-driven, proactive regulatory excellence needed to safeguard unwitting consumers across the U.S.”
Conversely, the Holistic Alternative Recovery Trust, a group advocating for the availability of 7-OH drugs, criticized the government’s action. They contended that “Big kratom trade groups have spent years blaming 7-OH for harms caused by their own unregulated products, because it threatens their market share.”
The American Kratom Association, an industry lobbying group, has historically opposed stricter regulations on the plant, advocating for legislation that would prevent the FDA from treating kratom more stringently than other foods and dietary supplements. In recent years, the association has also supported state-level initiatives to limit products containing synthetic 7-OH.
Historical Context and Future Outlook
Federal agencies have been examining kratom for approximately a decade due to reports linking it to addiction, injuries, and overdoses. Users and distributors, however, have argued that kratom offers a safer alternative to prescription opioid painkillers, which are implicated in the current drug addiction crisis.
Previously, in 2016, the DEA had intended to classify kratom as a Schedule I controlled substance, reserved for drugs with high abuse potential and no accepted medical use. However, this plan was halted after significant public opposition, including a letter signed by over 60 members of Congress. Subsequent research by the FDA in 2018 concluded that kratom contains chemical compounds similar to those found in opioids.
In recent months, the FDA has also issued advisories on other substances sold as supplements or energy drinks, such as tianeptine, which is used as an antidepressant. These products, sometimes collectively referred to as “gas station heroin,” have faced restrictions in several states but are not federally scheduled. The increasing availability of these substances, often found in easily accessible retail locations, parallels concerns raised by the opioid epidemic, with recent data indicating a concerning rise in emergency room visits related to synthetic cannabinoids and novel psychoactive substances, some of which are found in similar outlets. A 2023 report by the National Institute on Drug Abuse noted a significant increase in synthetic cannabinoid poisonings, highlighting the challenge of regulating these rapidly evolving products.
