Learn more about 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) and its uses, side effects, and more.
7-hydroxymitragynine, commonly sold as 7-OH, is an opioid alkaloid found in trace amounts in the kratom plant and produced in the body when mitragynine is metabolized. The products sold in gas stations, vape shops, and online are not trace-level leaf material. They are concentrated, enhanced, or semi-synthetic formulations containing far more 7-OH than the plant naturally produces, and preclinical data indicates an abuse potential comparable to Schedule I and II opioids such as heroin, morphine, and fentanyl. On July 1, 2026, the DEA filed notices of intent to temporarily place 7-OH above a specified threshold, along with mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15, and MGM-16, into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. The notices published July 6, 2026, and the temporary order can take effect after the required waiting period. Ordinary botanical kratom leaf below the threshold is not covered by the action.
Binding strongly to mu-opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord to block pain signals
Producing sedation, euphoria, and slowed breathing at concentrations well above those found in leaf kratom
7-OH is sold as tablets, capsules, gummies, powders, drink mixes, dissolvable strips, and liquid shots, often labeled as a kratom extract or a plant-based supplement. Because these products have not been evaluated or approved for any medical use, potency is inconsistent from brand to brand and sometimes from batch to batch. DEA laboratory findings indicate commercial products frequently contain substantially higher amounts of 7-OH than naturally occurring botanical kratom, and related synthetic compounds have been detected in products marketed as kratom extracts. In December 2025, federal agencies seized roughly $1 million in unlawful 7-OH supplement and food products from three firms in Missouri. Anyone buying these products over the counter has no reliable way to know the actual dose they are taking.
Uses
7-OH has no FDA-approved medical use, and HHS has confirmed that concentrated and synthetic 7-OH has no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. It is not prescribed, and it is not a treatment for anything. Most people who use it are seeking relief from chronic pain, attempting to manage opioid withdrawal on their own, or looking for the effects of an opioid from a product they believe is legal and therefore safe. Marketing has encouraged that assumption, positioning 7-OH as a natural alternative to prescription painkillers and as an aid for focus, energy, or mood. The reality is that 7-OH acts on the same receptors as prescription opioids and carries the same category of risk.
Reported reasons for use include:
Side Effects
Potential side effects vary depending on the concentration of 7-OH in the product, how much is taken, and whether an individual is using other substances or medications. Mild side effects may include nausea, vomiting, itching, constipation, dry mouth, sweating, dizziness, and drowsiness. More serious effects include severe respiratory depression, confusion, elevated heart rate, seizures, and liver and kidney toxicity. The FDA and DEA have documented dependence, withdrawal syndrome, and overdose cases linked to 7-OH and its related compounds, including fatal events involving mitragynine pseudoindoxyl. Risk increases sharply when 7-OH is combined with alcohol, benzodiazepines, sleep aids, or other opioids. Because labeling on these products is unreliable, a user may consume several times the amount they believe they are taking.
Tolerance and Dependence
Tolerance to 7-OH builds rapidly, and users frequently report needing more product and more frequent doses within a short period of time. Physical dependence can follow within weeks. The pattern is common enough to be predictable: a person buys 7-OH tablets to get through opioid withdrawal or to manage pain, finds that the effect fades, increases the dose, and is soon dependent on a substance they never considered a drug. Because 7-OH has been sold openly in retail settings and marketed as an herbal product, many people do not recognize dependence until they attempt to stop. Supply is also unstable. Federal scheduling, state bans, and product reformulation can cut off access with little warning, forcing an abrupt withdrawal that no one planned for.
Withdrawal Symptoms
By the time dependence develops, 7-OH has usually been used daily and at escalating doses, often for months. Withdrawal closely resembles opioid withdrawal and generally begins within 12 to 24 hours after the last dose, though the timeline depends on the potency of the product and the pattern of use. Symptoms are frequently more intense than users expect, particularly among people who assumed they were taking a mild supplement. These symptoms may include:
7-OH is an opioid, regardless of how it is packaged or where it is sold. Its availability in retail stores has led many people to underestimate a substance with an abuse potential comparable to heroin and fentanyl, and the regulatory landscape is changing quickly. If a dependence develops, treatment includes a supervised withdrawal from 7-OH along with any other substances an individual may be taking. Switching to a newly marketed analog or a differently labeled product is not a solution, since replacement compounds are often less studied and no more predictable. For individuals with a legitimate need for pain relief, safer, evidence-based options can be introduced under medical supervision.
treatment and assessment options.