Is Kratom Safe? Side Effects, Risks and What Men Should Know

Short answer: Kratom has not been shown to be safe. The FDA has approved no medical use for it, says it is not lawfully marketed as a dietary supplement or food ingredient, and warns about liver toxicity, seizures, contamination and substance use disorder. Concentrated 7-OH products are an even bigger concern because 7-OH is a potent opioid. If you already use kratom, do not stop abruptly on your own: talk to a doctor about a safe plan.

Key Takeaways

• Not approved: There are no FDA-approved kratom drugs, and the FDA considers kratom an unsafe, adulterating ingredient in supplements and foods.^[1]
• Opioid-like action: Its main compounds, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), act on mu-opioid receptors in the brain.^[1][3]
• Real risks: Reported harms include nausea, constipation, dizziness, seizures, high blood pressure, liver injury, dependence and withdrawal.^[2][3][4]
• 7-OH products are different: Products concentrated or enhanced with 7-OH are treated by the FDA as an emerging opioid threat, and federal scheduling actions are underway.^[5]
• No proof for performance: There is no solid human evidence that kratom improves physical or sexual performance, and opioid-type substances are linked to lower testosterone.^[6][7]

What Is Kratom?

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tree in the coffee family native to Thailand and neighboring countries in Southeast Asia. People there have traditionally chewed the leaves or brewed them into tea to fight fatigue and keep working through long days. It has also been used for pain, for diarrhea and, in some cases, as a substitute for opium.^[2]

In the United States, kratom is sold as powders, capsules, tablets, drinks and extracts, often online or in convenience stores and smoke shops. According to the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 0.6% of people aged 12 and older (about 1.7 million people) used kratom in the past year.^[3]

That history of use by laborers is where the idea of kratom as a “performance” or energy herb comes from. Traditional use, however, is not the same as proof of safety or benefit.

Is kratom legal?

Kratom leaf is legal and sold in many U.S. areas, though some states and cities restrict it. The DEA lists kratom as a “drug of concern,” but botanical kratom and mitragynine are not on the federal controlled substance schedule.^[2] The FDA treats kratom as a new dietary ingredient without adequate safety information, which means supplements containing it are considered adulterated, and it has seized shipments labeled as supplements.^[1][2] The rules around concentrated 7-OH and related compounds are tightening quickly (see below).

How Kratom Works in the Body

Kratom leaves contain many alkaloids. The best studied are mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. Mitragynine is partly converted to 7-OH after digestion, and both act on mu-opioid receptors, the same receptor family targeted by opioid painkillers. Mitragynine may also bind adrenergic, serotonin and dopamine receptors, which could explain some stimulating effects.^[3]

Users often say small amounts feel stimulating while larger amounts feel sedating or opioid-like. NIDA notes that studies have not confirmed this pattern, and that potency, formulation and contamination all change what a person experiences. In practice, effects are hard to predict from one product, or one batch, to the next.^[3]

Why 7-OH matters

In natural kratom leaves, 7-OH makes up less than 2% of the total alkaloid content, yet it has substantially greater mu-opioid receptor potency than both mitragynine and morphine.^[1] That is why products that are chemically enhanced or concentrated with 7-OH behave very differently from plain leaf powder, and why regulators now separate the two.

Is Kratom Safe? What the Evidence Shows

Human research on kratom is still limited. NCCIH states that kratom has not been shown to be safe and effective for any medical use, and that its long-term effects are poorly understood.^[2] Here is what federal health agencies and the medical literature report.

Liver injury

LiverTox, the National Institutes of Health database on drug-induced liver injury, gives kratom a likelihood score of B, meaning it is a likely cause of clinically apparent liver injury. Injury is rare, but at least two dozen published cases with jaundice have been described, with a similar number reported to the FDA. Bilirubin can rise above 20 mg/dL, and severe cases may come with kidney failure. Most patients recover after stopping kratom, and they should be warned against further use and against multi-ingredient supplements that may contain it.^[4]

Warning signs worth taking seriously include yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, pale stools, itching, fever or unusual fatigue. Anyone with these symptoms after using kratom should see a doctor promptly.

Dependence, withdrawal and overdose

The FDA reports cases of substance use disorder that met criteria including tolerance, cravings and withdrawal.^[1] Surveys summarized by NIDA suggest a minority of users report withdrawal and a smaller minority report substance use disorder symptoms, with withdrawal usually described as mild to moderate.^[3]

Fatal overdoses from kratom alone appear to be extremely rare, but combining kratom with other drugs has been linked to deaths and severe adverse effects.^[2] NIDA cites 11 U.S. deaths associated with kratom exposure between 2011 and 2017, two of them linked to kratom alone.^[3] Mixing kratom with alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids, sleep aids or other sedatives is especially risky because these can add to breathing suppression.

Concentrated 7-OH Products: The Newest Warning

The FDA describes 7-OH as “a potent opioid that is an emerging public health threat” and separates products that are intentionally enhanced or concentrated with 7-OH from products whose alkaloid makeup is consistent with botanical kratom.^[5] The agency has issued warning letters to firms marketing 7-OH products, seized products and taken steps to restrict them.^[1][5]

On the scheduling side, the FDA page reports that the DEA temporarily placed several related compounds (MGPI, MGM-15 and MGM-16) into Schedule I in August 2026, and in October 2026 issued new Notices of Intent based on HHS recommendations covering 7-OH and MGPI above set concentration limits.^[5] If a product is marketed as “7-OH,” “extra strength” or “enhanced,” treat it as an opioid product, not an herbal tea.

If someone may be having a bad reaction to a 7-OH product, the FDA advises contacting the Poison Help Line at 1-800-222-1222, or calling 911 for a life-threatening emergency.^[5]

Kratom, Physical Performance and Testosterone

Energy and exercise

The traditional use of kratom to push through fatigue is the root of performance claims. Some users describe more energy, alertness and a faster heart rate.^[2] No controlled human trials have shown that kratom improves strength, endurance or recovery, and a faster heart rate and higher blood pressure are not what you want during hard training. Unpredictable potency makes it a poor fit for anyone chasing consistent results.

Testosterone and sexual function

Long-term opioid use is associated with lower testosterone, which is one reason researchers have looked at kratom’s hormonal effects.^[6] The evidence is thin and mixed:

• A small cross-sectional study of 19 regular users in Malaysia, who drank traditional kratom tea or juice for more than 2 years, found no impairment of testosterone, LH or FSH.^[6]
• A 2018 case report described a man whose kratom use was linked to raised prolactin and secondary hypogonadism (low testosterone caused by a signaling problem); his testosterone and prolactin returned to normal at a two-month follow-up.^[7]

Neither result shows that kratom helps libido or erections, and a single small study cannot rule out effects from today’s stronger extracts. If you have low drive, erection problems or fatigue, the useful step is a medical workup, including a morning testosterone test. Our guide to opioid-induced androgen deficiency explains why opioid-type substances can affect hormones.

Who Should Avoid Kratom and When to See a Doctor

Given the lack of proven benefit, health agencies do not recommend kratom for any use. The risks are highest for people who:

• Have liver disease, seizure disorders, high blood pressure or heart problems.
• Take prescription medicines, especially opioids, sedatives, antidepressants or drugs processed by the liver. NCCIH notes that kratom’s interactions with other drugs still need more study.^[2]
• Drink alcohol regularly or use other substances.
• Are pregnant, planning pregnancy or breastfeeding.
• Have a personal or family history of substance use disorder.

If you already use kratom

Do not quit kratom, or any opioid you are prescribed, abruptly and on your own. Withdrawal can be uncomfortable, and people who started kratom to manage opioid withdrawal may need extra support when they stop. A doctor can plan a gradual taper and check your liver. NIDA notes that there are no approved treatments specific to kratom use disorder, but approved medications already exist for opioid use disorder.^[3]

Seek urgent care for trouble breathing, extreme drowsiness, confusion, seizures, chest pain or yellowing skin.

Choosing Supplements More Safely

Kratom is a reminder that “natural” and “sold in stores” do not mean safe or legal. Before taking any botanical product, check that the label lists every ingredient and amount, look for independent testing, and run it past your pharmacist if you take medication. Our articles on dangerous supplement ingredients and how the FDA regulates supplements go deeper.

For clarity: Ultra Bann does not contain kratom, mitragynine or 7-OH. Its seven botanicals and their amounts are listed on the full Ultra Bann label.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is kratom safe to take every day?

No health agency considers daily kratom use safe. Regular use is linked to tolerance, dependence and withdrawal, and liver injury in case reports typically appeared within 1 to 8 weeks of starting regular use.^[1][4]

What are the most common kratom side effects?

Nausea, constipation, dizziness and drowsiness are the most commonly reported. Rare but serious effects include seizures, high blood pressure, slow breathing and liver problems.^[2][3]

Is kratom an opioid?

Kratom is not a classic opioid drug, but its main alkaloids act on mu-opioid receptors and can cause opioid-like effects, including dependence and respiratory depression. Concentrated 7-OH is described by the FDA as a potent opioid.^[1][5]

Does kratom lower testosterone?

The evidence is limited. One small study of long-term tea drinkers found no hormone impairment, while a case report linked kratom to high prolactin and low testosterone that resolved after follow-up.^[6][7] If you suspect low testosterone, get tested rather than self-treating.

Is kratom FDA approved?

No. The FDA has not approved kratom for any medical use and says it is not lawfully marketed as a drug, dietary supplement or food additive.^[1]

References

1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA and Kratom. fda.gov
2. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Kratom. nccih.nih.gov
3. National Institute on Drug Abuse. Kratom. nida.nih.gov
4. LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury. Kratom. NCBI Bookshelf, 2020. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Hiding in Plain Sight: 7-OH Products. 2026. fda.gov
6. Assessment of gonadotropins and testosterone hormone levels in regular Mitragyna speciosa (Korth.) users. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2018;221:30-36. PubMed
7. Kratom, an Emerging Drug of Abuse, Raises Prolactin and Causes Secondary Hypogonadism: Case Report. Journal of Investigative Medicine High Impact Case Reports. 2018. PubMed

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This article is for information only and is not medical advice.