7-OH is 7-hydroxymitragynine, an alkaloid that occurs only in trace amounts in natural kratom leaf. Products sold as "7-OH" concentrate or synthesize it far above those levels, and in July 2026 the DEA moved to temporarily place 7-OH above a set threshold in Schedule I. KratomRated does not list 7-OH products or rate vendors that sell them.
This page explains what 7-OH is, how regulators have treated it through September 2026, and how we check vendors for it. It doesn't make any health or effect claims.
7-OH vs plain kratom leaf
Kratom leaf (Mitragyna speciosa) contains many alkaloids. The two most studied are mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, according to NIDA. In natural leaf, 7-OH is present only in trace amounts, which the DEA noted in its July 2026 announcement.
You can see the difference on a lab report. A published MIT45 COA for a standard leaf extract shows 73.96 mg mitragynine and 0.27 mg 7-OH per serving. Products marketed as 7-OH turn that ratio around, with 7-OH as the headline ingredient. Our lab report guide shows where to find these numbers.
| Plain leaf kratom | "7-OH" products | |
|---|---|---|
| 7-OH content | Trace, naturally occurring | Concentrated or synthetic |
| How it's marketed | By strain, vein color and origin | With 7-OH as the headline ingredient |
| Federal status (Sep 2026) | Not federally controlled | 7-OH above threshold: DEA temporary Schedule I action |
| Listed on KratomRated | Yes | No |
What regulators have done
FDA
The FDA has called 7-OH "a potent opioid that is an emerging public health threat" and has issued warning letters to companies marketing 7-OH products, according to its 7-OH information page. The same page says the actions "are not intended to apply to natural kratom leaf containing only naturally occurring trace levels of 7-OH," and that the focus is on "concentrated and synthetic 7-OH products."
Separately, the FDA has not approved kratom itself for any medical use and says kratom is not lawfully marketed as a drug, dietary supplement or food additive (FDA and Kratom).
DEA
On July 1, 2026, the DEA announced it would temporarily place in Schedule I:
- 7-hydroxymitragynine above a specified threshold
- mitragynine pseudoindoxyl
- MGM-15
- MGM-16
The notice was published in the Federal Register on July 6, 2026. According to law firm Spencer Fane, the order could take effect as early as August 5, 2026, and temporary scheduling lasts two years. The DEA said the action "does not apply to botanical kratom products that contain naturally occurring 7-OH below the specified threshold."
States
Several states act on 7-OH separately from leaf kratom:
- North Dakota banned concentrated 7-OH and related synthetic compounds in a law signed September 4, 2026, while allowing natural kratom for adults 21+.
- Florida bans 7-OH, Virginia banned concentrated 7-OH from July 1, 2026, and Colorado caps it at 2%, according to the QuickMD tracker.
- Kansas made both mitragynine and 7-OH illegal from July 1, 2026 (KCTV5).
Full details are in kratom legal status by state (2026).
Where the kratom industry stands
Some established kratom brands publicly separated themselves from 7-OH before the federal action:
- MIT45: In April 2025, CEO Ryan Niddel said concentrated 7-OH products "are not kratom products, and MIT45 will never produce, sell or support them," as reported by SupplySide Supplement Journal. See our MIT45 review.
- Kraken Kratom: In a July 2025 post, Kraken said: "We have never sold 7OH products." See our Kraken Kratom review.
Why KratomRated doesn't list 7-OH
- It is not plain leaf kratom. Our site covers leaf powders, capsules and standard leaf extracts only.
- Federal and state action. Concentrated 7-OH is now the target of a DEA temporary scheduling action and several state bans.
- Regulators single it out. The FDA describes 7-OH as "a potent opioid" and distinguishes it from natural leaf.
How we check vendors for 7-OH
For every vendor we rate, we look through its product catalog for any product marketed as 7-OH or with concentrated 7-OH. If a vendor sells 7-OH products, it is excluded from our rankings. Compliance is 25% of our score; "no 7-OH on site" accounts for 3 of its 10 points (see our method).
When we checked on September 25, 2026, none of the eight vendors on our kratom vendor list had 7-OH products on their sites. Several do sell "enhanced" extract blends; we don't list those either and note them in each review.
How to spot 7-OH products yourself
- The label or name features "7-OH," "7-hydroxy," "7-hydroxymitragynine," or related compounds such as mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15 or MGM-16.
- The COA shows 7-OH as a major share of alkaloids rather than a trace.
- The product's selling point is its milligrams of 7-OH.
- The vendor has no published COAs at all.
If in doubt, choose a vendor that publishes batch-level lab reports; see best kratom vendors.
Related reading
Safety note
If you or someone else has a reaction to a kratom or 7-OH product, the FDA directs consumers to the Poison Help Line at 1-800-222-1222 and to report adverse events through MedWatch (FDA). The FDA has not approved kratom for any use, kratom is banned in several states and some cities, and vendors should sell only to adults 21+.