So you think you’ve mastered the basics of kratom. You know its history, what it feels like, what the differences between crushed leaf and mitragynine extracts are… But then you’re introduced to kratom’s controversial cousin: 7OH.
Some people say 7OH is just like kratom but stronger. But others say it’s wildly different…
Below, we’ll answer frequently asked questions about 7OH vs kratom, from their different origins and effects to their legal statuses. We’ll also compare kratom and 7OH in terms of addictiveness, finding the safest product options, and when it’s recommended not to use one or the other.
Kratom vs 7OH FAQs: Table of Contents
- What is 7OH? How Is It Made?
- Is 7OH Natural?
- If 7OH is Technically in Kratom, Does it Contribute to Kratom’s Effects?
- Is 7OH Stronger Than Kratom?
- Is 7OH Better Than Kratom?
- How Can You Tell 7OH and Kratom Products Apart?
- Are 7OH and Kratom Addictive? Is One More Addictive than the Other?
- Is Kratom Safer than 7OH?
- When Should You Avoid Using 7OH?
- Is 7OH Legal?
If you don’t know much about kratom yet, consider reading our beginner’s guide to kratom tea first. That information is a helpful foundation for understanding the 7OH vs kratom guide below.
1. What Is 7OH? How Is It Made?
7OH is short for 7-hydroxymitragynine. (It’s also commonly referred to as 7-OH or just 7.) It is a derivative of mitragynine, which is the main active compound in kratom leaves.
7OH is produced semi-synthetically. This means that it has to be manufactured by chemists in a lab, but its starting material is derived from nature. Through multiple steps, chemists use lower-potency kratom leaves to create highly potent 7OH products.
How 7OH Is Made: From Leaf to Bottle
We’ll try to avoid boring you with overly complicated details and go over a simple explanation of the process of making 7-hydroxymitragynine from kratom.
A quick analogy to understand it is how sugarcane is turned into sucralose. Sucrose occurs naturally in sugar cane and sugar beets. Manufacturers extract sucrose from the plant material to make isolated sucrose (which is our standard table sugar). But manufacturers can then go a step further and chemically convert sucrose into sucralose, which is a structurally similar chemical, though it has distinct metabolic effects.
Kratom leaves are like the sugar cane or sugar beets. They’re not too potent in their raw form.
Mitragynine and other alkaloids in kratom leaves (the active compounds that give kratom its effects) are like the sucrose. These alkaloids can be extracted so you have a more refined (and more potent) product. The extract can be sold as-is (or maybe with a few added ingredients, like a liquid solution or flavoring) in kratom extract products.
But just as scientists developed a process for turning table sugar into the related-yet-different compound sucralose, chemists developed a process to take mitragynine extracts and turn them into 7OH.
The alkaloids from the kratom extract are further separated in order to isolate just the mitragynine. Then, mitragynine is exposed to certain reactive chemicals (oxidizing agents) to convert it into 7-hydroxymitragynine.
Finally, the oxidizing agents are stripped away through a process called washing until (ideally) the only thing left is pure 7OH.
Lastly, some manufacturers mix 7OH powder with food-grade binding ingredients used to hold tablets together. Other manufacturers combine their 7OH with liquids to make shots or gummies (and on occasion, even into vape liquids).
Obviously, the process of how to make 7OH isolate products differs significantly from the process used to get natural leaf kratom ready for sale.
2. Is 7OH Natural?
Even though 7OH products are produced semi-synthetically, 7OH is not unnatural. For simplicity’s sake, you may as well understand kratom products as natural and 7OH products as synthetic, but there’s a lot of nuance to this conversation.
The answer to this question really depends on how you define the word “natural.” We’ll consider natural as “made without any human intervention.”
7OH does occur naturally in kratom leaves, but only in trace quantities.
Scientists have never detected 7OH in fresh kratom leaves, but rather only in dried kratom plant matter. When kratom leaves are dried (and even more so when they’re crushed or ground up into a fine powder), the most abundant alkaloid, mitragynine, gets exposed to oxygen in the air. This causes a small amount of the mitragynine to oxidize and become 7-hydroxymitragynine.
This is the process that chemists mimic by oxidizing mitragynine to turn it into 7OH using oxidizing agents as described above. But there’s one big difference: the natural process is much, much less efficient.
Only a very small amount of mitragynine converts to 7OH during the standard drying process. In dried kratom leaves or powder, typical estimates of 7OH concentrations are around 0.001% of the dry weight of the leaves. This is between 0.6%–2% of the total alkaloid concentration.
→ This is such a small amount that it can’t really be said to contribute meaningfully to the effects of kratom (if you consume an amount of kratom that’s in the normal recommended serving-size ranges of between 2 to 5 grams).
We’ll add some nuance to this in the next FAQ.
3. If 7OH Is Technically in Kratom Leaf, Does It Contribute to Kratom’s Effects?
When you consume dried kratom, you consume a range of alkaloids that have a “symphony orchestra” of activity in your body.
On top of the tiny amount of 7OH that’s in the dried leaves that you consume, the CYP3A4 enzyme in your liver does also metabolize mitragynine into 7-hydroxymitragynine. It is still just a very small quantity of mitragynine that gets converted. Estimates typically hover at no more than 20% conversion of mitragynine to 7OH.
As a rough hypothetical, imagine you consumed 5 grams of kratom powder containing approximately 30–50 mg of mitragynine. If a portion of that mitragynine were metabolized into 7OH, it is theoretically possible that your body could produce somewhere in the broad range of 2–10 mg of 7OH, depending on the product, your metabolism, enzyme activity, and other individual factors.
(That number should not be treated as a precise conversion estimate. Human studies show that mitragynine can be metabolized into 7OH, but they do not let us neatly calculate exactly how many milligrams of 7OH a person will produce from a given amount of kratom.)
The effects of this metabolic process aren’t the same as the effects of simply consuming 2–10 mg of 7OH in a tablet.
→ When you consume kratom leaves, you consume numerous alkaloids, including mitragynine. Over time, you will start converting some of the mitragynine to 7OH. But this occurs over a longer period of time than if you had all of the 7OH at once (like you would when you swallow a 7OH tablet).
→ The difference in the timing of 7OH absorption matters. Faster, more direct 7OH exposure could increase the likelihood of stronger opioid effects that wear off more quickly. This could explain the anecdotal reports of more rapid tolerance for 7OH consumers compared to raw-leaf kratom consumers.
→ One more important differentiator: when you consume kratom leaves you will get effects from a number of active alkaloids, not just the 7OH. So the overall effect you feel from kratom leaves will be different from the effects of just isolated 7OH.
Some Reddit users in r/7_hydroxymitragynine have written:
- “The whole experience lasts about 30 mins for me,”
- “I have been taking 7 for around 9 months and the feeling only lasts for 15-20 minutes for me.”
- “7OH lasts about an hour regardless.”
Meanwhile, the effects of kratom are typically felt for 2–6 hours, depending upon the product type and experience level.
4. Is 7OH Stronger Than Kratom?
People may assume that 7OH is stronger than kratom. But 7OH is not simply a stronger version of kratom, it’s a compound with entirely different pharmacological activity and effects as kratom.
Kratom, with its large number of active alkaloids, has a broad range of activity in your body. Mitragynine and related kratom alkaloids partially activate the μ-opioid receptor (mOR). But this is only one part of the plant’s effects, as the alkaloids in kratom leaves also activate serotonin, dopamine, and adrenaline receptors. Many researchers argue that mitragynine and kratom as a whole simply cannot be understood as “just another opioid,” since this plant is so complex.
Kratom consumers often report energizing effects from kratom in small amounts. Larger servings are said to cause more relaxing effects. Presumably, smaller servings of kratom are doing more to activate the other receptor types, while larger servings of kratom alkaloids have the opportunity to work more strongly on the mOR.
Researchers have found that mitragynine has a relatively low potency when it binds to the mOR and it has a ceiling effect, a phenomenon that means that once you reach a certain amount, taking more won’t increase the effects you get.
Unlike mitragynine and the combination of alkaloids found in kratom leaves, 7OH is a much more straightforward selective agonist of the μ-opioid receptor, meaning that it prefers to bind to that receptor and not much else.
In the handful of studies completed so far, the estimates of how strongly 7OH binds to the mOR vary. One study reported that 7OH is up to 40 times more potent than mitragynine and up to 10 times more potent than morphine, but other studies haven’t found this. Still, the results of these studies demonstrate 7OH is at least worth comparing to traditional opioids.
(Sensationalistic media articles and videos have been quick to make such comparisons by dubbing 7OH “legal morphine” or “gas station heroin,” but it is still likely that 7OH may differ significantly from these opioids in both effects and risks.)
5. Is 7OH Better Than Kratom?
The answer to this question should be fairly obvious. 7OH is not “better” than kratom in the same way that a shot of whiskey is not better than a pint of beer, or sucralose is better than sucrose.
It all depends on what kinds of effects you are looking for and why. It also depends on your budget for products like this, and what type of supplement forms you prefer (e.g., teas vs tinctures vs capsules).
If you want to feel energized and motivated? 7OH may not be the right choice at all. Opting instead for a small serving of natural leaf kratom tea may help you get out of bed or support concentration while you’re working or studying.
If you’re looking to unwind at the end of a hard day? People who consume kratom leaf often report that larger servings can help them feel more comfortable and relaxed, and 7OH is often described as being on the much more relaxing end of the spectrum. So 7OH might be more interchangeable with kratom if these are the effects you want.
So, whether 7OH is better than kratom (or the other way around) really comes down to your own personal preference and what you’re trying to get out of either substance.
6. How Can You Tell 7OH and Kratom Products Apart?
7OH products often have terms and graphics on their labels to try to convince consumers they’re the same as or similar to kratom products. Yet they have key features that make them easy to tell apart from raw leaf kratom products and kratom extracts.
- Product types for kratom vs 7OH:
- Plain kratom leaf is usually sold as a crushed-leaf tea or a fine powder. It resembles matcha or green tea (but sometimes has a more dull green or reddish brown color). It’s often sold in bulk (from 50 grams to 1 kilogram).
- Kratom extracts are often sold as tablets, capsules, liquid shots, or novelty products (like candy or vapes). These are easier to confuse with 7OH products.
- 7OH is almost always sold in tablet or pill form. It is occasionally sold as a powder, a shot, or a novelty product. You’ll usually find it in small packages with just 3–30 servings per container.
- Phrases on the label:
- 7OH products may have phrases on their labels like “advanced kratom alkaloids.” “Advanced” is usually a key indicator that a product isn’t just a standard kratom alkaloid extract.
- Kratom extracts may be marketed with the phrase “full spectrum,” which is meant to indicate that they contain a range of alkaloids.
- Look at what active compounds are listed on the supplement facts. Kratom products typically have a significant amount of mitragynine and <1 mg 7OH per serving.
Side note: Niche products like kratom vapes or 7OH disposable vapes are most likely a scam that should be avoided.
7. Is 7OH Addictive? Is Kratom Addictive?
Determining whether a substance is addictive or not is a very complicated process, and it depends on a variety of different factors. And just like the question on whether or not 7OH is natural, whether or not someone views 7OH as addictive can depend on how they define addiction and addictiveness.
The current DSM-5 criteria for a substance to be considered addictive is:
- Impaired control over substance use: Consuming the substance in larger amounts and for a longer amount of time than intended; spending a great deal of time obtaining, using, or recovering from the effects of substance use; experiencing craving, a pressing desire to use the substance.
- Social impairment: Impairing your ability to fulfill major obligations at work, school, or home; or impacting your recreational and social activities.
- Risky use: Use in physically unsafe environments, or persistent substance use despite knowledge that it may cause or exacerbate physical or psychological problems.
- Pharmacologic concerns: e.g., tolerance and withdrawal symptoms.
People oftentimes conflate physical dependence with addiction, but they aren’t the same. Further, just because something can cause physical dependence in some people doesn’t mean that it necessarily will in most people.
Consider coffee: Coffee is a very popular substance that billions of people drink daily. It can induce negative psychological effects like anxiety, as well as physical dependence and withdrawal involving undesirable symptoms. But most coffee drinkers wouldn’t consider their daily habit a problematic addiction, and you likely won’t come across any rehab programs for coffee use disorder.
In a similar manner to coffee, 7OH and kratom, if consumed daily for prolonged periods of time and in large quantities, could cause physical dependence marked by withdrawal symptoms upon suddenly stopping use. But this does not necessarily mean that using 7OH or kratom is problematic.
Whether 7OH or kratom use becomes problematic may depend less on the product itself and more on your personal history, mental health, and current stressors. If you:
- Have a history of dependence,
- Find yourself using a larger amount of 7OH than you intended,
- Notice your frequency of use escalating,
- Realize you are using 7OH or kratom to avoid problems in your daily life, or
- Feel that 7OH or kratom are disrupting your social life or work life…
… then it may be time to take a break, reassess your relationship with the substance(s), and get support from someone you trust or a qualified healthcare professional.
Anything can turn into a problem without clear intentions or moderation, but if you have a good reason for using 7OH or kratom, are not distressed by your use, and are using it sustainably, then your use may not be problematic.
Why 7OH May Be Viewed as More Addictive than Kratom
We want to emphasize again that substances are not addictive in isolation. Addiction develops through the relationship between a substance, a person’s physical and mental state, the reasons for using the substance, patterns of use, and the culture surrounding that substance.
With that said, here are the reasons some people may perceive 7OH to be more “addictive” than kratom:
- The effects of 7OH typically don’t last as long as kratom. Frequent redosing can reinforce a habit. A substance that comes on quickly and wears off quickly can create a stronger “take it, feel better, feel it fade, take more” cycle.
- 7OH has been more heavily framed as dangerous by media sources, rehabilitation centers, and lawmakers. Because of that, some people may feel more shame, fear, or discomfort around their 7OH use than they would around kratom use. This may make them more likely to describe their 7OH use as “addiction,” even if their pattern of 7OH use looks very similar to how people use kratom, coffee, sugar, etc.
- 7OH tablets (and kratom extract products) are small, portable, and easy to take quickly. Compared with preparing kratom powder or brewing kratom tea, 7OH’s convenience and high potency may make it easier to use more often, increase your dose, use it discreetly, or redose without thinking much about it.
Note: Of course, you should always consult your doctor before trying a new supplement for the first time, if you feel that you are experiencing problems with kratom or 7OH, or if you have any specific questions pertaining to your unique medical history. This article and all our others are not intended to be medical advice and should never be taken as such.
8. Is Kratom Safer than 7-Hydroxymitragynine?
Answering this question is challenging, because a solid amount of human research has been done with kratom leaf products and isolated mitragynine extracts, but there is very limited research that has been done with 7-hydroxymitragynine in humans. Most 7OH research has been done with non-humans.
That does not automatically mean 7OH products are unsafe, but they should not be assumed to have the same safety profile as plain kratom leaf.
What we know for sure? Kratom leaves have been used for hundreds of years in Southeast Asia, and they’ve been used around the world for decades, all with relatively few safety concerns.*
The jury’s still out on highly concentrated kratom extracts and isolated alkaloid products like 7-hydroxymitragynine, which have only been on the market for a short time.
*With all types of kratom products and 7OH products, safety depends on the person and the situation. There are times when kratom or 7OH may not be safe or appropriate, including (but not limited to) during pregnancy, before driving, when consuming alcohol or sedating substances, when taking certain medications, etc. We cover those situations in more detail in the next FAQ.
Product Manufacturing Safety
Even if a plant or compound is theoretically safe, its actual safety depends on how it’s grown, formulated, manufactured, and packaged. This is true for all botanicals and supplements, not just kratom or 7OH.
Poor sourcing or manufacturing can introduce risks that have nothing to do with the plant itself, such as heavy metals, microbial contamination, pesticide residues, residual solvents, inaccurate potency claims, or packaging that allows the product to degrade over time.
- Features that typically indicate a product is HIGH quality: Tested for potency, tested for contaminants, packaged in food-safe materials. Importantly, they must be clearly labeled with serving sizes, use recommendations, and safety disclaimers.
- Features that typically indicate a product is LOW quality: No testing for potency or contaminants (or the company claims to do testing but doesn’t share the results, even when asked), packaging that doesn’t properly seal or keep out moisture and light, no serving sizes on the packaging, no caution statements.
It might cost a bit more to find high-quality 7OH or kratom. Thorough lab testing and good labeling are expensive, so the cost of making tested, well-labeled products is higher. But it’s usually worth it, because low-quality products can have short-term and long-term health consequences.
9. When Should You Avoid Using 7OH or Kratom?
There are a few times you will want to avoid 7OH or kratom, or be very cautious when using them (unless you’ve cleared it with a healthcare professional first).
- Before driving or operating machinery, especially if you’re completely new to 7OH or kratom, are trying a new product, or using a larger amount than usual.
- When you’re feeling nauseous, overheated, or dizzy. 7OH and kratom can worsen that for some people.
- Right before bed. Some people are sensitive to having kratom or 7OH late at night, as it can keep you up (potentially depending on the serving size or your experience level, in addition to some other factors).
- In the morning with very large amounts of kratom or 7OH if you have a lot of things to do that day. 7OH can be too drowsy for normal daytime use for some people.
- On an empty stomach if you’re prone to stomach upset (many people prefer a light snack or meal first).
- When drinking alcohol or having other sedating substances (e.g., sleep aids or antihistamines); stacking supplements with certain drugs can be risky and lead to unexpected effects.
- If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s recommended to avoid all 7OH and kratom products, as safety data is limited.
- If you have a history of dependency issues and you notice you’re “needing” the products, if you’re escalating use, or are using them to avoid facing problems in your daily life.
- During exercise: Smaller servings of kratom are commonly used as a pre-workout. But some people should avoid 7OH and kratom during exercise because they can make you less aware of overuse or dehydration cues.
Small amounts of either kratom or 7OH might not be an issue, but it’s always better to err on the side of caution.
10. How Is 7OH Legality Different from Kratom Legality?
7OH and kratom products are currently legal for adults to buy in much of the United States as of 2026.
However, after the FDA issued statements to the DEA in 2016 and 2025 recommending that kratom and 7OH be placed in Schedule I, their legal statuses have remained highly precarious.
Main Categories of Kratom and 7OH Laws
- Criminalization of only 7OH: Some states have enacted regulations which limit the concentrations of 7OH instead of explicitly banning it, which means 7OH that naturally occurs in kratom leaves remains legal. Most regulations cap the concentration of 7OH at 2% of the total alkaloid concentration. This includes states like Florida, Arizona, and Colorado. Some states specifically target the sale of synthetic or semi-synthetic kratom alkaloids, which means any isolated alkaloids are illegal, not just 7OH.
- Criminalization of both 7OH and kratom: Both kratom and 7OH are not legal in states like Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Indiana, Louisiana, and Wisconsin.
- Local bans: There are also a number of counties and cities throughout the U.S. that have made the local sale and/or possession of 7OH and/or kratom illegal.
- Age restrictions: Many states have also set age limits to make it illegal for anyone under the age of 18 or 21 to buy 7OH or kratom.
→ We strongly recommend that individuals double-check their state and local laws before attempting to purchase or use 7OH products, since the legality of 7OH is highly dependent on state and local regulations which are constantly changing.
Kratom seems to have a solid legal foothold in most US states, especially because many laws have been passed to regulate kratom and ensure product safety. But predictions about what will actually happen to the legal status of isolated 7OH products going forward are entirely speculative.
Reminder: While we do our best to update our articles regularly to reflect the most recent legal changes, we can’t guarantee that they are correct. This article and all our others are not intended to be legal advice and should never be taken as such.
Have More Questions About 7OH vs Kratom? Give Us a Shout!
Now that you’re more familiar with kratom’s controversial cousin 7OH, you may still have more questions we didn’t answer.
The subject of 7OH is highly complex and constantly evolving. People frequently misunderstand and demonize it, and some praise it and use it without proper precautions.
While we don’t sell 7OH products here at Top Tree Herbs, preferring to stick to the more traditional crushed leaf kratom tea, we do still feel that it is our responsibility to know as much as we can about related products that reside under the kratom family tree.
If you still have questions after reading through the FAQs, that’s totally normal. Our team is always available by phone or email to help you have a great experience with kratom or 7OH, so please don’t hesitate to contact us with more Qs.
For a more in-depth discussion about how natural leaf kratom evolved into semi-synthetic 7OH and the role that culture plays in shaping drug use, keep an eye out for our upcoming article about The 4 Stages of Kratom Culture.
