We could have sold 7-OH. We chose safety instead. In this video, Christopher Deaney of Christopher’s Organic Botanicals explains why our company does not sell 7-OH products and why we believe consumers deserve a clear distinction between natural kratom leaf and commercial 7-OH products. Commercial 7-OH is often marketed as “new and improved kratom” or just another kratom extract, but that is misleading. Natural kratom leaf contains only tiny trace amounts of 7-hydroxymitragynine. There is not enough naturally occurring 7-OH in the leaf to create the commercial 7-OH products being sold across the country. That distinction matters. Since 2021, we received calls from people asking about enhanced 7-OH products. By 2024, the calls changed. Consumers were confused, upset, and some felt they had been duped into thinking 7-OH was simply another form of kratom. In nearly 10 years of working with natural kratom, we have never seen that same pattern of issues with plain leaf kratom. Christopher’s Organic Botanicals was built around natural kratom leaf, traditional use, third-party testing, transparency, responsible education, and consumer safety. We fought to keep kratom legal in 2016, including standing in Washington, D.C., sharing kratom tea and personal stories about the plant. This is not about attacking responsible extracts. Some people cannot digest raw leaf powder, and responsibly made extracts or brewed and strained kratom tea can serve a purpose. This is about drawing a clear safety line between natural kratom leaf and commercial 7-OH products being marketed under the kratom name. We are sticking with the leaf. Natural kratom.Traditional use.Testing.Transparency.Consumer safety. That is the line in the sand, and we are not moving it. Learn more: Christopher’s Organic Botanicals https://christophersorganicbotanicals.com Disclaimer: This video is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Kratom products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

One thing that doesn't get discussed often enough is the numerous compounds in the plant besides the alkaloids. There are so many compounds that make the whole plant work the way it does.

A facts-based video about Natural Kratom and how far we've come since 2016

I wanted to provide a conversation around this topic, so I recoreded a video.

Why These Are Not the Same Thing There is growing confusion around kratom because some people claim that since mitragynine can convert into 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) in the human liver, natural kratom is “basically the same” as commercial 7-OH products. That claim is scientifically incorrect. Here is the clear, factual difference. 1. Mitragynine and 7-OH Are Not Equivalent in the Body Natural kratom leaf contains mitragynine as its primary alkaloid. When consumed orally, a very small fraction of mitragynine is metabolized in the liver into 7-hydroxymitragynine. - This conversion is trace-level - It represents well under 1% of the mitragynine consumed - Most estimates place it around 0.01%–0.1% In practical terms, this means the body produces micrograms, not milligrams, of 7-OH. Commercial 7-OH products deliver milligram-level doses directly, bypassing the body’s natural metabolic limits. 2. The Liver Is a Limiting System, Not a Production Factory The human liver does not efficiently convert mitragynine into 7-OH. - 7-OH is a minor metabolic byproduct, not a primary outcome - Most mitragynine is converted into other metabolites, not 7-OH - First-pass metabolism naturally caps exposure This is a built-in biological safeguard. Commercial 7-OH products remove that safeguard entirely. 3. Potency Does Not Equal Exposure Yes, 7-OH is more potent per milligram than mitragynine. That fact is often misused. What matters is how much actually reaches the bloodstream. Natural kratom: - Slow oral absorption - Low peak concentrations - Mixed alkaloid profile - Trace endogenous 7-OH formation Commercial 7-OH products: - High potency - High concentration - Rapid spikes - No alkaloid balance - No metabolic ceiling These are fundamentally different pharmacological profiles. 4. A Simple Real-World Comparison A typical serving of plain-leaf kratom may contain 30–50 mg of mitragynine Endogenous 7-OH formation from that amount is measured in micrograms A single commercial 7-OH tablet may contain 10–20 mg of isolated 7-OH