Health
Amid kratom overdose claims, groups call for regulation, better testing of drug
As the U.S. weathers its fourth wave of the opioid epidemic crisis, more people are turning to non-opioids — including a natural remedy known as kratom — to combat their pain.
Yet medical examiners and coroners have found that kratom caused 1.5% to 1.7% of overdose deaths between Jan. 2020 and Dec. 2022.
That’s according to data from the State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS) that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shared with Fox News Digital.
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Here’s a closer look at this important issue.
What is kratom?
“Kratom is derived from the leaves of a Mitragyna speciosa, a Southeast Asian tree found in Malaysia and Thailand,” Lori Karan, M.D., professor of internal and preventive medicine at Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California, told Fox News Digital.
Medical examiners and coroners have found that kratom — which is often ingested in capsule form — caused 1.5% to 1.7% of overdose deaths between Jan. 2020 and Dec. 2022. (iStock)
The leaves of the tree have more than 40 different active compounds; the most primary is mitragynine, 7-hydroxymitragynine and speciofoline.
The plant is thought to have dual properties.
It produces a stimulant effect at low doses, and an opioid-like analgesic effect when taken in higher amounts, according to Dr. Richard Clark, medical director of the San Diego division of the California Poison Control System.
“It has activity at opioid receptors in the brain (like opioid analgesics), and for that reason has been used as either a substitute for opioid analgesics or a tool to improve symptoms of opioid withdrawal,” Clark told Fox News Digital.
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Americans most commonly use kratom for self-treatment of chronic pain and to help battle opioid withdrawal symptoms, he said.
The drug is banned in six states — Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin — although people can still buy products prepared from kratom leaves online and in stores across the U.S.
Kratom is derived from the leaves of a Mitragyna speciosa, a Southeast Asian tree found in Malaysia and Thailand. (iStock)
“There are currently no specific laws against possession of kratom in the United States,” Clark noted.
Approximately two million Americans aged 12 and older used kratom in the past year, according to a 2022 national survey on drug abuse.
“There are no drug products containing kratom or its two main chemical components that are legally on the market in the U.S.,” according to the website of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“FDA has not approved any prescription or over-the-counter drug products containing kratom or its two main chemical components, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH-mitragynine).”
Potential risks of kratom
While vendors may advertise kratom as safe and “all natural,” the composition can vary widely and may not accurately reflect the product labeling, experts caution.
It’s uncommon for kratom to cause major toxic effects, but when people ingest large amounts or combine it with other drugs, they may experience hallucinogenic reactions, convulsions, coma and, in rare cases, death, Clark warned.
“There is also a potential for individuals to develop dependence and withdrawal with heavy kratom use,” he said.
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Other side effects may include nausea, dizziness, confusion and tremors, according to Karan.
“Despite U.S. Food & Drug Administration warnings of the risks of kratom use, the agency continues to receive concerning reports of adverse events associated with its use by the public,” an FDA spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
“The FDA has also warned consumers not to use kratom because of the risk of serious adverse events, including liver toxicity, seizures and substance use disorder (SUD).”
Kratom’s role in overdose deaths
Among the 144,189 overdose deaths between 2020 and 2022, kratom was “detected” in 2,966 cases, according to the SUDORS report, which means some amount of the substance was detected in post-mortem toxicology testing, whether or not it was a cause of death.
(The SUDORS report includes data from 30 states and Washington, D.C.)
Kratom was “involved” in the deaths of 2,343 cases — which means medical examiners and coroners listed it as a cause of death. (iStock)
Kratom was “involved” in the deaths of 2,343 cases, which means medical examiners and coroners listed it as a cause of death.
When kratom is found in post-mortem testing in overdose cases, the deaths almost always occur as a result of multiple medications — not just kratom, experts say.
“Most fatal overdoses occur in persons who have consumed other substances in addition to kratom.”
“Most fatal overdoses occur in persons who have consumed other substances in addition to kratom,” Karan told Fox News Digital.
In many cases, people were also taking fentanyl, alcohol or medication for anxiety or depression.
Advocates speak out against claims
The American Kratom Association, based in Virginia, supports the right of Americans to consume kratom in a safe and responsible way.
Advocates for kratom noted that the substance was found in a small minority of more than 300,000 lethal overdoses in the study.
“Research shows that virtually every death associated with the consumption of kratom involved polydrug use, which is not surprising given that many afflicted with drug use disorders have found kratom helps them to wean off more dangerous drugs,” Mac Haddow, senior fellow on public policy at the American Kratom Association, told Fox News Digital.
When kratom is found in post-mortem testing in overdose cases, the deaths almost always occur as a result of multiple medications, not just kratom, experts say. (iStock)
“While it is possible that a consumer could harm themselves by abusing kratom products, like most consumer products already on the market, those occasions are both rare and not related to the safety profile of kratom when it is responsibly consumed,” he added.
The FDA also said that it’s rare for deaths to occur from kratom use alone, and that these deaths usually occur in combination with other drug use, concluding that “the contribution of kratom in the deaths is unclear,” as stated on its website.
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Cornel N. Stanciu, M.D., director of addiction services at New Hampshire Hospital and assistant professor of psychiatry at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, told Fox News Digital that to her knowledge, there have been no deaths in which kratom was the only involved substance.
The doctor is currently working on a paper examining overdoses that are attributed to kratom by medical examiners.
One of the FDA’s top priorities as part of its Overdose Prevention Framework is to protect the public from the risks of unapproved drug substances, including kratom, the agency told Fox News Digital. (REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo)
“So far, what I am seeing is that there is tremendous variability in reporting and testing,” Stanciu said.
Comprehensive testing is lacking among medical examiners, she noted, with most labs not testing for active metabolites of kratom after someone dies.
“Second — and more concerning — I am seeing that even when more toxic substances are found, some may still call it a kratom-only death,” she cautioned.
Calls for regulation in testing
Haddow from the American Kratom Association claimed there is “rampant misinformation” associated with kratom risks — and argues for standardized toxicology testing protocols to better determine the substance’s role in overdoses.
On Feb. 8, he noted, the U.S. District Court for Southern California requested that the FDA present supporting evidence that kratom is dangerous.
Advocates and experts are calling for more regulations and standardization surrounding testing of kratom. (Don Emmert/AFP via Getty Images)
“The FDA refused to attend the hearing and the U.S. attorney explained to the court that the FDA ‘has not yet determined whether kratom is dangerous,’” he told Fox News Digital.
When contacted for comment, the FDA told Fox News Digital that it “does not comment on possible, pending or ongoing litigation.”
The FDA recently conducted a human dose-finding study, which found that no significant adverse events occurred when participants took kratom, even at high doses, Haddow claimed.
“The FDA has warned consumers not to use kratom because of the risk of serious adverse events, including liver toxicity, seizures and substance use disorder.”
The finding, which the FDA presented at a scientific conference in February 2024, was that “kratom appears to be well-tolerated at all dose levels,” Haddow added.
“The FDA’s current pilot study on dose-finding was conducted in a small sample and is still blinded,” an FDA spokesperson noted, cautioning that the data is preliminary and unvalidated.
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“We need to wait until final analysis to draw any definitive conclusion or interpretation of the results,” the FDA spokesperson added.
“Ultimately, we anticipate that the data in this pilot will be informative and can support future studies of botanical kratom.”
Advocates for kratom noted that the substance was found in a small minority of more than 300,000 lethal overdoses in the study. (iStock)
One of the FDA’s top priorities as part of its Overdose Prevention Framework is to protect the public from the risks of unapproved drug substances, including kratom, the agency told Fox News Digital.
“We will continue to collaborate with federal partners to engage proactively in meaningful research to advance science-based, regulatory decision-making,” the FDA spokesperson said.
“As new scientific and validated knowledge emerge that is based on rigorously designed studies, the agency will update the public.”
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One woman’s uncomfortable reaction to alcohol led to a grave discovery.
Hollie Thursby, 28, a mother of two from the U.K., told Kennedy News and Media that after giving birth to her second son, Jack, she began experiencing unusual symptoms.
At a checkup for her son, who was a couple of months old, Thursby mentioned that she was experiencing “unbearably itchy skin,” which is known to be a post-partum symptom. The doctor suggested it was due to changing hormones.
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Thursby added that she occasionally drank a couple glasses of wine. Although she kept the drinking to a minimum, she described having “a lot of pain” down the side of her neck.
“Really quite painful and uncomfortable,” she said, according to the report.
A U.K. mom reported experiencing pain in her neck after drinking a glass or two of wine, which turned out to be one of the first signs that she had cancer. (Kennedy News and Media)
The mother also reported feeling extremely exhausted, which she assumed was due to caring for her children throughout the day.
“I also felt like when I got to bed that someone was sitting on my chest,” she shared.
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In July 2025, Thursby discovered a lump on the side of her neck that she described as “really quite big,” but wasn’t painful, Kennedy News and Media reported.
“It was hard, it didn’t move, but it was there,” she said. “When I turned my neck to the side, you could see it.”
Thursby reportedly began chemotherapy for Stage 2 Hodgkins lymphoma. (Kennedy News and Media)
Thursby’s symptoms turned out to be a form of blood cancer — Stage 2 Hodgkins lymphoma, which means it is in two or more lymph nodes, according to Cancer Research U.K.
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Common symptoms include swelling of the lymph nodes, heavy sweating, weight loss, itching, persistent cough or shortness of breath, high temperatures, and pain in the stomach or lymph nodes after drinking alcohol.
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“Pain when you drink alcohol is actually a known side effect of Hodgkin lymphoma,” she said, per the report. “It’s something about the acidity in the wine and not when you drink other alcohol.”
While alcohol-related pain in Hodgkins lymphoma patients has been “an accepted scientific consensus” since the 1950s, cases are rare, Healthline confirmed.
Hollie Thursby, 28, and her two sons are pictured above. The mother reported feeling extremely exhausted, which she assumed was due to caring for her children throughout the day. (Kennedy News and Media)
Thursby reportedly began chemotherapy in November, noting that the hardest part is not being able to care for her kids after losing her own mother to a blood disorder called myelodysplasia.
“I grew up without a mum, and it was horrendous. I can’t do that to the boys,” she told Kennedy News and Media. “We’re all devastated, but we all know now, and we’ve got a treatment plan, which is what we need.”
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“I’m just doing everything I can to get better for them. I keep telling myself this is only temporary, I just need to keep going.”
Anyone experiencing pain or other concerning symptoms after consuming alcohol should consult a doctor for guidance.
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Red light therapy has been shown to reduce brain inflammation, protecting people who experience head trauma from long-term health consequences, a University of Utah study has shown.
Brain damage from repeated impact over the years is known to cause cognitive symptoms, ranging from memory issues to full-blown dementia, particularly affecting soldiers and athletes.
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive, degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head impacts rather than a single injury, according to Mayo Clinic.
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More than 100 former NFL football players have been posthumously diagnosed with CTE, according to the new study, which was published in the Journal of Neurotrauma.
Other research has shown that military personnel in active combat suffer from similar issues, as do first responders and veterans.
The treatment was administered three times a week for 20 minutes using specialized headsets and intranasal devices designed to penetrate the skull. (iStock)
In the new study, the researchers recruited 26 current football players to understand more about the impact of red-light therapy on brain injuries.
The participants received either red light therapy delivered by a light-emitting headset and a device that clips into the nose, or a placebo treatment with an identical device that doesn’t produce light. Players self-administered the therapy three times a week, 20 minutes each time, for 16 weeks.
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“My first reaction was, ‘There’s no way this can be real,’” said first author Hannah Lindsey, Ph.D., in the university press release. “That’s how striking it was.”
Specific wavelengths of light are believed to enter the brain and reduce molecules that trigger inflammation, potentially halting the path toward dementia and other cognitive conditions. (iStock)
Players using the placebo treatment experienced increased brain inflammation over the course of the season. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans taken at the end of the season showed significantly more signs of inflammation than at the beginning of the season, the study found.
For players who used red-light therapy during the season, their brain inflammation didn’t increase at all.
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Previous studies have shown that red light, if powerful enough, can penetrate the skull and reach the brain, where it may reduce inflammation-related molecules.
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“When we first started this project, I was extremely skeptical,” said Elisabeth Wilde, Ph.D., the senior author on the study. “But we’ve seen consistent results across multiple of our studies, so it’s starting to be quite compelling.”
Study limitations
The study was conducted using a small sample size, which led to different levels of inflammation in the treatment and control groups, the researchers acknowledged.
While the placebo group showed increased brain inflammation during the football season, those receiving red light therapy showed no increase in inflammatory markers. (iStock)
Future large randomized clinical trials will be “crucial to back up the results” in larger populations, they noted.
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“We’ve been trying to figure out how to make sports safer, so that our kids, friends and family can participate in sports safely for the long term while they’re involved in activities that give them happiness and joy,” Carrie Esopenko, Ph.D., second author of the study, said in the release.
“And this really feels like part of the hope for protecting the brain that we’ve been searching for.”
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The team plans to recruit 300 people with persistent symptoms from TBI or concussion for a randomized controlled trial in 2026, with a focus on first responders, veterans and active-duty service members.
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Drinking heavily and consistently over an adult’s lifetime could lead to a higher risk of colorectal cancer, according to a study published in the journal Cancer by the American Cancer Society (ACS).
The study analyzed 20 years of data from more than 88,000 U.S. adults to determine how long-term drinking impacted the risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC) or precancerous colorectal adenomas (polyps).
The participants reported their average weekly intake of beer, wine and liquor intake during four age periods — 18 to 24, 25 to 39, 40 to 54, and 55 and older.
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“Heavy drinkers” were identified as having more than 14 drinks per week and “moderate drinkers” had between seven and 14 drinks per week.
The observational research revealed that consistent heavy drinking over adulthood was linked to a higher risk of colorectal cancer, especially rectal cancer.
Researchers found a major association between colorectal cancer diagnosis and heavy lifetime drinking. (iStock)
Heavy lifetime drinking was associated with a 25% higher overall CRC risk and nearly double the risk of rectal cancer. Moderate lifetime drinking had a lower overall CRC risk.
Compared to light drinkers, the consistently heavy drinkers had about a 91% higher risk of CRC.
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For colorectal adenomas (precancerous polyps), higher current lifetime drinking did not show a strong pattern, although former drinkers showed a significantly lower risk of non-advanced adenoma compared to current light drinkers.
Out of the 88,092 participants, 1,679 were diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
Out of the 88,092 participants in the study, 1,679 were diagnosed with colorectal cancer. (iStock)
The authors noted that the research was limited, as it was observational and not based on a clinical trial. It also hinged on self-reported alcohol use.
The findings suggest that consistently heavy alcohol intake and higher average lifetime consumption “may increase CRC risk, whereas cessation may lower adenoma risk,” the researchers stated. Associations “may differ by tumor site,” they added.
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The link between drinking alcohol and cancer is not a new discovery, according to health experts.
In a recent episode of the podcast “The Dr. Mark Hyman Show,” Dr. Mark Hyman, chief medical officer of Function Health in California, detailed how even moderate drinking can impact “nearly every organ system in the body,” due to metabolic stress, inflammation, impaired detoxification and its effect on hormones.
The link between drinking alcohol and cancer is not a new discovery, according to health experts. (iStock)
Drinking has been found to increase the risk of many cancers, metabolic dysfunction, gut microbiome disturbances and mitochondrial toxins, Hyman said.
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“Bottom line, alcohol taxes every major system in your body, especially your liver, your brain, your gut, your hormones,” he warned.
Reducing or eliminating alcohol can lower the risk of several cancers, according to medical experts. (Getty Images)
In a previous interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Pinchieh Chiang, a clinician at Circle Medical in San Francisco, shared that taking a break from drinking alcohol for longer periods of time can “reshape health more profoundly.”
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“Over months to a year, we see sustained improvements in blood pressure, liver function and inflammation,” she said. “Those changes directly affect long-term heart disease and stroke risk.”
Chiang added, “Reducing or eliminating alcohol lowers the risk of several cancers, including breast and colorectal, over time.”
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Fox News Digital reached out to the study researchers for comment.
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