U.S. Marshals Seize 90,000 Bottles of Botanical Dietary Supplement Kratom

By Kristin J. Kelley

Edited by André Sofair, MD, MPH, and William E. Chavey, MD, MS

U.S. Marshals have seized nearly a half a million dollars' worth of dietary supplements containing kratom (Mitragyna speciosa), a plant-based substance that people use recreationally or to self-treat opioid addiction. The supplement (marketed as RelaKzpro) could pose a risk to public health, the FDA says, because it has narcotic-like effects and can potentially be abused.

Kratom, which grows in Southeast Asia, affects the brain the same way opiates do. Risks associated with consuming the substance include nervousness, respiratory depression, and vomiting. Additionally, withdrawal can cause aggression, hostility, muscle and bone aches, and jerky limb movements.

Importation of kratom was banned by the FDA in 2014. The agency says there is "inadequate information" that supplements with kratom don't present a risk for illness or injury, and it warns people not to use the substance.