What the 7-OH threshold means for kratom

Published November 9, 2026 · Last checked November 9, 2026

Why the DEA set a 0.05% limit, and how we test for it.

7-hydroxymitragynine, usually shortened to 7-OH, is a minor alkaloid found naturally in kratom leaf in very small amounts. In 2026 it became the centre of federal regulation, and the proposed 0.05% threshold is now one of the most important numbers on any kratom lab report. Here is what it means and how we test for it.

What 7-OH is

Kratom leaf contains dozens of alkaloids. The main one is mitragynine. 7-OH is present in the plant at a tiny fraction of that, typically far below 0.05% by weight. In recent years, a separate category of products appeared: tablets, shots and extracts with 7-OH concentrated or synthesized to levels many times higher than anything found in leaf. These are often sold alongside kratom but are chemically a very different product.

What the DEA did in 2026

On July 1, 2026, the DEA announced plans to temporarily place 7-OH above a set threshold, along with three related compounds (MP, MGM-15 and MGM-16), in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. The order for the three related compounds took effect on August 26, 2026 and runs for two years. For 7-OH itself, the proposed threshold is 0.05% in plant material. As of October 2026 that order had not yet been finalized; we will update this page when it is. Separately, a bill to permanently schedule synthetic 7-OH, H.R. 8000, was introduced in March 2026.

Put simply: botanical kratom with natural 7-OH levels is not what the action targets. Concentrated and synthetic 7-OH products are.

Why the threshold matters for a lab test

A 7-OH result on a certificate of analysis now tells you two things at once:

Whether the product is what it claims to be. A “plain leaf powder” with 7-OH far above the natural range has been altered, whatever the label says.
Whether the product sits on the right side of the proposed federal line. Above 0.05%, a product may fall under the scheduling order once it is final.

How KratomSource handles it

Every product we test gets a 7-OH measurement, and the result is shown on the lab report next to the 0.05% threshold.
A botanical product that measures above 0.05% is flagged on its vendor’s page.
We do not review, link to, rank or score concentrated or semi-synthetic 7-OH products at all.

State rules

Many states that regulate kratom already cap 7-OH, usually at 2% of total alkaloid content, under versions of the Kratom Consumer Protection Act. That is a different measure from the federal 0.05%-by-weight threshold, so a product can comply with one and not the other. Our legal map tracks state rules.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

What is 7-OH in kratom?

7-hydroxymitragynine, a minor alkaloid present in trace amounts in kratom leaf. Concentrated or semi-synthetic 7-OH products are a different category from leaf powder and we do not review them.

Is 7-OH legal in Canada?

It is not scheduled under the CDSA, like kratom itself, and is not authorized for sale as a health product. No Canadian threshold exists; we apply the natural-range test to every sample regardless.

This article is for information only and is not medical or legal advice. We do not give dosing guidance.