What's Really in 7-OH?What's Really in 7-OH?
The Recovered Life Show
Researchers and a recovery-focused host examine how kratom leaf differs from semi-synthetic 7-OH products and why these concentrates may carry serious risks, particularly for people with a history of opioid use. The conversation highlights rapid tolerance, intense withdrawal, poor labelling and unknown chemical by-products in widely available ‘herbal’ products.
38:14•26 Oct 2026
Potatoes, Vodka and 7-OH: Why This ‘Herbal’ High Is Alarming People in Recovery
Episode Overview
- Kratom leaf has a long history of traditional use, but highly concentrated 7-OH products act as strong opioids with very different risk profiles.
- Tolerance to 7-OH appears to develop extremely quickly, with some people needing to dose every couple of hours to avoid intense withdrawal.
- Many 7-OH products in gas stations and vape shops are poorly labelled or mislabelled, leaving consumers unaware of what or how much they are taking.
- People with a history of substance use disorder, especially those in recovery from opioids, may be particularly vulnerable to relapse with 7-OH.
- The chemical processes used to make 7-OH can create unknown by-products, meaning users may be ingesting unsafe, untested compounds without realising it.
“You make vodka from potatoes. And so, vodka is definitely not a potato. And 7-oh is definitely not kratom.”
Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This conversation on The Recovered Life Show zeroes in on kratom and its highly concentrated cousin, 7-OH (7-hydroxymitragynine), and it’s especially relevant if you're in recovery or support someone who is. Host Damon Frank brings together University of Florida researchers Dr. Chris McCurdy, Dr. Oliver Grundmann, and Dr. Abhisheak Sharma to break down what kratom actually is and why 7-OH is a very different beast.
Kratom leaf, they explain, has been used for centuries in Southeast Asia as a tea for energy, pain relief and even to ease opium withdrawal. But once it’s turned into semi-synthetic extracts, things shift dramatically. Dr. McCurdy sums it up with a line that hits home: “You make vodka from potatoes. And so, vodka is definitely not a potato.
And 7-oh is definitely not kratom.” The team explains how 7-OH acts as a “pure opioid” at the receptor level, with rapid tolerance and vicious withdrawal. One reported case had a person waking up every two hours through the night just to dose again and avoid withdrawal. They also highlight the unregulated marketplace: gas stations, vape shops and “herbal supplements” with colourful labels but no real information. Dr.
Sharma warns that people “have no idea what are they taking,” because these products can contain unknown by-products from the chemical processes used to create 7-OH. Dr. Grundmann notes how products are sold like energy shots or even ice cream cones, with absurd serving suggestions no one realistically follows. If you're sober, thinking about kratom, or working with people in recovery, this episode gives you straight talk, scientific clarity, and more than a few red flags to watch for.
Could that ‘natural’ supplement on the counter be the thing that lights your brain up like past opioids?
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