Silver Spring, MD—A recent increase in shipments of the herb kratom to the United States has caught the attention of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Not only has the botanical not been cleared as safe to ingest, but there is a question about the toxicity of kratom on multiple organ systems. According to FDA, kratom consumption can lead to serious health problems including respiratory depression, nervousness, agitation, aggression, sleeplessness, hallucinations, delusions, tremors, loss of libido, constipation, skin hyperpigmentation, nausea, vomiting, and severe withdrawal signs and symptoms. Due to lack of evidence regarding the safety of the herb in conjunction with the various side effects, FDA has instructed all districts to detain imports containing kratom.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, April 2014