Hospitalizations from natural supplement have shot up 1,150%, docs warn

You might want to leaf this drug alone.A new study found that calls to the nation’s poison centers about a natural supplement marketed as an energy booster, mood lifter and pain reliever have soared more than 1,200% over the past decade.Hospitalizations, and even some deaths, have climbed in tandem, leaving health experts sounding the alarm about a drug that’s widely available in vape shops, gas stations and online.“The data reflects a concerning trend,” Dr.Chris Holstege, a researcher and director of the University of Virginia Health System’s Blue Ridge Poison Center, said in a press release. “This trend found in the national data is also occurring in our local clinical practice, with more patients presenting to UVA Health following serious complications associated with kratom products.” Kratom, an herbal substance made from the leaves of a tree native to Southeast Asia, has grown increasingly popular in the US, where it’s legal at the federal level.

The drug is typically sold as dried powders, capsules or concentrated liquids.Kratom’s leaves contain two psychoactive compounds, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), which bind to the same brain receptors as prescription opioids like codeine and morphine.Its effects vary dramatically depending on how much you take.“Kratom affects the brain like a stimulant at low doses — boosting energy, focus and mood,” Dr.

Joseph Volpicelli, a clinical adviser for Oar Health, previously told The Post.“Similar to a sedative at higher doses, it also provides pain relief and euphoria.”Many users turn to kratom to self-treat chronic pain, anxiety or depression, and some even use it to manage withdrawal from opioids.

But the plant is far from harmless.It has been linked to a wide range of negative health effects, from mild symptoms to life-threatening complications, and can be addictive.

The risks are especially high with products engineered to be far more potent than natural leaves, often contai...