7-OH vs Kratom: Clarifying the Naming and the Product Difference

# 7-OH vs Kratom: Clarifying the Naming and the Product Difference Search for "7-OH" and you will find articles calling it kratom. Search for "kratom" and you will find articles about 7-OH. They are related but not identical. If the terminology has been confusing you, here is the clarification. ## What is Kratom? Kratom is the common name for *Mitragyna speciosa*, a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. The leaves contain over forty alkaloids. When people say "kratom products," they usually mean loose leaf powder, extracts, or capsules made from those leaves — the full plant chemistry. Read [the journey of kratom from Southeast Asia to Canada](/blog/journey-of-kratom-southeast-asia) for more on the plant and supply chain. ## What is 7-OH? 7-OH is shorthand for 7-hydroxymitragynine, a single alkaloid present in kratom leaves. It is one of many but the most pharmacologically active by mass. When you buy a [7-OH tablet](/product/pure-7oh-labs-blue-raz) you are getting an isolated or near-isolated dose of that one compound. ## Why the Confusion? Marketing and colloquial usage. Because 7-OH comes from kratom, people call 7-OH products "kratom products." Technically accurate but imprecise. A pure 7-OH tablet has almost none of the other alkaloids you would find in traditional kratom powder. ## How to Tell the Difference on a Product Page Look at the certificate of analysis. Products sold as "kratom" without specifying isolate status are usually full-spectrum leaf or extract — they will show mitragynine as the dominant alkaloid with trace 7-OH. Products sold as "7-OH" specifically will show 7-OH as the main peak. Our [lab results page](/lab-results) shows example COAs for our 7-OH tablets where 7-OH is the primary active and mitragynine is minimized or absent. ## Which Should You Buy? For full-spectrum traditional research use: kratom leaf or shots. For isolated single-compound research with dose precision: 7-OH tablets. See [our comparison of product types](/blog/comparing-kratom-product-types) for a full breakdown including [kratom shots](/product/bare-kratom-shots-blue-razz) which occupy a middle ground. ## One More Naming Note You will sometimes see "7-hydroxy" or "7-OH" or "7-hydroxymitragynine" — all the same compound. Mitragynine is a different compound entirely. "7-OH tablets" and "mitragynine tablets" are not interchangeable. *Products are sold for research purposes. Not for human consumption.*