Important context: This guide is educational, not medical advice or a recommendation to use kratom. A laboratory result does not establish that a product is safe, FDA-approved, suitable for treating a condition or lawful in every location. FDA states that kratom is not lawfully marketed in the United States as a drug product, dietary supplement or additive in conventional food. Kiody does not sell concentrated 7‑OH products.
The short answer
An alkaloid result is useful only when the reader knows what was measured, in which sample, by which method and on what reporting basis. A line that says “mitragynine: 1.2%” or “7‑OH: 300 ppm” is incomplete unless the report also identifies the product, lot, sample form, unit basis and laboratory method.
For mass-based results, these mathematical relationships are often useful:
- 1% = 10 milligrams per gram (mg/g) = 10,000 parts per million by mass, when all three values refer to the same material and basis.
- 0.050% = 0.5 mg/g = 500 parts per million by mass, on that same compatible basis.
- 400 parts per million by mass = 0.4 mg/g = 0.040%, again only when the denominator and basis match.
Those conversions do not make every result interchangeable. A percentage of the whole dry product is different from a percentage of the product’s total alkaloid composition. A result per gram is different from milligrams in an entire container. A dry-weight value is different from an as-received value if the sample contains moisture. A liquid result stated by volume cannot be converted to a mass result without additional information.
The central rule is simple: never compare two numbers until their analyte, unit, denominator and basis match.
Why alkaloid units matter
Kratom laboratory reports may contain several numbers that look comparable but answer different questions. The reader may see percentages, milligrams per gram, micrograms per gram, parts per million, milligrams per capsule, milligrams per article or a percentage of total alkaloids. A product label may use still another format.
This matters for three reasons.
First, the unit changes the apparent size of the number. A result of 0.04% may look tiny next to 400 ppm, even though those values can describe the same mass fraction. A customer who compares the numerals without converting the units could reach the wrong conclusion.
Second, the denominator changes what the result means. “Two percent of total alkaloids” does not mean “two percent of the finished product.” The first compares one alkaloid with a defined alkaloid fraction. The second compares the alkaloid with the total product mass.
Third, laws can use different thresholds. A federal proposal may use dry-weight percentage and milligrams per article, while a state rule may use parts per million on a dry-weight basis and another state may use a percentage of total alkaloid composition. A product should never be declared compliant merely because one number appears below a threshold written on a different basis.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology explains that mass fraction is a ratio between comparable quantities and that percent represents the number 0.01. NIST generally prefers explicit ratios or powers of ten over informal “parts per” expressions in scientific communication. Laws and commercial reports nevertheless often use “ppm,” so this guide explains both the customary term and the underlying mass relationship. See the NIST Guide to the SI and its SI checklist.
Start with the analyte: mitragynine is not 7‑OH
An alkaloid panel may report mitragynine, 7-hydroxymitragynine and other named compounds. These are separate analytes. A result for one does not supply the result for another.
Mitragynine is commonly reported as a major alkaloid marker in Mitragyna speciosa material. Its presence and measured amount can contribute to chemical characterization, but a single mitragynine number does not authenticate every label statement, prove a geographic origin or predict an individual response.
7-hydroxymitragynine, commonly shortened to 7‑OH, can occur in trace amounts in botanical kratom. FDA’s consumer information distinguishes those trace naturally occurring amounts from products containing added or enhanced 7‑OH. FDA recommends that consumers avoid products containing 7‑OH as an added ingredient or at enhanced levels. Read the agency’s 7‑OH consumer update.
A trustworthy report lists the analytes separately. “Total alkaloids” is not a substitute for either value unless the report defines exactly which alkaloids were included and how the total was calculated. Likewise, a label that states only “alkaloid content” leaves a customer unable to determine how much, if any, of that figure represents mitragynine, 7‑OH or another compound.
For Kiody’s ordinary botanical leaf powder and pure-leaf capsules, the product form should remain explicit. These products should not be described or visually grouped as concentrated 7‑OH, enhanced 7‑OH, isolated alkaloid or synthetic products.
The unit-and-basis checklist
Before interpreting an alkaloid number, identify all five fields below.
| Field | Question to ask | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Analyte | Which compound was measured? | Mitragynine, 7‑OH, speciogynine |
| Result unit | How is the number expressed? | %, mg/g, µg/g, mg/article |
| Denominator | Relative to what amount? | Gram of dry product, total alkaloid fraction, one tablet |
| Basis | What condition or form applies? | Dry weight, as received, weight/weight, weight/volume |
| Sample identity | Which material and lot were tested? | Finished powder lot, capsule lot, extract lot |
If any of these fields is missing, pause. Do not fill the gap with an assumption.
Percent by mass: a fraction of the tested material
A mass percentage describes the mass of the named analyte relative to the mass of the material used as the denominator.
For example, a result of 1.20% mitragynine by mass means 1.20 units of mitragynine per 100 equal mass units of the tested material. On a compatible basis:
1.20% × 10 mg/g per percentage point = 12 mg/g.
That is a mathematical restatement, not a use instruction. It does not tell a person how much product to take, predict effects or establish safety.
The report should make clear whether the percentage is weight/weight, weight/volume, volume/volume, dry weight or another defined expression. NIST advises against mixing descriptive information into unit symbols because a unit alone should not have to carry the entire meaning. In consumer-facing language, the best approach is to state the result and then write the basis in plain language: for example, “percent of finished dry powder by mass.”
Conversion rule for a mass percentage
When the same material and basis are used:
mg/g = percentage × 10
Examples:
- 1.50% = 15 mg/g
- 0.10% = 1 mg/g
- 0.050% = 0.5 mg/g
- 0.040% = 0.4 mg/g
- 0.001% = 0.01 mg/g, or 10 micrograms per gram
To convert mg/g back to percent:
percentage = mg/g ÷ 10
These equations work because one gram contains 1,000 milligrams and one percent represents one part per hundred. They are valid only for compatible mass fractions.
Milligrams per gram: an explicit mass ratio
Milligrams per gram, written mg/g, is often easier to understand than a small percentage because it directly describes milligrams of analyte per gram of material.
A result of 0.5 mg/g 7‑OH means the laboratory reported 0.5 milligram of 7‑OH for each gram of the material on the stated basis. If the report says dry weight, the denominator is one gram of dry material. If it says as received, the denominator includes the sample in its received condition, including its moisture.
The difference can matter. Suppose a botanical powder contains moisture. Removing that moisture reduces the denominator while leaving the dry analyte mass in the calculation. The dry-weight concentration can therefore be numerically higher than the as-received concentration. A customer should not compare an as-received result with a dry-weight legal threshold without an appropriate moisture correction.
What “ppm” means on a mass basis
“Parts per million” is a customary way to describe a small fraction. On a mass-to-mass basis:
1 ppm = 1 milligram per kilogram = 1 microgram per gram
From that relationship:
- 10 ppm = 0.01 mg/g
- 100 ppm = 0.1 mg/g
- 400 ppm = 0.4 mg/g = 0.040%
- 500 ppm = 0.5 mg/g = 0.050%
- 1,000 ppm = 1 mg/g = 0.10%
- 10,000 ppm = 10 mg/g = 1%
The phrase “on a mass basis” is essential. In liquids, ppm may be used informally for a mass-per-volume or volume-per-volume relationship. Density and other information may be required before converting that result to a mass fraction. Do not assume every ppm value is automatically equal to mg/kg unless the report says so or the method defines the basis.
For clarity, A responsible seller should display the laboratory’s reported unit and may add a mathematically equivalent unit in parentheses only after confirming the same mass basis. It should never silently change the laboratory’s unit.
Dry weight versus “as received”
Dry weight basis means the result is calculated relative to the mass remaining after accounting for water under a defined procedure. As received means the result is relative to the sample in the condition supplied to the laboratory.
Consider a simplified example. A laboratory reports 0.036% 7‑OH as received, and the sample contains 10% moisture. If the analyte remains in the dry portion, a rough dry-weight conversion is:
0.036% ÷ (1 − 0.10) = 0.040% dry weight.
This example is mathematical only. A real laboratory should perform or document the appropriate moisture measurement and conversion. A website editor should not recalculate a legal result from a rounded label number.
Ask these questions:
- Does the report state dry weight, wet weight or as received?
- Was moisture measured on the same sample?
- Is the moisture method identified?
- Did the laboratory calculate the converted result, or did the seller?
- Are sufficient significant figures and uncertainty information available near a threshold?
If a law specifies dry weight, an as-received number without the necessary moisture information is not enough for a defensible comparison.
Percent of total alkaloids is a different denominator
Some rules refer to 7‑OH as a percentage of the total alkaloid composition or alkaloid fraction. This is not the same as percentage of total product mass.
Imagine a purely mathematical example in which a finished material contains:
- 1.50% total measured alkaloids by product mass; and
- 0.015% 7‑OH by product mass.
The share of 7‑OH within that defined total would be:
0.015 ÷ 1.50 × 100 = 1% of the measured total alkaloids.
The same 7‑OH result is therefore 0.015% of the product but 1% of the defined alkaloid total. Both statements can be numerically correct while answering different questions.
This calculation also depends on what counts as “total.” A panel of two analytes produces a different sum from a panel of ten. Some laboratories may use a validated total-alkaloid method rather than adding individually reported compounds. A report should define the approach before a percentage of total alkaloids is used for regulatory comparison.
Colorado provides a useful example of why the denominator matters. Colorado SB25-072, signed May 29, 2025, prohibits manufacturing, packaging, labeling or distributing a kratom product that contains synthesized or semi-synthesized kratom alkaloids or has 7‑OH in the alkaloid fraction greater than 2% of the alkaloid composition of the product. The official bill summary identifies that specific alkaloid-fraction basis; it is not simply “2% by product weight.” See Colorado SB25-072.
Milligrams per article, container, unit and serving
Absolute-mass statements need a clearly defined object.
- mg per article means milligrams in the article defined by the rule or report.
- mg per unit might mean one capsule, tablet, pouch or other single item.
- mg per container means the total in the entire retail package.
- mg per serving depends on the serving definition, which may contain more than one unit.
These phrases are not interchangeable.
If a package contains four tablets and a report shows 0.8 mg of an analyte per tablet, the mathematical total is 3.2 mg per four-tablet package. That does not mean the result is 3.2 mg per article if the applicable rule defines each tablet as a separate article. Conversely, if a rule treats the full packaged preparation as the article, a per-tablet number may not resolve the comparison. The legal definition must be read, not guessed.
To calculate total analyte mass from a concentration:
total mg = mg/g × product mass in grams
For example, 0.4 mg/g in a 25 g material corresponds mathematically to 10 mg across that material, assuming homogeneity and compatible bases. It does not prove every portion is identical. It is not a serving recommendation. The actual legal treatment may depend on the product form and how the governing text defines an article.
Worked comparison: why a single result can cross one threshold but not another
Suppose a finished dry botanical material has these hypothetical laboratory results:
- 7‑OH: 0.045% dry weight
- total measured alkaloids: 1.50% dry weight
- package mass: 20 g
Compatible mass conversions give:
- 0.045% = 0.45 mg/g = 450 ppm by mass
- total 7‑OH in 20 g = 0.45 mg/g × 20 g = 9 mg
- 7‑OH as a share of the stated total alkaloids = 0.045 ÷ 1.50 × 100 = 3%
This single hypothetical material is below 0.050% dry weight, above 400 ppm dry weight, and above 2% of the stated alkaloid total. That does not itself decide legality, because product definitions, effective dates, exemptions, methods and jurisdiction still matter. It shows why “below one threshold” is not a nationwide compliance conclusion.
The federal 7‑OH threshold is proposed, not effective law
As of this guide’s August 28, 2026 review date, DEA’s federal 7‑OH threshold document is a proposed amendment and notice of intent. The Federal Register says a temporary scheduling order would impose Schedule I controls when it is issued. A notice of intent is not the same as an effective scheduling order.
The proposal describes three categories:
- Botanical Mitragyna speciosa material containing more than 0.050% 7‑OH on a dry-weight basis.
- Synthetically produced articles containing more than 0.050% by weight/weight, weight/volume or volume/volume, or more than 1.00 mg of 7‑OH in the article.
- Further-processed plant-derived forms—including extracts, concentrates, processed edibles or pressed pills—above the same percentage or per-article thresholds described in the notice.
The official text appears in 91 FR 40917, published July 6, 2026.
HHS later extended the related request-for-information comment period. Comments are due September 10, 2026, under docket HHS-OASH-2026-0232. That extension solicits input on the proposed threshold; it does not convert the proposal into an effective order. See 91 FR 55104, published August 26, 2026.
Kiody’s legal and educational pages should use precise status language:
“DEA has published a federal notice of intent proposing thresholds for temporary Schedule I control of 7‑OH. As of August 28, 2026, the threshold action is not an effective federal scheduling order. HHS extended the threshold-comment deadline to September 10, 2026.”
The page should be reviewed again when an official order, withdrawal, revision, court action or new notice appears.
State thresholds may use different mathematics
State rules can be more restrictive than a federal proposal and can become effective on different dates. A state example should always list the jurisdiction, legal instrument, status, effective date, product scope and exact measurement basis.
Kentucky: 400 ppm on a dry-weight basis
Kentucky’s current 902 KAR 55:015 designates 7‑OH concentrated above 400 parts per million on a dry-weight basis as Schedule I and expressly states that the designation does not apply to mitragynine. The amendment took effect March 12, 2026. The regulation says businesses selling products above the limit need to remove them from shelves and return them to the distributor. See the official Kentucky regulation.
On a compatible mass basis, 400 ppm equals 0.4 mg/g or 0.040%. That conversion makes the number easier to compare mathematically, but the authoritative wording remains the regulation’s own dry-weight ppm threshold.
Kentucky has also enacted broader future kratom provisions taking effect January 1, 2027. That future date should be tracked separately from the currently effective 400 ppm rule. A future law should never be presented as if it already governs today’s sale or possession. See Kentucky HB 757 and its official enacted text.
Colorado: percentage of the alkaloid composition
Colorado’s enacted law uses a different denominator: 7‑OH in the alkaloid fraction greater than 2% of the product’s alkaloid composition. It also addresses synthesized and semi-synthesized kratom alkaloids and sets a 21+ sales framework. A product-mass percentage cannot be compared directly with this threshold until the relevant total alkaloid composition is validly determined.
These two examples demonstrate the problem with a generic “7‑OH compliant” badge. Compliance is not a single nationwide laboratory value. The claim would require product-form analysis, lot-specific data, current law for each destination, defined calculation methods and ongoing legal review.
Ordinary botanical leaf, extract, enhanced and synthetic products
Product form belongs next to the result because form changes what customers and regulators may be looking at.
Ordinary botanical leaf powder is ground plant material. A report may describe it as leaf powder, botanical powder or Mitragyna speciosa leaf. A pure-leaf capsule is a capsule filled with that powder, subject to the actual ingredient statement.
Extracts and concentrates are further-processed forms designed to concentrate selected constituents or remove portions of the original plant matrix. Their numbers should not be casually compared with leaf values.
Enhanced products contain an added or increased constituent relative to ordinary botanical material. FDA’s 7‑OH warning specifically distinguishes trace naturally occurring 7‑OH from added or enhanced levels.
Synthetic or semi-synthetic alkaloid products involve compounds produced or transformed by chemical processes. A label that uses a leaf-themed brand, green color or botanical illustration does not change the product’s actual composition.
The product page, ingredient statement, report and laboratory sample description should agree. Red flags include:
- A product sold as “leaf” while the report identifies an extract
- A report for raw material attached to a differently formulated finished product
- A product making a precise alkaloid claim without a lot-matched report
- A “total alkaloid” number with no list or method definition
- A 7‑OH number reported without a unit or denominator
- A certificate image whose lot number does not match the package
- A report date that predates the material or batch it supposedly covers
ND, LOD and LOQ are not synonyms for zero
Low-level alkaloid results often use abbreviations:
- ND usually means “not detected” under the method’s reporting convention.
- LOD is the limit of detection—the minimum level that can be reliably distinguished from zero under the method.
- LOQ is the limit of quantitation—the minimum level that can be quantified with acceptable precision under the method.
FDA’s Elemental Analysis Manual glossary defines LOD and LOQ in those terms. Although that manual is written for elemental analysis, the measurement concepts help customers understand why “not detected” is not the same as “proven absent.” See the FDA EAM glossary.
If a report says “ND” for 7‑OH but does not show the LOD or LOQ, the reader cannot tell whether the method was sensitive enough for a particular threshold. A method with an LOQ above the legal limit cannot provide a precise quantified comparison at that limit.
Reports may also use “<LOQ,” which generally indicates the method detected or estimated a signal below the level it can reliably quantify. The exact laboratory convention should be stated. A responsible seller should not rewrite “<LOQ” as “zero.”
Measurement uncertainty and rounding near a limit
Every measurement is an estimate. NIST describes measurement uncertainty as a parameter associated with a result that characterizes the dispersion of values reasonably attributable to the measured quantity. Read NIST’s measurement uncertainty overview.
This matters near a threshold. A displayed result of 0.050% may be rounded from a value slightly above or below it. A report may also provide expanded uncertainty, a coverage factor or a decision rule. The legal text may say “greater than,” “at or above,” “not more than” or “less than,” and those phrases are not equivalent.
A responsible review asks:
- How many significant figures does the laboratory report?
- Was the value rounded before comparison?
- Does the report state uncertainty?
- Does the specification define a decision rule?
- Does the law say “greater than” or use another boundary term?
- Was the correct dry-weight, whole-product or alkaloid-fraction basis used?
Website staff should not make an independent compliance declaration from a rounded screenshot. Borderline results belong with qualified laboratory and legal reviewers.
A report is only as useful as its sample and lot match
Even perfectly converted units do not solve a sample-identity problem. A certificate of analysis applies to the sample the laboratory received. The customer needs a defensible link between that sample and the finished package.
Check for:
- Product or material name
- Lot or batch number
- Sample matrix and form
- Date received and date tested
- Laboratory name and report identifier
- Method reference
- Result, unit and basis
- Detection or reporting limits
- Authorized review or signature
- Amendments or superseded versions
Raw-leaf results may help qualify incoming material, but they do not automatically describe a finished capsule product if the filling, blending or packaging process created a new lot. Similarly, a finished powder report should not be attached to an extract page merely because the marketing name is similar.
Sampling matters too. Alkaloids may not be perfectly uniform throughout a large lot. A composite or representative sample may provide broader evidence than a single grab sample, but the sampling plan should be defined. Retesting one convenient portion after an unexpected result does not automatically invalidate the first result.
A seven-step customer reading method
Customers do not need to become analytical chemists. They need a repeatable way to slow down and ask the right questions.
Step 1: Match the lot
Compare the lot number on the report with the package. If the package lacks a lot number or the numbers do not match, stop treating the report as product-specific evidence.
Step 2: Confirm the product form
Determine whether the report covers botanical leaf, finished powder, leaf-filled capsules, extract, concentrate, edible, pressed tablet or another form.
Step 3: Locate each named analyte
Find mitragynine and 7‑OH separately. Do not infer one from “total alkaloids.”
Step 4: Circle the unit and denominator
Write down exactly what the result means: percent of dry product, mg/g as received, ppm dry weight, percent of total alkaloids or mg per article.
Step 5: Check reporting limits
For ND or very low values, look for LOD, LOQ or another reporting limit. The method must be capable of addressing the question.
Step 6: Compare only compatible bases
Convert values only when the analyte, sample, mass or volume basis and denominator are compatible. Do not convert a percentage of total alkaloids into product-mass percentage without the total-alkaloid value and method.
Step 7: Verify current jurisdiction and status
Check whether the cited rule applies to the product form and destination, whether it is enacted or proposed, and whether its effective date has arrived.
Frequently asked questions
Is 1% the same as 10 mg/g?
Yes, when both values describe the same mass fraction of the same material on the same basis. One percent by mass equals 10 milligrams per gram.
Is 0.050% the same as 500 ppm?
Yes on a compatible mass basis. Both also equal 0.5 mg/g. The conversion may not apply to a differently defined liquid, volume or alkaloid-fraction result.
Is 400 ppm the same as 0.040%?
Yes on a compatible mass basis. Kentucky’s rule expressly uses 400 ppm on a dry-weight basis, so the dry-weight condition remains part of the legal comparison.
Does “2% of total alkaloids” mean 2% of the product?
No. It means 7‑OH is compared with the defined alkaloid composition, not the product’s entire mass. The total-alkaloid method and included analytes matter.
Does an ND result prove there is no 7‑OH?
No. ND means not detected under the laboratory’s method and convention. The LOD, LOQ and reporting basis show how sensitive that statement is.
Why can dry-weight and as-received results differ?
Water contributes to as-received mass but is excluded from a dry-weight denominator. Accounting for moisture can change the numerical concentration.
Is a mitragynine result a measure of “strength”?
It is a chemical measurement for a named analyte in a sample. It should not be turned into an effects prediction, individual response guarantee or medical claim.
Can I calculate milligrams in a package from mg/g?
Mathematically, multiply mg/g by the package mass in grams when the sample is homogeneous and the bases match. That package total is not dosage advice and may not answer a law that defines “article” differently.
Does a federal 7‑OH threshold apply now?
As of August 28, 2026, DEA’s published threshold document is a proposed amendment and notice of intent, not an effective scheduling order. HHS extended comments on the proposed threshold through September 10, 2026.
Can a product meet the federal proposal and still violate state law?
Yes. State thresholds can be lower, use a different denominator or regulate different forms. A federal proposal also does not preempt more restrictive state law.
Is a certificate enough to show nationwide compliance?
No. The report must match the lot and form, and the legal analysis must account for each jurisdiction, product definition, threshold, effective date and local restriction.
Does Kiody sell concentrated 7‑OH?
No. Kiody’s product and educational pages should clearly separate ordinary botanical leaf powder and pure-leaf capsules from extracts, enhanced 7‑OH and synthetic or semi-synthetic alkaloid products.
Bottom line
Kratom alkaloid results become understandable when four things stay attached to every number: the named analyte, unit, denominator and basis. Percent, mg/g and ppm may be converted on a compatible mass basis, but percentage of total alkaloids, dry-weight percentage, milligrams per article and milligrams per container answer different questions.
The most reliable reading process is to match the lot, confirm the product form, identify mitragynine and 7‑OH separately, preserve the laboratory’s units, review detection limits and compare the result only with a rule written on the same basis. Near a legal threshold, rounding, uncertainty, moisture and the exact boundary language matter.
No single alkaloid number proves safety, effects, quality or nationwide legality. It is one piece of a larger system that includes representative sampling, validated methods, traceability, accurate labeling, contaminant testing, current legal review and honest product descriptions.
Primary and authoritative sources
- U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, “Schedules of Controlled Substance: Temporary Placement of 7-Hydroxymitragynine Above a Specified Threshold in Schedule I,” 91 FR 40917, July 6, 2026.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “Hydroxymitragynine Above a Specified Threshold in Schedule I; Extension of Comment Period,” 91 FR 55104, August 26, 2026.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Products Containing 7‑OH Can Cause Serious Harm, July 29, 2025.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA and Kratom, updated December 2, 2025.
- Kentucky Legislative Research Commission, 902 KAR 55:015—Schedules of controlled substances, effective March 12, 2026 amendment.
- Colorado General Assembly, SB25-072—Regulation of Kratom, signed May 29, 2025.
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST Guide to the SI, Chapter 7.
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, SI Unit Rules and Style Conventions Checklist.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Elemental Analysis Manual Glossary and Acronyms, definitions of LOD and LOQ.
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Measurement Uncertainty.
- Kentucky Legislative Research Commission, HB 757—2026 Regular Session, enacted 2026; relevant future provisions take effect January 1, 2027.