Education Theater: FDA on kratom, CBD and mushroom supplements: Where formulation and regulations collide

FDA is in a curious position regarding a few notorious ingredients that have gained quite a consumer following. The three “bad boy” ingredients are kratom, CBD and mushrooms. Kratom, a plant native to Southeast Asia, is not approved as a dietary supplement or drug in the U.S., but its potential benefits for pain management and addiction treatment are under investigation, and kratom retail stores proliferate across the country. A CBD isolate has been approved as a drug by FDA for the treatment of rare child-onset epilepsy diseases, but FDA contests its legality as a dietary supplement when derived from the hemp plant—the 2014 and 2018 farm bills’ language to the contrary notwithstanding. Mushroom supplements, derived from various fungal species, are generally considered safe, but the expanding research and legalization in certain jurisdictions of psychedelic mushrooms have muddied the waters as some companies hop on the microdose bandwagon. Hear updates on the current real-time risk profiles for anyone looking to get into these controversial ingredient classes.