Our sons died on kratom — people don't realize it's so dangerous
Weeks before, he told his mom, Pam Mauldin, things were getting serious with the woman he was dating — his 'one big desire' to have kids was finally in reach, Mauldin recalled.
Days before, he helped a friend plant a flower garden for a baby shower. 'He loved life. He loved doing things outdoors,' Mauldin told The Post.
Advertisement
Then, on the day of his death, McKibban went to his longtime job at an organic food distributor. When he got home, he mixed a tablespoon of a powdered kratom supplement into his lemonade.
11 Jordan McKibban died at age 37 while taking kratom, an 'all-natural' supplement available online and in stores.
Courtesy Pam Mauldin
11 Jordan's mom, Pam Mauldin (second from right), spoke to The Post to warn other parents — and thinks kratom should be pulled from shelves.
Courtesy Pam Mauldin
Marketed as an 'all-natural' way to ease pain, anxiety, depression and more, kratom can appeal to health-conscious people like McKibban, who Mauldin says wouldn't even take ibuprofen for the arthritis in his hands.
Advertisement
But on that Tuesday in April 2022, a compound in the substance called mitragynine took McKibban's life, an autopsy report later showed.
When Mauldin broke into his bathroom after a call from her grandson that day, she found McKibban lifeless. She performed CPR on her own son and shielded her eyes when medics carried his gray body away.
'I've lost my son. I've lost my grandchildren that I could have had, I've lost watching him walk down that aisle, watching him have a life that I get to watch with my other kids. I've lost enjoying these years with him,' Mauldin said.
Advertisement
'I have to go to the cemetery, and I hate going to the cemetery. He shouldn't be there,' she added.
From dizziness to nonresponsiveness
Kratom products — sold in powders, gummies and energy-looking drinks — come from a plant native to Southeast Asia and can act like a stimulant at lower doses and a sedative at higher ones.
'Kratom does act like an opioid, and people can become addicted to it and have withdrawal from it and overdose on it.' Dr. Robert Levy, addiction and family medicine doctor
While they're readily found online, in brick-and-mortar stores and even gas stations as catch-all solutions to everything from fatigue to opioid withdrawal, the Food and Drug Administration says kratom and its key components are 'not lawfully marketed' in the US as a drug product, dietary supplement or food additive.
Advertisement
11 Kratom, which comes in powders, gummies and drinks, can have serious side effects.
AP
The products, though, are gaining attention on social media, as TikTokers reveal disturbing interactions with teens going great lengths to get their hands on drinks like Feel Free.
The shot-like capsules of kratom and other 'botanic' ingredients look innocent enough and line some gas station checkouts.
National poison control centers documented 1,807 calls about kratom exposures between 2011 and 2017, and 'it's only been increasing since then,' Dr. Michael Greco, an emergency medicine physician in Florida, said.
Patients on kratom 'can have a lot of agitation, sometimes even psychosis,' he added. 'You get sweating, you get dizziness, you get very high blood pressure or elevated heart rate.' On the other end of the spectrum, he noted, 'people might be totally unresponsive or just extremely drowsy and out of it.'
11 Feel Free, shot-like capsules of kratom and other 'botanic' ingredients, have recently earned attention on TikTok.
Feel Free Tonics
While documented deaths from kratom are rare and typically involve other substances like fentanyl, critics say consumers are unaware of kratom's potential dangers. Manufacturers aren't required to verify if what is listed on the label accurately reflects what's inside the product.
McKibban, for one, was told it was impossible to overdose on kratom; that he'd just throw up if he took too much, Mauldin said. The green cellophane bags he left behind had no instructions or warnings.
Advertisement
'I find it so frustrating when I get a recall from Costco over lettuce or they have a recall over some potato chip … and they pull it all off the market,' Mauldin, whose lawsuit alleges kratom is 63 times more deadly than other 'natural' products sold to consumers, noted.
'There have been hundreds of people killed from this, and they don't pull it. The government doesn't step in,' she added.
11 'I've lost my son. I've lost my grandchildren that I could have had, I've lost watching him walk down that aisle, watching him have a life,' Mauldin said.
Courtesy Pam Mauldin
11 'I have to go to the cemetery, and I hate going to the cemetery. He shouldn't be there,' Mauldin said.
Courtesy Pam Mauldin
An even more potent danger
Experts are especially concerned with a highly potent, highly addictive kratom offshoot called 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, which seems to have infiltrated the market in the past few years, said Dr. Robert Levy, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota who's board-certified in both addiction and family medicine.
Advertisement
Many people don't know the difference.
'There's always been concern around kratom because if you take enough of it, kratom does act like an opioid, and people can become addicted to it and have withdrawal from it and overdose on it and ruin their lives on it, like anybody else that has a substance use disorder,' Levy said.
7-hydroxymitragynine, though, 'is much more addicting and much more problematic.'
Advertisement
In fact, just last week, the FDA recommended classifying 7-OH as an illicit substance.
'7-OH is an opioid that can be more potent than morphine,' FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, said in a press release. 'We need regulation and public education to prevent another wave of the opioid epidemic.'
11 People on kratom can experience agitation, psychosis, sweating, dizziness, hypertension and elevated heart rate.
Courtesy Pam Mauldin
In the meantime, according to Levy, parents should be having open conversations with their kids about the appeals, dangers and addictive potential of kratom — and the fact that 'all-natural' or 'plant-based' doesn't necessarily mean safe. 'Arsenic is also from a plant,' he says.
Advertisement
As for people who say kratom helps them wean off other substances 'and they can control their use and they're getting their life back together, then who am I to judge?' Levy said.
'I just worry that because they can't control the use of something, the part of their brain that controls the use of psychoactive drugs is fundamentally broken, and I worry they'll continue to take more and more of it until they develop a kratom use disorder.'
'The level of kratom shocked me. It overwhelmed me. It made my gut sick. I didn't realize it was so addicting.' Jennifer Young
'[If] the part of their brain that controls the use of psychoactive drugs is fundamentally broken, I worry they'll continue to take more and more of it until they develop a kratom use disorder,' he said.
'If your child or you or whoever is suffering from a substance disorder, you're not alone,' Levy added. 'Lots of people suffer from substance disorder. There is help, treatment works.'
11 Jennifer Young's son, Johnny Loring, was taking kratom — and she didn't worry because it's marketed as an 'all-natural, safe alternative.'
Courtesy Jennifer Young
'No money on my child's life'
For Jennifer Young, that message came too late.
The mom in Columbus, Ohio, first googled kratom a few years ago after her son, Johnny Loring, mentioned he was using it for anxiety. What she found didn't alarm her.
'I saw it's this 'all-natural, safe alternative,' and then people are like, 'It's wonderful, it saved my life, helps with my anxiety, helps with my pain, it's a cure-all,'' Young remembered. 'So I didn't really think it was that bad.'
11 'Everybody loved Johnny,' Young says. 'He was the kind of guy that would give you the shirt off his back, the last dollar in his pocket.'
Courtesy Jennifer Young
Plus, Loring, a delivery driver for a flooring company who loved fishing and playing guitar, found kratom helped him stay alert and communicate with his customers. He valued those relationships.
'Everybody loved Johnny,' Young said. 'He was the kind of guy that would give you the shirt off his back, the last dollar in his pocket. He didn't care if you needed a ride, he'd give it to you. Anything you needed, he would be there for you in a heartbeat.'
Even when Loring started having seizures, neither Young nor clinicians traced them back to kratom. At the hospital, 'they told me that everything was fine and they referred me to a seizure clinic,' Young added.
Loring never got the chance to go. Weeks later, at age 27, he collapsed during an annual mushroom hunting trip with the men in his family and his new girlfriend. By the time the ambulance got to him, he was dead.
A toxicology report revealed deadly levels of mitragynine and gabapentin, a prescription painkiller, in his system.
11 At age 27, Loring collapsed during an annual mushroom hunting trip with the men in his family and his new girlfriend. By the time the ambulance got to him, he was dead.
Courtesy Jennifer Young
11 'Our house is silent now. The void of Johnny is just loud,' Young says. 'I just hope that someday I can get back to enjoying things, because I know he would want me to. But right now, I don't enjoy anything.'
Courtesy Jennifer Young
'The level of kratom shocked me. It overwhelmed me. It made my gut sick,' said Young, who later found about 20 packs of kratom, which he drank with orange juice, around Loring's room. 'I didn't realize it was so addicting.'
Like Mauldin, Young is pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit. But, she added, 'there's no amount of money I could put on my child's life.'
After Loring's death last spring, she spent a year in bed and got on antidepressants for the first time. One of her other children has been hospitalized for panic attacks. Christmas was 'miserable,' she said.
'Our house is silent now. The void of Johnny is just loud,' Young added. 'I just hope that someday I can get back to enjoying things, because I know he would want me to. But right now, I don't enjoy anything.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Buzz Feed
2 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
"Healthy" Habit Could Decrease Lifespan, Experts Say
Getting 10,000 steps a day. Improving your VO2 max. Putting berries on your breakfast. What are the habits you embrace in an effort to live a long, healthy life? Certainly it's the routines we do regularly that impact our health the most. But there's one well-intentioned habit in particular that longevity experts say can actually take years off your life instead of adding more to it: eating too much animal-based protein. Thought a high-protein diet was a good thing? As doctors explain here, getting too much can backfire. Why Overemphasizing Protein Isn't Actually Healthy Before we get into why too much protein isn't good for longevity, it's important to note that the nutrient is absolutely important. Dr. Suzanne J. Ferree, who is double-board-certified in family medicine and anti-aging and regenerative medicine, told HuffPost that it's especially important to get enough as we age. 'The common theory is that we need to cut protein-rich foods as we age, but the research actually only supports this in younger people, not in those of us over 50,' Ferree said. Scientific research backs this up, showing that older adults need more protein than younger adults because our bodies naturally lose muscle as we age. So yes, protein is absolutely important. How much protein a person needs each day varies based on one's individual health and needs, but the Food and Drug Administration recommends aiming for 50 grams of protein a day as part of a 2,000-calorie diet. The problem is that many people are eating more protein than they need. On top of that, Americans are overconsuming a specific type of protein that isn't all that healthy. In general, there are two types of proteins: animal-based proteins and plant-based proteins. Research has shown that plant-based proteins are healthier than animal-based proteins. Unfortunately, Americans are consuming more of the latter than the former. 'A common mistake is the overemphasis on consuming a high-protein diet, particularly one rich in animal-based proteins, with the belief that it is essential for longevity and muscle preservation. Many people assume that the more protein they consume, the healthier they will be, leading to an overconsumption of animal products like meat, dairy and eggs,' said Dr. Monisha Bhanote, a quintuple-board-certified physician and longevity expert. Most Americans are eating about 100 grams of protein a day, double the recommended amount. According to a Dietary Guidelines for Americans report, 75% of Americans meet or exceed the recommendation for meat, poultry and eggs. Bhanote says this is exactly what can take years off one's life. 'Excessive consumption of animal-based proteins can actually accelerate aging and undermine cellular health, contrary to popular belief,' she said. She explained that the biggest reasons for this come down to two harmful compounds: advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO). 'AGEs are harmful compounds that form when proteins or fats combine with sugar in the bloodstream,' Bhanote said. She explained that animal-based foods — especially if they are grilled, fried or roasted — are high in AGEs. Research shows that these compounds can accumulate in your tissues and, over time, can lead to oxidative stress and inflammation, which are key drivers of cellular aging. 'AGEs damage proteins, DNA and other vital cellular structures, accelerating the aging process and contributing to chronic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's,' Bhanote said. What about TMAO? Bhanote explained that elevated levels of TMAO have been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, heart attack and stroke — all of which obviously are not good for longevity. 'TMAO promotes the accumulation of cholesterol in the arteries and impairs the body's ability to remove it, leading to inflammation and further damage to the cardiovascular system. This not only compromises heart health but also affects overall cellular function and longevity,' Bhanote said. Related to the mistake many people make of overemphasizing protein in their diet, Raghav Sehgal, a Ph.D. student and Gruber fellow at Yale University whose research focuses on human aging, told HuffPost that one common mistake people make when it comes to longevity is focusing on 'miracle diets' promising fast results. The biggie that's relevant here: the ketogenic diet, which prioritizes fat and protein while minimizing carbohydrates. For many people doing keto, meat and eggs are hero foods; however, as previously explained, eating too many animal products can take years off your life. So, how should we approach protein with an eye toward longevity? Bhanote and Sehgal are of the same mind about this: Eat more protein-rich plants and fish. While fish certainly isn't a plant, it is thought of differently than animal-based proteins because it has a completely different nutritional makeup than meat, and scientific research has repeatedly shown benefits to human health when consumed regularly. Eating fish regularly has been associated with reducing the risk of premature death by 12%. Sehgal explained that plant-based proteins (such as beans, lentils, chickpeas, soy, nuts and seeds) are loaded with antioxidants, fiber and nutrients that keep our hearts healthy, reduce inflammation and lower the risk of chronic diseases. 'These foods are naturally low in AGEs and do not contribute to TMAO production, making them much gentler on your cells and overall health,' Bhanote added. Scientific studies show that having a diet that prioritizes plant-based proteins lowers the risk of mortality associated with cardiovascular disease and other causes. In other words, replacing animal proteins with plant proteins can add years to your life. While most Americans meet or exceed the protein recommendation for meat, poultry and eggs, 90% of Americans aren't meeting the recommended guidelines for seafood. Sehgal told HuffPost that seafood high in protein and unsaturated fats supports brain health, promotes hormone balance and helps fight inflammation — all of which contribute to longevity. Again, no one is disputing that protein is important. It's crucial to get enough and, as Ferree pointed out, it's especially important to get enough as we age. But other nutrients are important too, which is why Sehgal said the best diet for longevity is a balanced one that includes a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods. The benefit of eating a balanced diet full of plants certainly isn't revolutionary news, but it is backed up by many scientific studies. When it comes to longevity — and health in general — science-backed wins out over trendy and new. HuffPost.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Family issues warning as son dies after taking highly addictive over-the-counter supplement: ‘The government doesn't step in'
A family in Washington is warning about the dangers of kratom — a supplement that can be bought in some gas stations — after they say their son died from using the substance. On the day Jordan McKibban, 37, died in 2022, he reportedly mixed kratom with his lemonade, according to his mother, Pam Mauldin, who spoke to the New York Post. Kratom is marketed as an "all-natural" supplement that can help reduce pain, anxiety, and depression, among other ailments. For some individuals who are wary of typical pharmaceutical medicines — as McKibban reportedly was — kratom can be an attractive alternative. Mauldin found her son unconscious in his room after he drank the kratom-lemonade mixture. She attempted CPR, but could not revive him. 'I've lost my son. I've lost my grandchildren that I could have had, I've lost watching him walk down that aisle, watching him have a life that I get to watch with my other kids. I've lost enjoying these years with him,' she told the New York Post. After his death, an autopsy found that McKibban death was caused by mitragynine, which is found in ktraom. Kratom is made from a Southeast Asian plant and can act as a stimulant when taken in lower doses and a sedative when taken at higher doses. The substance can be bought from online retailers and in stores legally. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration notes that kratom hasn't been shown to be safe or effective at treating any medical conditions. The agency has described it as a "drug of concern." Despite its open availability, national poison control centers have documented 1,807 calls about kratom exposure between 2011 and 2017, and the calls are becoming more frequent, according to Dr Michael Greco, who spoke to the New York Post. He warned that kratom use can, in some people, cause them to experience agitation and "sometimes even psychosis." However, kratom deaths are rare. In McKibban's situation, he was told that he could not overdose on the substance, and that he would simply vomit if he took too much, according to his mother. She noted that her son's kratom bags had no instructions on them or dosage suggestions. 'There have been hundreds of people killed from this, and they don't pull it. The government doesn't step in,' she said. That may be changing. U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F Kennedy Jr announced in late July that he plans to crack down on kratom. 'I became an addict because [heroin] was so available, but I had to go to the South Bronx or the Lower East Side. But now you can go to any gas station,' Kennedy told reporters on July 29 while discussing the substance. 'They're marketing them to children: They're gummy bears, they're bright colors, they're candy-flavored. This is really a sinister, sinister industry.' He was referring to a reportedly more addictive and possibly more dangerous offshoot of kratom called 7-hydroxymitragynine. Dr Robert Levy, an addiction and family doctor, told the New York Post that the substance can have similar effects to opioids. 'There's always been concern around kratom because if you take enough of it, kratom does act like an opioid, and people can become addicted to it and have withdrawal from it and overdose on it and ruin their lives on it, like anybody else that has a substance use disorder,' Levy said. He said the offshoot product that is "much more addicting and much more problematic" has infiltrated the market, and many consumers don't know the difference. The FDA recently recommended 7-hydroxymitragynine be classified as an illicit substance. '7-OH is an opioid that can be more potent than morphine,' FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, said in a press release. 'We need regulation and public education to prevent another wave of the opioid epidemic.' Levy recommended that parents talk to their children or loved ones about the substance and remind them that just because something is "all-natural" and plant-derived does not mean it's safe for consumption. "Arsenic is also from a plant," he noted. He advised that anyone with a family member struggling with substance abuse of any kind to seek out available resources and treatment options. Solve the daily Crossword
The Hill
4 hours ago
- The Hill
FDA flags problems with two Boston Scientific heart devices tied to injuries and deaths
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health regulators are warning doctors and patients about safety issues with two separate Boston Scientific heart devices recently linked to injuries and deaths. The Food and Drug Administration issued two alerts Wednesday about electrical problems tied to the company's heart-zapping defibrillator systems and a separate issue with a heart implant used to reduce stroke risk. The agency said the company's Endotak Reliance defibrillator wires can become calcified, leading to failures in delivering life-saving shocks to the heart, according to the FDA. Defibrillators are surgically placed in the upper chest, where they monitor irregular heartbeats and use electrical shocks to jolt the heart back to normal. As of July 24, Boston Scientific has reported 386 serious injuries and 16 deaths associated with this issue, the agency said. Ten of the deaths were judged to be due to the device failing to function properly, the company said in an email. Four were linked to attempts to surgically remove the devices from patients and two others were deemed unrelated to the implants. Boston Scientific's wires were distributed between 2002 and 2021 and are no longer available, the company noted in its letter to doctors. Some patients will need to have the devices replaced, though physicians should weigh the risks of the removal procedure. In a separate notice, the FDA said Boston Scientific recently updated instructions for implanting its Watchman device, which closes a portion of the heart's left atrium to reduce the risk of stroke. In a letter to physicians, the company noted that there is an increased risk of blockages in the bloodstream depending on the level of anesthesia for patients undergoing the initial implantation procedure. Watchman is an alternative to long-term treatment with blood thinners for patients at increased risk of stroke. As of July 30, the company has reported 120 serious injuries and 17 deaths related to the issue, the FDA said. A company investigation concluded that the safety issue 'is not associated with the design or manufacture of any component of the Watchman system. Heart devices, including defibrillators and other implants, are Boston Scientific's largest business, making up two-thirds of its $5 billion in revenue for the most recent quarter. Shares of Boston Scientific Corp. fell nearly 1.8 percent Wednesday to close at $102.95 in trading. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
