safety · 2026-02-19
EFSA Risk Assessment Finds Kratom Poses Liver and Neurological Risks
Source: Academic Research
Why it matters
The European Food Safety Authority's formal health risk assessment of kratom represents a major regulatory milestone — the first comprehensive EU-level review of kratom's safety profile for consumers.
The big picture
The EFSA assessment's inconclusive findings illustrate the critical need for well-designed kratom studies; without them, European regulators cannot set safe consumption guidelines and kratom's legal status across the EU remains uncertain.
Key findings
- • Kratom consumption can lead to adverse neurological effects including addiction and withdrawal syndrome
- • Liver and kidney toxicity were identified as distinct organ concerns from kratom use
- • Considerable uncertainties prevent derivation of health-based guidance values — too little dose-response data exists
- • The variable alkaloid composition of kratom products makes risk characterization especially difficult
What they say
Systematic risk assessment conducted under the EU-FORA (European Food Risk Assessment Fellowship Programme) by the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin; published in EFSA Journal (2022).
Bottom line
EFSA's formal assessment confirms kratom carries liver, kidney, and neurological risks but lacks sufficient data to set safety thresholds, calling urgently for standardized research.