How to Spot a Fake or Low-Quality Kratom Product

Use these checks to ensure your kratom is authentic, lab-verified, and safe — not adulterated, stale, or mislabeled.

Quick 60-second checklist

Good

AKA GMP seal on site/packaging and batch-linked third-party COA is visible or provided on request.

Good

Packaging is sealed, labeled with weight, strain, origin, storage/use info, and test/quality notes.

Caution

Price is far below market or site looks sloppy (broken images, vague product details, no return policy).

Caution

Color/texture looks dull gray/brown, gritty, or clumpy rather than a fine earthy-green powder.

Red flag

Odor/taste is chemical or musty instead of naturally grassy-bitter.

1️⃣ Verify the Vendor (AKA-GMP)

Confirm the seller appears on the AKA GMP Qualified Vendors list and shows annual third-party audits. If they won’t share proof or a COA, skip the product.

2️⃣ Demand a Real COA

A legitimate vendor provides a batch-matched Certificate of Analysis with collection/test dates, lab name, and methods. Look for heavy metals, microbials, pesticides, and a full alkaloid profile (not just “mitragynine only”).

Batch # on COA matches packaging
Panel breadth: heavy metals, pathogens, pesticides, alkaloids
Third-party lab, not “in-house only”

3️⃣ Packaging & Labeling

Authentic products are airtight and clearly labeled with weight, strain, origin, storage/use, and testing details. Unsealed bags or missing info are warning signs.

4️⃣ Website & Reputation

Check the site and community chatter. Vague sourcing, cheap pricing, broken pages, or no return policy indicate low standards. Verify vendor feedback on Reddit or Discord.

5️⃣ Visual & Texture Check

Natural kratom is a fine, smooth, earthy-green powder. Dull gray, gritty, or clumpy textures suggest fillers or moisture contamination.

6️⃣ Smell & Taste

Real kratom smells grassy/tea-like and tastes bitter but natural. Chemical or musty odors mean age or adulteration — test cautiously.

7️⃣ Marketing Sanity Check

Avoid products labeled “pharmaceutical-grade,” “ultra-potent,” “enhanced” without full lab data. Real kratom depends on its natural alkaloid balance, not spiked extracts.

8️⃣ Advanced COA Read

In a complete alkaloid report, 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) should represent less than 2 % of the overall kratom alkaloid fraction. Natural leaf typically shows it far lower than mitragynine.

Also check for: speciogynine, paynantheine, and speciociliatine — these minor alkaloids confirm genuine plant chemistry. Missing spectra can indicate extracts or synthetic adulteration.

Pro tip: A COA listing most alkaloids as “ND” (non-detect) is suspicious. Natural leaf chemistry is complex — look for transparent reporting and consistent batch data.

Sources: AKA GMP program · AKA vendor list