What is kratom? Risks of popular substance revealed after college students' deaths

The deaths of two University of Mississippi students have raised fresh questions about the potential health risks of kratom .

The students died Monday at separate locations on campus.

During both investigations, authorities recovered packaged kratom that was purchased from a retail store, according to a Lafayette County Metro Narcotics news release shared by the Oxford Police Department.

Authorities have not confirmed whether the substance played a role in the students’ deaths.

PRESLEY GERBER’S DEATH SPARKS QUESTIONS ABOUT OVERDOSE, WITHDRAWAL AND REHAB SAFETY Kratom is a plant-based substance often marketed as a natural option for pain relief or opioid withdrawal, but experts warn that it can cause dependence, dangerous interactions and other serious health complications.

"Kratom acts as a stimulant at low doses, which could provoke heart arrhythmia," Fox News senior medical analyst told Fox News Digital.

"At high doses, it acts more like an opioid, and so can suppress breathing." Kratom is widely available, Jessica Steinman, chief clinical officer at No Matter What Recovery in Los Angeles, told Fox News Digital.

"We are starting to see it storefronts, at your local gas stations, smoke shops and health food stores, where it's being sold as an energy booster," she said.

"People are starting to buy it over the counter and use it incorrectly, and use mass amounts of it." DR DREW PINSKY REVEALS RED FLAG IN PRESLEY GERBER ADDICTION TREATMENT BEFORE MODEL'S DEATH "It's affecting the opioid receptors in people's brains ," she went on.

"It can cause them to be overly sedated, it can slow down their breathing and general function of their lungs." Kratom can also become highly addictive, Steinman warned.

Traditional kratom products generally contain lower levels of active compounds, while newer 7-OH products are often concentrated or enhanced to produce stronger, more stimulating effects, she noted.

7-OH products contain 7-hydroxymitragynine, a potent opioid-related compound found in kratom.

AMERICA HITS MAJOR MARIJUANA MILESTONE AS DAILY WEED USE SURPASSES DAILY DRINKING Although kratom laws vary by state and locality, Steinman said regulators are increasingly focused on the concentrated 7-OH products and synthetic kratom-related compounds, rather than traditional botanical kratom containing only trace amounts of 7-OH.

As to why there has been an uptick in kratom use among young people , Steinman said she believes many of them are learning about it from social media or through their friends.