Kratom, the herbal supplement at the center of recent government warnings, has now been linked to even more health problems.

The substance has been connected to an outbreak of salmonella cases among 28 people over 20 states, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People are reportedly contracting the illness — which can cause abdominal cramps, diarrhea, fever, and vomit — after consuming kratom in the form of pills, tea, and powder.

No one has died, but 11 people have needed hospitalization. "At this time, CDC recommends that people not consume kratom in any form because it could be contaminated with salmonella," the report states.

Getty Images

Aside from the salmonella risk, kratom is deadly dangerous on its own.

The kratom plant's extract — which can be found online and in stores in pill, powder, and other forms — has been used to treat opioid dependency and manage withdrawal symptoms. The FDA warned in early February that kratom affects the brain exactly like addictive opioids, and that it has the "potential for abuse, addiction, and serious health consequences; including death." Kratom has caused seizures in patients, particularly when mixed with other drugs, and some studies suggest it might cause respiratory depression in high doses.

Back in November, the agency issued another warning against kratom — this time, that the drug had been linked to 36 deaths and could be contributing to the U.S. opioid epidemic. (By the time the FDA made issued a new warning in February, the death count had been updated to 44.)

"There is no reliable evidence to support the use of kratom as a treatment for opioid use disorder and significant safety issues exist," FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, said in the February statement.

"There is no reliable evidence to support the use of kratom as a treatment for opioid use disorder."

Despite the risks, kratom use seems to be on the rise: According to one CDC study, the number of poison-control center calls related to kratom in 2015 were 10 times the number in 2010. In August, a healthy 27-year-old law enforcement officer and bodybuilder died after a kratom overdose.

For tips on managing chronic pain without opioids, click here.

March 1, 2018, 9:47am: This story has been updated.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io