Ep 81: From Pain to Purpose: Inside the Kratom Industry with MitWellness Founder Todd Underwood

Todd Underwood, founder of MitWellness, shares his powerful story of living with chronic pain and then finding hope through Kratom. Diagnosed as a child with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a progressive form of muscular dystrophy, Todd endured decades of severe pain that led to years of heavy opioid use following a heart attack and quadruple bypass. In 2019, after reaching a breaking point, he tried Kratom for the first time, and that day marked the end of his dependence on prescription opioids. Kratom helped him manage his pain without feeling medicated, giving him both relief and clarity. That experience inspired Todd to dedicate his professional life to understanding Kratom and developing safer, compliant products for others like him. Today, through MitWellness, Todd brings an insider's view of the Kratom industry, one grounded in experience, ethics, and regulation. He explains what true GMP compliance looks like, why FDA registration and testing matter, and how unregulated synthetic products like 7 hydroxymitragynine threaten consumer safety and the future of the plant. This conversation goes beyond personal testimony to deliver a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how Kratom should be made, marketed, and protected for years to come.  🍃 RELATED LINKS MitWellness - Founder & CEO American Kratom Association Full show notes for this episode at KratomStoriesPodcast.com/81 🎥 Watch the video on YouTube STAY CONNECTED with us by subscribing to our newsletter! Sign up at KratomStoriesPodcast.com JOIN OUR VIBRANT KRATOM REAL TALK COMMUNITY ON SKOOL: Skool.com/KratomRealTalk 🍃 MADALYN'S RECOMMENDED VENDORS 🍃 Super Speciosa - 20% off with code: KratomStories Happy Hippo - 15% off with code: KratomStories Christopher's Organic Botanicals - 10% off with code: KratomStories Tap here for full list of Madalyn's recommended vendors along with coupon codes! 🍃 FOLLOW US TikTok YouTube X THE KRATOM GALS is a dose of real talk, real stories, and relentless advocacy. Every week, we dive into the latest Kratom headlines, react to videos, and call out misinformation with facts and fierce passion. It's not just a show, it's a movement to protect the plant we love and the people who rely on it. YouTube.com/@KratomStories Please note: The views and experiences shared in this episode are personal and unique to the guest. Kratom, while featured prominently in these stories, is a botanical substance that is unregulated in the U.S. and various countries around the world. The Kratom Stories Podcast and its host, Madalyn Sklar, do not endorse, promote, or encourage the use of Kratom. We simply aim to shed light on personal experiences and narratives related to this plant. If you're considering using Kratom, we strongly urge you to seek professional medical advice, conduct thorough research, and comply with all local laws and guidelines.