How to use Kratom safely? The Mitragyna Speciosa leaves are chewed fresh, smoked, or powdered and brewed as a strong tea.
Some suppliers offer kratom extracts — which are made by removing everything but the active ingredients of the kratom resin.
Outside Southeast Asia, the most common way of consuming the plant is to mix the dried, powdered leaves with a glass of water. This produces a strong and bitter drink. It’s unusual for someone to enjoy the flavor of green vein Kratom, but this isn’t why it’s used.
Most users will flavor the beverage with honey or sweetener to help mask some of the disagreeable flavors and wash the rest back as quickly as possible.
What’s The Dose of Kratom?
There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to the best dose of Kratom. There are a lot of variables that affect the dose — including strain selection, the freshness of the leaves, your individual weight, and the desired effects.
We can split the dose of Kratom into two different camps:
- Low-Dose Kratom (2–6 grams of dried powder)
- High-Dose Kratom (6–12 grams of dried powder)
If it’s your first time using the Newest Kratom Products, it’s best to start at the lowest dosage range and increase gradually over several sessions once you know how your body responds.
If you want a more precise estimate on the ideal dose of Kratom for your body — aim to take around 0.03 grams per pound of body weight for the stimulating effects or a dose of 0.06 grams per pound for the sedative and painkilling effects.
What Does Kratom Feel Like?
Kratom is a complex plant — there are 16 key ingredients in the leaves, each with its own set of effects. The ratios of these compounds can change from one strain to another, giving each one a unique effect profile.
The dose also affects how Kratom feels.
Low doses are stimulating. It feels similar to coffee but less likely to result in negative side effects like anxiety or jitteriness. It also has a mild euphoric action at this dose — helping to uplift the mood and promote more clarity of thought. These doses are used as a nootropic or stimulant to boost physical and mental energy and stamina.
Around the 7-gram dosage mark — the effects of the herb do a complete flip. At higher doses, Kratom has a sedative action. Users feel relaxed, carefree, and lazy. These doses are most useful for supporting sleep, easing anxiety, and alleviating chronic pain or muscle tension.
How Long Does Kratom Last?
In total, the effects of Kratom last around 3 or 4 hours.
The effects of Kratom take about 30 minutes to take effect and peak around the 1-hour mark. People who use Kratom on an empty stomach report an even faster onset of effects — but this also increases the chances of experiencing side effects.
What Are The Benefits of Kratom?
Kratom has a long history of medical uses that range from infection and bladder disease, fevers, diarrhea, diabetes, fatigue, and mental health disorders.
Today, Kratom is primarily used for its nootropic and painkilling benefits. Some users take the herb as an alternative to prescription painkillers or as a buffer to help wean themselves off addictive opiate medications.
Kratom for Pain
Although there are few studies to back up the potential medical uses of Kratom, it’s considered one of the most effective herbal pain relievers — second only to opium.
Kratom for Addiction & Withdrawal
A 2008 case study explored the use of Kratom for alleviating withdrawal symptoms of a recovering opiate addict. The patient in this study reported that the withdrawal period was considerably less intense compared to prescription painkillers but took a little longer to recover completely.
Prior to the study, the patient was addicted to hydromorphone. He quit the medication abruptly and was able to avoid withdrawal by using Kratom four times per day. He reported Kratom was effective for both preventing withdrawal symptoms and alleviating the chronic pain that prompted him to use the painkillers in the first place.
Kratom as a Nootropic
Besides strictly therapeutic qualities, Kratom is also considered by brain hackers an effective tool for personal growth. It’s used short-term to boost mental energy and focus and long-term to enhance overall mental endurance and stamina.
Kratom for Anxiety
Kratom has been shown to have clear antidepressant and anti-anxiety benefits in animal studies [4]. Mice treated with mitragynine were found to have lower concentrations of corticosterone (one of the key stress hormones) in their blood.