Kratom Guide and FAQ

Kratom has recently caught my attention due to the flurry of press and public outrage over its recent ban proposition by the DEA. Up to the point of the ban I actually never heard of Kratom. From the research I did I can say Kratom has huge potential and many many uses. In this guide I’m going to lay out what Kratom is and how you can benefit from using this unique and magical supplement.

What is Kratom?

Botanically called Mitragyna Speciosa, Kratom is a tree native to the regions of Southeast Asia and directly related to the coffee tree. The leaves of the tree have historically been used by the natives both in a medicinal and recreational context. The leaves of the tree are chewed to produce a stimulatory effect or the leaves are crushed into a powder and mixed into a drink. At low doses Kratom acts as a stimulant while higher doses produce a more sedating effect on the mind and body.

What is Kratom used for?

Historically Kratom was used by the natives of Southeast Asia to make the toils of daily farm work more interesting. In present times, Kratom is used medicinally as a powerful pain reliever and recreationally as an alternative to harmful substances like alcohol. There is no shortage of examples of people finding powerful pain relief thanks to the opioid like properties of the leaves. Many users have weened themselves off of harmful pharmaceutical pain relievers with the help of Kratom.

Kratom Effects

Effects can range from a mild stimulation of the mind to a full blown euphoric experience similar to traditional pain killer medications. Many users find Kratom allows them to focus for long periods of time and makes the monotony of work life enjoyable. Self proclaimed introverts note Kratoms pro-social effects on their interactions with people and social encounters. Kratom can inhibit anxiety and put you into a rather open and empathic state. Kratom has allowed many people with depression and anxiety to move through the world in a much more interesting and engaging way.

Most notably, Kratom kills pain and has given many people the same quality of life they experienced before their injuries. Many veterans of war use Kratom for PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) and as a safe way to manage pain. The following video is perhaps the most powerful testament to the effectiveness of Kratom for pain and trauma.

The recent DEA ban proposition has forced many Kratom users out of the woodworks producing many testimonials for the wide variety of positive benefits. Users are outraged the DEA has the audacity to ban a plant with so many medicinal properties.

Kratom Side Effects

Kratom is a powerful medicine and can cause negative side effects if taken the wrong the way. Too much Kratom can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and constipation. Kratom is very self limiting. It works well at low to moderate doses while becoming too sedating and unpleasant at higher doses.

How to take Kratom

Kratom is generally purchased in a powdered form and mixed into a favorite beverage of choice. The taste is rather unpleasant and it’s a good idea to use a beverage that can make the powder drinkable. Orange juice is a good option while chocolate milk is said to completely mask the taste.

Alternatively, another popular option is the toss and wash method. It’s a 3 step process.

1. Measure out your dose with a digital scale
2. Toss the powder into your mouth
3. Take a gulp of your favorite beverage, swish around with the powder,  swallow

Making Kratom tea – A tea can be brewed as an another way to take the Kratom. This method is favored by some and the process is relatively simple.

1. Measure out 5 – 10 grams of Kratom powder or leaves per serving
2. If using leaves, crush and grind them into a coarsely ground powder
3. Place powder into a medium sauce pan or pot and add 1 cup of water
4. Gently boil this mixture for 15 minutes
5. Strain off the brew into your favorite cup using a coffee filter
6. Squeeze as much liquid out of the powder as you can
7. Place powder back into pot and repeat steps 3 – 6
8. Add your favorite sweetener like honey or some lemon and enjoy

Kratom Vein Types

Kratom grows in an interesting way. Across the different strain types Kratom has different color veins – red, white, and green. The differences in vein color produce varying effects.

Red veins – Red vein strains are considered the most powerful of the vein colors and produce strong sedative and pain killing effects. Red vein types are the strains most favored by those looking to manage their pain and relax. At small doses red vein types can still be stimulating but are generally considered sedative and relaxing by nature.

White veins – white vein strains are the most stimulating of the Kratom types. These strains are great for the morning to give you that sweet boost of cognitive performance and mental energy. White strains are good for on the job performance and making it through the day with energy and clarity. While not as potent, white strain types still have pain killing properties.

Green veins – Green vein types are middle of the road strains. They’re generally well balanced and offer the potency of the red vein types while also being stimulating like the whites. Green vein strains are great for anxiety and socializing. They have a somewhat euphoric and sedating effect while also being fairly stimulating.

Kratom dosage

Kratom dosage varies depending on how strong your Kratom is. Kratom powder typically comes in 3 different potent varieties – Premium, ultra-potent, and extract.

Premium Kratom refers to the standard practice of using the leaves to create a fine powder. Ultra-potent Kratom uses only the broad faced leaves. The largest leaves of the Kratom tree contain the most potent properties of the plant. Kratom extract is the strongest of the 3 and is made using a special boiling process. This process produces a resin-like rock which is extremely powerful and not recommended for daily use.

Use the table below to find the correct dose depending on your Kratom:

Premium Kratom Dosage (powder)

Ultra Potent Kratom Dosage (powder)

Kratom Extract

Kratom addiction and tolerance

Kratom is habit forming and potentially addictive under certain circumstances. If you have an addictive personality consider steering clear of Kratom. Withdrawals and rebound anxiety have been reported by many users who used Kratom over a long period of time and then stopped. Daily use of Kratom will also increase your tolerance to the psychoactive benefits of the supplement, requiring a higher dosage to achieve the same level of effect.

To ensure a powerful experience each time you use Kratom, be sure to cycle your dosing schedule. There are many ways to cycle but each method implements a period of time where you don’t take any Kratom. For example, taking Kratom one day and then waiting 3 days to take it again.

Kratom can also be used on an as needed basis. For example, some people only use Kratom on especially difficult, stressful, or painful days. Recreationally, Kratom is used only on the weekends when people generally go out to bars or clubs. In this way, Kratom is used on occasion and tolerance never develops. Use Kratom in moderation.

Using Kratom everyday

If you must use Kratom everyday its a good idea to alternate strains. Have about 3 – 4 of your favorite strains stocked and alternate between all of them. In this way, your body never grows tolerant to a single strain.

Where to buy Kratom

Kratom vendors come and go and many vendors have sub-quality product. I have found it easiest to follow the Kratom Subreddit and monitor the daily vendor postings. The Reddit community is on the ball when it comes to good vendors and won’t let you down. I personally buy all my Kratom from Gaia Botanicals.

And that will do it for my Kratom guide. I hope you learned a bit about this powerful tree. Until next time!