How to Take Kratom

Are you looking for more energy to help you power through the day? Want to wind down more easily at night, and calm your racing mind?

If so, the answer might not be melatonin or CBD. It can be found in a powerful plant that’s surging in popularity across the country: kratom.

Grown natively in Southeast Asia, kratom has long been known in the East for its healing, therapeutic benefits. Recently, it’s made major headway in the West and is becoming more well-known by the day.

If you’re new to this realm, you might be wondering how to take kratom. Should you swallow the crushed leaves on their own or blend them? What about capsules and tinctures?

Today, we’re answering all of these questions and more. Read on to discover some of the top ways to consume kratom, from the quick and convenient to the decadent and delicious. 

What Is Kratom?

Kratom is a type of evergreen tree that belongs to the coffee family. It grows naturally in certain regions of Southeast Asia, including:

• Indonesia
• Thailand
• Malaysia
• Myanmar
• Papua New Guinea

In these countries, it’s common practice for farmers and field workers to simply pluck a kratom leaf off the tree and chew it as they work.

They do so to help ease their strained muscles and relax their sore joints. There are certain compounds in kratom, including mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, that bind to the opioid receptors in the brain, where they can deliver incredible pain-relieving benefits.

While consuming the raw leaves might be a regular occurrence in the East, most people in the West find the taste of raw kratom to be a little too bitter for their palate. As such, it’s more common to find the raw kratom leaves crushed and pulverized into a fine powder. In this form, it blends easily into both food and beverages and fills neatly into capsules.

In addition to kratom powder, you can also find extracts and tinctures created from the leaves. We’ll discuss the specifics of each method below, but first, let’s cover how to find your ideal dosage.

How to Find Your Kratom Dosage

While research is still being performed on the health benefits of kratom, there is no standard, universal dosing chart used by every supplier. Instead, you’ll need to determine what works best for you based on your personal circumstances. A few of the factors that affect how your body will interact with kratom include:

• Your gender
• Your age
• Your weight
• Your overall health level
• The type of ingestion method you use
• The strain of kratom you choose

While no specific dosages exist, the following table provides a general overview of typical amounts:

• One to five grams: Low dose
• Five to 15 grams: High dose
• More than 15 grams: Ultra-high dose (risky)

As with any supplement, it’s always best to start with a low dose and work your way up from there. This is especially true if you take kratom early in the morning on an empty stomach, where a high dose could leave you feeling nauseous. A few of the negative side effects you may experience from taking too much kratom include:

• Chills
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Vomiting
• Drowsiness
• Dry mouth
• Constipation

To avoid these symptoms, pay close attention to the way you respond to a low dose and gradually increase it until you reach a level that you’re comfortable maintaining. 

Understanding the Different Kratom Strains

In addition to considering how you’ll take kratom, it’s equally important to understand exactly which type of kratom you want to consume. While all leaves come from the same species of tree, the way they are processed in each region can affect their individual properties. 

As such, you’ll find many different strains of kratom, all delivering their own benefits. You can find a wide variety of strains online, designed to meet any need. Some of the most popular ones available include:

• Bali kratom (red vein, green)
• Maeng Da kratom (green, white, yellow, red, gold
• Ketapang kratom (white, green, red
• Borneo kratom (dragon blood, white, red, green)
• Super Green kratom
• Elephant kratom
• Sandai kratom (green, white, red)
• Sumatra kratom (yellow, red)

While each strain may vary in color from the next, the composition remains the same. You’ll also notice that each strain has its own unique effects. For instance, Red Vein Bali kratom is known for its mild and gentle sedative properties, while Yellow Maeng Da kratom can deliver an energy boost and help you focus. 

How to Take Kratom: Methods to Try

Whether you want to ace that work presentation or propel through that hard workout, you can find a strain of kratom that delivers. Let’s take a look at the most common methods of consumption. 

Kratom Powder: Toss and Wash

The first way to take kratom is to try the toss and wash method using kratom powder. 

First, you’ll measure out your dosage. Then, you’ll place the powder into the back of your throat and swallow it. You can chase it afterward with a sip of water or your favorite non-carbonated beverage. 

One variation to this method is to place the kratom powder on your tongue and take a gulp of water. Allow the liquid to mix with the kratom before swallowing. Then, you can follow up with a second gulp of water to wash everything down. 

The toss and wash method can be a viable way to consume kratom if you’re in a hurry and want to feel the effects fairly quickly. Still, if you’re one who is put off by the taste of the leaves, you may want to try a more indirect approach!

Kratom Powder: Teas and Beverages

One of the most popular ways to consume kratom powder is to blend it into a warm herbal tea. This makes it fun and enjoyable to sip in the morning or the evening, as the tea itself can help mask kratom’s trademark bitterness. You can even swirl in a squeeze of lemon or honey for extra flavor!

When preparing kratom tea, white vein kratom (such as White Maeng Da) is a great addition to your morning routine, as it’s known for its energy-boosting properties. At night, a warm cup of red vein kratom is ideal for unwinding and sloughing off the day. 

While preparing your tea, you can get the water extra-hot but make sure it does not reach a boil. This is because pouring boiling water over the kratom powder can cause those therapeutic compounds to break down, diluting the tea and weakening the effect of the powder.

In addition to tea, kratom also blends easily into your other favorite beverages, including orange juice, lemonade, and smoothies. If you don’t mind the taste, you can even blend a dose of kratom into a glass of water and drink it quickly. This can help your body ingest the alkaloids in kratom more easily and expedite the digestion process.

One note of caution: While it might sound ideal to mix kratom with your favorite alcoholic beverage, the risks are too high to do so. You can read more about the dangers of mixing these two substances in this post.

Kratom Powder: Edibles

Looking for a rich and delicious way to dip your toes into the world of kratom? The next time you’re in the kitchen, try mixing a dose into your favorite non-baked treat, such as yogurt, pudding or applesauce. This is a fun and enjoyable way to add kratom to your daily routine.

Thinking about kratom brownies or cookies? While you can still feel some kratom effects when adding it to baked goods, they aren’t as robust or powerful. If possible, stick to these refrigerator-friendly foods for the kick you want.

If necessary, you can add a little sweetener to make the taste more palatable. One food that pairs surprisingly well with kratom? Chocolate!

The sweetness in this dessert favorite beautifully balances the tart taste of kratom and can help make the experience more enjoyable. Blend a little chocolate into your kratom-banana smoothie or stir some into no-bake chocolate candies for your next gathering. 

While preparing kratom edibles, keep in mind that it might take your body a little longer to feel the plant’s effects if you consume the leaves in this way. This is because the substance must first pass through your digestive system before it enters your bloodstream.

Kratom Capsules

If the idea of stirring kratom powder into your food or swallowing it dry isn’t appealing, you can always purchase or make your own kratom capsules!

As their name implies, these are small capsules filled with a set amount of kratom powder. Most capsules contain between 0.5 grams and one gram of powder. To measure how many you should take, simply divide your ideal dosage by the amount in each capsule. 

For instance, if you usually take four grams of kratom per dose, you’ll need four one-gram capsules or eight 0.5-gram capsules. While it’s easiest to purchase your kratom capsules pre-made by a reputable supplier, you can also purchase a filling machine (known as an encapsulator) and make them yourself at home.

One benefit of kratom capsules is how well they travel. These can easily and discreetly fit into any bag for the perfect pick-me-up whenever you need it. Plus, when they’re filled, it’s easy to track just how much kratom you’re taking every day. If the idea of kratom tea or edibles doesn’t exactly thrill you, these are handy alternatives that deliver the same effects. 

As with edibles, kratom capsules can take a little longer to take effect than consuming kratom leaves raw. This is because your body has to first absorb the outer capsule covering before it can absorb the powerful powder inside. 

Kratom Extract

If you’re already used to using kratom powder, you may be interested in trying kratom extracts instead. If you go this route, make sure to choose an alkaloid-rich extract that’s labeled as “full-spectrum”.

Why is this important?

Transforming kratom powder into an effective extract requires a strict and careful manufacturing process. It involves separating the alkaloids from the natural plant matter through solvents and special equipment, which is a time-consuming and laborious process. During the transformation, there are certain alkaloids and other naturally-occurring components, that could be lost or damaged.

In all, kratom has around 40 distinct, structurally-related alkaloids, and each one contributes to the unique properties of each strain. 

For this reason, only the most advanced and well-equipped facilities contain the machinery necessary to perform the extraction technique. If your extract is labeled as full-spectrum, that means it retains most if not all of the alkaloids present in the original kratom leaves. 

Before you consume this extract, double-check the potency multiplier. You may find that some are labeled as 15x to 50x more potent than raw, powdered kratom leaves. This is why it’s important to start with a very low dose! Otherwise, you can use kratom extract in any way that you’d typically use kratom powder.

Liquid Kratom Tincture

One of the quickest ways to feel the effects of kratom is to drop a few drops of a liquid kratom tincture under your tongue. This way, it can bypass your digestive system and go straight to your bloodstream.

Wait a few seconds before swallowing the tincture, and you’re done! Of course, this is another ingestion method to avoid if you aren’t a fan of the way kratom tastes.

Discover the Powerful Benefits of Kratom

You don’t have to toss and turn all night, only to greet the day feeling sluggish and cloudy-headed. 

Kratom can help you jumpstart your morning and ease into your night. It can also help calm your racing nerves and sharpen your focus. Yet, to receive the maximum benefit from this supplement, it’s important to take it the way that works best for you.

Still wondering how to take kratom? While the above methods are ones to try, your kratom journey is personal and unique. Take the time to decide which method you prefer best, and remember to measure a low dose to begin. 

Are you eyeing kratom to help you reach your health and wellness goals? If so, check out these 13 tips to help you succeed!