How to Take Kratom
Kratom is a plant that grows in Southeast Asia, and is traditionally used as a stimulant. But at higher doses, kratom can kill pain, treat anxiety, and even improve sex.
Now kratom has become popular in the West, it has departed somewhat from the traditional method of ingestion – chewing the fresh leaves. So here, we’ll take you through the best ways of taking kratom.
Legal disclaimer: kratom is illegal in some countries, including Denmark, Poland, Sweden, New Zealand, and the UK. It is legal in most of the US except for Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, Vermont, and Tennessee. Always check your local laws before taking kratom – never just assume it’s legal where you are.
The Best Ways to Take Kratom
There are several different ways to take kratom, and the way you choose will depend on your personal preference. Drinking kratom tea will probably taste horrible, but the effects will reach you faster; whereas taking kratom pills will have no taste but may take up to an hour for effects to be felt.
Here’s a list of the most common ways of taking kratom:
- Chewing kratom leaves. This method is the most traditional one, but you’ll have to have access to fresh kratom plants! Additionally, the leaves taste horrible and you’ll have to chew a lot to get any strong effects.
- Kratom tea. This will taste horrible but will get the job done! Just place the kratom leaves, or dried powder if that’s what you’re using, in a pot of simmering water for a few minutes. Add flavorings to mask the taste; honey, syrup, lemon juice, or essential oils.
- Capsules. You can buy your own capsules and capsule-pressing machine online, and then simply pack your capsules with kratom powder to make your own kratom pills! Unfortunately, you may have to take quite a large number of capsules (usually 5-15) to get the effects, and it may take longer to feel it.
- Toss and wash. This is literally just putting your dose of kratom powder at the back of your mouth and trying to swallow it as quickly as possible, then chasing it up with a sweet or acidic liquid. The bitterness can be intense, so this is a very unpleasant method – though it’s often the quickest. You can try dissolving your kratom as best you can in a small quantity of liquid first, if you want to avoid putting the powder directly in your mouth. Chocolate milk is a great option.
- Dissolving in olive oil. Kratom not only dissolves well in olive oil – the oil can also mask the taste. It also means that powder is less likely to get stuck in your throat. Try dissolving the powder into a small quantity of oil so you can drink it in one go – and wash it down with something sweet.
Kratom Dosage
We’ll assume you have dried kratom powder, rather than fresh leaves, as this is the most common way for kratom to be delivered online.
A good starter dose of kratom is one or two grams of dried kratom powder. If you’re using the capsule method, with size 00 capsules, this will be roughly 4 or 5 capsules.
Remember it may take an hour for the effects to appear, so be patient before redosing yourself.
If you’ve tried two grams and it didn’t do it for you, work your way up a gram at a time until you find your sweet spot!
Keep in mind that repeated use (i.e. every day) will build up an unhealthy tolerance, so try to space out your kratom sessions. Some people report that alternating with different strains can help to reduce tolerance.
Don’t mix kratom with any other substances, especially sedatives. Be aware that there’s a risk of passing out with high doses of kratom, so don’t mix it with things that could make you vomit (like alcohol or ketamine).
Most importantly, remember that no plant is a miracle medicine, and don’t discontinue any other medicines or expect kratom to solve all your problems. Treat it with respect and moderation and you’ll have a much better experience – guaranteed.
