What People Get Wrong About Kratom

Originally post on Quora November 24, 2021

From what I’ve seen going to different Kratom & Kava bars and shops over the years and buying ground up Kratom leaves in bulk, most people are preparing and ingesting this natural pain reliever wrong. I currently use it for DOMS and occasionally my wife uses it for menstrual cramps. It’s a shame that the benefits of this plant are clouded in so much ignorance and misinformation. Hopefully, people will become more informed about its potential use and abuse so it doesn’t get the same treatment Cannabis Stavia did for the past century.

Six reasons why people get sick or OD on kratom:

1. Whether they put it in capsules or in teas people are straight up ingesting the starch (i.e. ground up leaf material) instead of separating the alkaloids from the starch. The alkaloids can easily be extracted with citric acid and hot water (less than 190 F) and fully potentiated by cooling it off in the fridge, but people are lazy and instead of taking the time to extract the active component are ingesting the whole thing. This is like eating coffee grinds to get a caffeine high.
2. Stupid people are combining it with alcohol and/or other drugs. Almost all of the deaths attributed to Kratom have been from people who combined it with a cocktail of other psychoactive substances. Only a handful have been from people who only had Kratom in their system. Anything can be a poison in a high enough dose, even water. Know your limits before using.
3. Dehydration. Kratom is in the same family as coffee and like caffeine it is also a diuretic. You not only need to drink plenty of water with your Kratom tea or extract, you also need to replenish electrolytes. Kratom extract should be mixed with fruit juice or combined with coconut milk for best results.
4. Never take Kratom on an empty stomach. While having a full stomach greatly mitigates its effects, having an empty stomach will make you nauseous and light headed, especially at higher doses. Strike a happy median by eating a snack before use.
5. Don't buy the garbage they sell at head shops and avoid capsules as much as possible. The Kratom sold at head shops has lots of fillers aside from the starch. If a head shop is your only source abide by #1.
6. Don't use Kratom every day. I would recommend no more than once a week. I use it even less often than that. Just like any other psychoactive substance you will build up tolerance over time, so for the full effect only take it as needed. Like alcohol, too much Kratom on a regular basis is toxic for your liver and kidneys which is why you should always drink lots of water with it. Do everything in moderation.