From a Guest Anon blogger (Feb. 21, 2021):

What is Kratom?

Mitragyna Speciosa, or kratom, is a tree from the Rubiaceae family. It was first discovered by the Dutch botanist Pieter Korthals. The tree can grow up to 30 feet tall and 15 feet wide. Its leaves are also big and can grow up to 4 inches wide and 7 inches long.

Kratom leaves are abundant in alkaloids of which mitragynine and 7-hydroxy mitragynine are the most notable ones. These alkaloids give kratom opioid-like effects which is why the plant is often used as a natural stimulant and relaxant.

What Types of Kratom Strains Are There?

When exploring what kratom to buy, you might notice there are three primary types: red, white, and green kratom. The names come from the different colors of the leaves’ veins. The color specifies the level of alkaloid concentration.

White Vein Kratom

The White Maeng Da kratom is considered to be the most popular white vein kratom type. It’s traditionally grown in Thailand and is curated to be of the highest quality and remarkably potent.

Red Vein Kratom

Red Bali kratom is one of the most popular red vein kratom types. It’s versatile and a fan-favorite of first-time kratom users.

Green Vein Kratom

Green Malay kratom is one of the most popular choices of experienced kratom consumers. It’s a premium kratom strain that comes from the Malaysian forests. Green Maeng Da is another popular type of green veins. It’s considered to be the strongest among them and has a wide spectrum of reported benefits.

What Are the Best Kratom Strains to Mix?

If you are an experienced kratom consumer, you might consider mixing different kratom strains to create a custom blend that will meet your specific needs.

Red and Green Kratom Mix

Red and White Kratom Mix

White and Green Kratom Mix

What is Kratom Withdrawal?

You might experience kratom withdrawal when ceasing to use kratom after a prolonged time. Typical withdrawal symptoms are sleep disorders, weight loss, tension, agitation, and muscle cramps. These symptoms might appear up to 12 hours of the last use and last approximately 5 to 7 days.

How Does Kratom Show on a Drug Test?

Standard drug tests don’t detect the alkaloids in kratom. It’s required a specific kratom drug test to detect the presence of the supplement.

How Long Does Kratom Stay in Your System?

While a standard drug test won’t detect the presence of kratom in your system, blood or urine tests will. Kratom can be detected for up to 9 days after use in the urine. As far as blood tests go, kratom can be detected for 2-3 days after use.

How Is Kratom Consumed?

Traditionally, in native regions, kratom leaves were chewed fresh or dried. Local even opted to smoke the leaves. Nowadays, kratom is available in form of capsules and powder which gives plenty of options for consumption.

Kratom Capsules

Kratom capsules contain high alkaloid concentrations and deliver powerful effects. They are also the most convenient way to take kratom — you just need to swallow the pill with water and that’s it. One potential downside of using kratom pills is its delayed effects because the body will need to break down the capsules. It might take up to 45 minutes to feel the effects.

Toss and Wash

Another popular method of intaking kratom is toss and wash. To do so, you need to toss the desired kratom powder dose and wash it down with liquid, preferably water. This way, the powder is quickly absorbed in the body which means the effects will be almost immediate. However, when intaking raw powder, feeling kratom’s earthy flavor is inevitable so if you find it offputting, keep reading to find out alternative ways of intaking kratom.

Kratom Tea

Kratom tea can be made from crushed leaves but the most common option is to use kratom powder. To prepare a kratom tea, you need to brew the kratom powder with hot water for about 20-30 minutes, let it sit for a bit, and then strain the liquid. You can add milk, lemon juice, mint leaves, molasses, honey, or sugar to make the taste more pleasant. Keep in mind that the boiling water will compromise the chemical compound and weaken the kratom effects.

Kratom Extracts

Kratom extracts produce stronger effects and are mostly used to relieve strong pain. Extracts can have different forms and you can choose one depending on your preferred potency level and extraction method.

Kratom Resin

The resin is a highly concentrated form of kratom. It can be taken orally or mixed with any hot beverage.

To prepare kratom resin you need to mix kratom powder with water and lemon juice. Stir the mixture until combined and leave it to sit overnight in the freezer. Next, you need to add the frozen kratom mixture to boiling water and then reduce the heat and bring it to a simmer. Once the mixture cools down, strain it, and then let half of the liquid evaporate.

When you have a small amount of liquid, put the mixture into the saucepan and add more water and lemon juice. Once that liquid evaporates put the content from the an into an oven dish and place it in the oven until the liquid evaporates. The final result should be thick kratom resin.

Water-Based Kratom Extract

Preparing water-based kratom extract is way simpler than preparing resin. The process involves dissolving kratom leaves with water. Mix them together and let the mixture sit for about 1-2 weeks in a dark, cold place before straining the liquid. You might need to apply heat to help the process of liquid evaporation. Before starting to use the extracted test whether its pH is 4.

Kratom Tincture

Preparing tincture is similar to preparing water-based extract. You’ll need kratom powder, ethyl alcohol, and citric acid. Mix the powder and alcohol and then add the citric acid until you achieve pH 4. Seal the jar and store it in a dark place for about 1-2 weeks. Then, shake the jar, strain the liquid, and let it evaporate. Kratom tincture can be used in several ways. First of all, you can place it under the tongue for about 60 seconds and swallow the rest. Additionally, you can add it to food and drink, or simply swallow it orally.

Liquid Kratom Shots

Drinking kratom shots is one of the newest methods of taking kratom. Essentially, the shots are a mixture of kratom with single-shot drinks. This method enables you to ingest kratom quickly, without tasting kratom’s flavor. Also, the shots are highly potent. To prepare kratom shots at home you need to make a mixture of kratom powder and fresh lemon or orange juice. You can add honey, black pepper, or ginger, and then blend everything.

How to Keep Kratom Fresh?

The potency of alkaloids breaks down and weekend overtime. Besides its potency, kratom will also lose its scent, flavor, and color. Considering all this, you should know a few tips and tricks about how to improve the shelf life of your kratom.

Kratom powder remains fresh for about 1-2 months. After that, its flavor and potency will start to diminish. To enhance its freshness you should keep the powder completely dry. If the kratom powder is exposed to moisture, its shelf life is drastically reduced. Plus, moisture can cause the appearance of mold, which could affect your health.

Another way to prolong the life of your kratom powder is to keep it in an airtight container. If it is exposed to oxygen for a prolonged time, kratom will oxidate, causing noticeable potency change. Last but not the least, keep your kratom powder away from sunlight to prevent damage to organic matter.