There is no doubt that the mysterious botanical herb called
Kratom delivers a lot of benefits, including euphoria, chronic pain relief, energy boost, and many more. However, with the good, comes a little bit of bad as well. This article is everything you will want to know about Kratom dosing and guidelines; what it takes to experience some great well-rounded effects without falling into the pit of dependency and ever-increasing tolerance.
What Is Kratom?If you’re a new venturer in the world of Kratom, odds are that you’re not particularly familiar with how this herb works, which alkaloids are in it, and how they affect the mind and body.
For starters, Kratom is a Southeast Asian plant that has been used for its array of medicinal properties for many centuries. Its leaves contain over 40 different alkaloids, but the two most notable ones are the major active alkaloid called Mitragynine and the minor alkaloid known as 7-Hydroxymitragynine or 7-OH-Mitragynine.
How Does this Herb Work?Alkaloids are nitrogenous organic compounds of plant origins known to have some sort of physiological effects on humans, including nicotine, caffeine, and morphine, to name a few. The alkaloids found in Kratom stimulate different human organisms, including the central nervous system, and tend to work directly on the brain. Thus, they deliver a wide range of effects to the human mind and body, including cognitive enhancement, pain relief, energy boost, curbing anxiety and depression symptoms, and more.
In fact,
some studies also suggest that Kratom is a great natural remedy to alleviate opioid dependence, and might just be the answer to the rampant opioid epidemic that’s responsible for taking thousands of lives every single year.
What Effects Do People Commonly Report?The impact Kratom has on people tends to vary from one individual to the next. Most of the users who’ve recently turned to Kratom are just shifting from powerful opioids, such as morphine and fentanyl to help them manage chronic body pains. War veterans are a great example that fits perfectly in this category — many of them have reported being able to
carry on with a normal life, managing their pain regularly, and being able to function like any other person because of Kratom. For them, Kratom is synonymous with hope and a fresh start.
For many others, Kratom delivers strong therapeutic effects, especially when
brewed and consumed as a tea. When it comes to treating anxiety and depression, Kratom appears to work much better than prescription opioids. Although not an opioid itself, Kratom’s active component Mitragynine binds to our brain’s opioid receptors, delivering a similar peaceful sensation of mental and physical relief.
Different Doses for Different EffectsWhen taken in the right amount, Kratom can have a lot of ground-breaking effects that can help people improve their quality of life. It comes in different strains; Red, White, and Green, each capable of providing a wide spectrum of benefits. But what particularly determines your experience with Kratom is the dosage you take.
Recommended Kratom DosingThe recommended dosage for Kratom is roughly 2 g for a beginner. So, if you’re entirely new to Kratom, you should stick to this amount to curb any chances of unwanted side effects like nausea, dizziness, vomiting, and even seizures in extreme cases.
At this dose, one can look forward to some mild effects of the spectrum. If you’re taking a White or Green vein, you can expect your body to feel energized and your mind become sharper. If you take Red vein, it will deliver relaxation and calmness of the mind and body.
Low DoseAt a low dose, the general effects of Kratom include euphoria, mental clarity, energy boost, increased libido, appetite suppression, and heightened sociability. But what exactly constitutes a low dose? It’s important to note that a low dose isn’t a universal value for Kratom intake — it’s relative to your particular physique, gender, medical history, and prior Kratom experience. To figure out what a low dose for your body would be, start with the recommended dose of 2 g. If you feel multiple effects from the aforementioned list, cut the amount back by 0.5 g. Keep cutting back until you no longer experience these effects. This would be your low dose. Alternatively, you can try increasing by 0.5 g in case you don’t feel them at the recommended dose, and keep going upward in the same intervals.
Medium to High DoseThere is a very fine line between medium and high Kratom doses as they both deliver a similar array of effects. Generally, this is where you’re bound to find a lot of users suffering from chronic pain. At a medium to high dose, Kratom users are likely to experience pain relief, alleviation of anxiety and depression symptoms, drowsiness, deep relaxation, euphoria, and relief from opioid withdrawal symptoms.
A medium to high dose ranges from 4 to 10 g. You can try the test above to figure out what works for you. But this time, start with 4 g instead of 2.
Make sure not to exceed a 15 g dose, as you could go into overdose.
Symptoms of Kratom overdose include rapid heart rate, drowsiness, and excessive sweating.
How Often Can I Take Kratom?How many times you consume Kratom in a day purely relies on your reason for taking it. If you use it to experience short-term benefits like an energy boost, mental sharpness, and enhanced sociability, you only need to take it when necessary.
However, if you wish to relieve chronic pain, manage your anxiety, or ease withdrawal symptoms of opioids, you might take it twice or thrice a day to keep your condition under control.
ConclusionDifferent doses of Kratom can lead to different effects. It’s important to bear in mind that, although the rates are low compared to opioids and other powerful drugs, this herb can cause dependency and tolerance in case of continued use at very high doses exceeding 15 g. It’s important to take a break from time to time to prevent any harmful side effects from surfacing. Be sure to stick to powders or capsules if you’re new, and only approach liquid Kratom extracts when your body has built up the tolerance to withstand higher doses.
