How Much Kratom Should I Take?

When it comes to kratom, dosage is an important topic. That’s because the very nature of the drug is dose-dependent. Smaller doses tend to create mild, stimulant-like effects, similar to coffee. Larger doses tend to create sedative and pain-relieving effects, similar to opioids. And even larger doses can produce toxic effects.

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We wish we could give you a one-size-fits-all dosing guide that will always give you your desired kratom effects. However, there’s a plethora of other variables which further complicate dosing. Some of these include:

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·       Strain of kratom (red, green, or white vein)

·       Method of consumption (tablets, tea, raw leaves, etc.)

·       Personal tolerance (affected by genetics and frequency of use)

·       Metabolic rate (how fast your body metabolizes the active ingredients in kratom)

·       Body composition (weight and body fat percentage)

·       Frequency of use (daily vs occasional consumption)

·       Set and setting (expectations and environment)

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As kratom is still relatively new to the western world, we’re still waiting on more research in order to fully understand kratom dosing.

In the meantime, we’ve pulled together all the knowledge you’ll need in order to best determine your optimal kratom dosage.

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What is Kratom?

Kratom comes from the tropical tree called Mitragyna speciosa, which is related to the coffee plant. Kratom contains over 25 bioactive alkaloids. Of these, the most significant and the best studied are two compounds called mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. These are the compounds that are predominantly responsible for the effects of kratom on the mind and body.

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The alkaloids in kratom are known to interact with the opioid receptors in the body, producing opioid-like effects. Receptors for serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine may also be involved. These biochemical systems are likely responsible for the mood and energy boosting effects of kratom.

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What Are the Effects of Kratom?

In its native southeast Asia, kratom is an almost perfect analog of coffee in the western world. It is a socially-acceptable drug that is consumed daily, in small doses, to provide alertness and physical energy.

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Although kratom is a coffee-like stimulant at lower doses, the recent surge in kratom popularity in the west is probably related more to its opioid-like effects, which occur at higher doses. Though kratom is not technically an opioid, it does interact with opioid receptors to produce similar effects. Beyond that, it has the advantage of being more accessible and also safer than real opioids. For this reason, kratom may be taken for its pain-relieving effects, for a legal high, or to help with opioid withdrawal symptoms.

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Why Take Kratom?

Having a specific goal in mind is important when determining kratom dosage. That said, there are many reasons why someone might choose to experiment with kratom. The four major motivations for taking kratom are:

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1.       Pain relief

2.       Energy boost

3.       Treating opioid withdrawal

4.       Replacing illicit substances such as opioids, or recreational substances such as alcohol

Kratom Dosage Chart

Here is a summary of the expected effects from various doses of kratom.

These effects are based on grams of raw kratom leaves, not grams of mitragynine. Mitragynine is, of course, more potent than the whole kratom leaf.

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How Long Does Kratom Take to Have an Effect?

As with all drugs, if you are just starting out, a good rule of thumb is to start low and go slow. In order to do that, you’ll need to know how long you can expect to wait before experiencing any effects.

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Kratom may take effect about 5 to 10 minutes following ingestion. The effects may last for five to seven hours, peaking around two to four hours. Because the effects tend to increase following consumption, we recommend waiting 30 minutes to an hour before deciding if you need to increase your dosage.

How Long Does Kratom Stay in Your System?

Frequency of usage is an important variable, since kratom may remain in your system even after the effects have worn off. Furthermore, regular users build up a tolerance and eventually need higher dosages to get the same effects. It is generally thought that residual mitragynine may linger in your system for up to a week.

What Happens If You Take Too Much Kratom?

Just like the intended effects of kratom, the negative effects are also dose-dependent. The most common negative side effects of kratom include constipation and gastrointestinal symptoms, and agitation.

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Another danger of consuming kratom habitually is that kratom is known to be very addictive. Nearly half of regular kratom users report withdrawal effects when they go for 2 days without kratom.

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Doses greater than 15g could induce symptoms similar to opioid toxicity. Kratom is generally thought to be less risky compared to true opioids, because it is less likely to cause respiratory depression, which could be fatal. However, Naloxone is still indicated in the case of a kratom overdose. (Naloxone is a drug that is used to save someone’s life in the case of an opioid overdose.)

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That said, the main danger of kratom use comes from drug-drug interactions. The number one precaution you should take when consuming kratom is not mixing it with any other drug. This includes pharmaceuticals, as well as recreational drugs such as alcohol and cannabis.

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What is a Typical Kratom Dose?

According to a survey of regular kratom users in the United States, the typical dose lies between 1 and 7 g. About half of regular users consume 1-3 g doses of kratom, each day. About 30% of regular users report consuming 4-6 g doses.

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At these lower doses, most people report only mild adverse effects, if any. It is thought that adverse effects begin to emerge in doses greater than 8g.

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Based on this, you may experience the most benefits and the fewest side effects of kratom in doses of 1-5g.

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Daily users report consuming kratom as a prepared beverage, a raw powder, or as a capsule. The mode of consumption could also play an important role in safety, since it can be easier to overdose on a powder or capsule compared to a tea.

Top Tips for Safe Kratom Dosing

In general, personal education and cultural context are the keys to safe kratom use. Remember that everyone is different, and definitive research is lacking.

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Here are our top tips for safe kratom dosing:

1.       Do not mix kratom with any other drugs, including medications and recreational drugs such as alcohol

2.       Take the lowest necessary dosage required for the desired effect, whether that be increased energy and alertness, pain relief, or relief from withdrawal symptoms

3.       If you are new to kratom, start at a dose of less than 1g, and wait about 30-60 minutes to see if you need to increase your dosage.

4.       To minimize the risk of negative side effects, it is best not to exceed a dosage of 8g.

How to Get Started

For a complete buyer’s guide to kratom, you can check out this article. Green Dragon carefully hand selects high quality kratom from brands you can trust.

As always, if you have additional questions regarding kratom dosage, please don’t hesitate to contact us for a free consultation.