Happy Hippo Herbals is a small, family-owned business who’s passionate about Kratom and all botanicals alike. Our mission is to provide the highest-quality Kratom products, educate our community, and spread healthful happiness. Our staff consists of family and friends who have over 30+ years of experience using Kratom. Most of us use Kratom daily. Collectively, we’ve tried hundreds of Kratom products from various vendors across the globe.
We know Kratom, and we want you to as well.
Depending on what you hear or read, Kratom has a pretty controversial reputation. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved it for medicinal use. Nonetheless, Kratom has been used by natives of Southeast Asia as an herbal remedy for decades. But due to Kratom’s reputation, a lot of misinformation gets spread and it hinders people from learning about all of the good things that Kratom can do.
One of our long-term goals as Kratom advocates is to help others understand the true nature of Kratom. Out of everyone you can look to for advice, some of the best people to consult are DAILY Kratom users. We’ve collected plenty of valuable advice from our in-house Kratom experts over the years, and we’re happy to share it with you!
Here’s what the experts have to say.
Disclaimer: Kratom remains unregulated by the FDA, the authors of this text would like you to note that although this article contains many points regarding the use of Kratom, they should only serve as a piece of information - not medical advice.
Kratom is not intended to cure, diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or condition. Make sure to speak to a physician if you have questions before using Kratom.
Why Do People Use Kratom?
We’ve found that most people use Kratom for the energy-boosting effects, which are similar to drinking caffeinated beverages like coffee or tea. They claim that Kratom provides a much cleaner and longer-lasting energy boost than caffeine. Additionally, some folks use Kratom for the discomfort relieving and mood-enhancing properties. Believe it or not, there are certain Kratom strains that work wonders for easing general discomfort and helping encourage a positive mindset.
One of the things that makes Kratom so amazing is that it’s an extremely versatile botanical. It can be used for SO many things. So, if you ask someone who uses Kratom (Harvard Health: Kratom - Fear Worthy Foliage or Benefical Botanical), you’ll probably get a multitude of answers.
Note: If you’re unfamiliar with Kratom and what it does, check out our Kratom blog to learn more!
We asked some of our in-house experts why they use Kratom, and here are their answers:
“I started using Kratom when I was hired at Happy Hippo - I never heard of it beforehand. But once I saw what it could do for me I was eager to learn everything about it! The main thing I use it for is Mood Enhancement and Motivation. I've always been a person who likes to check things off a list, and Kratom is an insane Motivator for that! If I ever have things I need to do, but dread doing them, taking Kratom is the magical key. Within about 15-20 minutes of taking it, my mood seems to have flipped upside down (in a good way) and I'm no longer dragging my feet.”
- Expert Avery Hippo | Project Manager
“When I first started using Kratom, I was interested in its energy boosting effects. It tends to give me more of a pick-me-up than my morning cup of coffee. However, as I’ve experimented more and more, I found that Kratom also provides awesome mental focus, and a chill vibe.”
- Expert Brian Hippo | Happy Hippo Team Member
“I use Kratom for energy. I have four boys, a father in law that lives with us, and maintain a 5 day workout week as well as a full-time job. Kratom helps me keep up. I also enjoy the calming effects. I tend to run a little "high strung" and it helps bring me down a notch.”
- Expert Holly Hippo | Happy Hippo Helper Manager
“Kratom is largely an ‘anti-fatigue agent’ for me. It allows me to work 10-14 hours/day without [totally] losing my mind. Kratom functions as both a cognitive and emotional stabilizer. I use it for sharp focus and staying calm. It doesn't act as a traditional caffeinated ‘up-down-up-down’ stimulant. It is a very balanced feeling that produces a perpetual ‘better than average mood’. Mood is not too high, not too low - somewhere right above the middle.”
- Expert Puddles Hippo | President & Chief Executive Officer
“I use Kratom to help with general soreness. Kratom works great to bring me relaxation and relief from discomfort.”
- Expert Nate Hippo | Fulfillment Associate
“I sometimes (okay, always) have difficulty focusing. Sprinkle in a little bit of forgetfulness, problems listening, and some disorganization and you have the recipe for a difficult day at work. Kratom is the natural boost that I had been looking for to help me to be the very best in my everyday life.”
- Expert Jamie Hippo | Customer Happiness & Experience Manager
What Kratom Products Are The Experts Using?
Not to be biased, we like to use our own products. Occasionally, we will try specific strains from other American Kratom Assocation (AKA) certified vendors, but for the most part we stick to Happy Hippo!
Kratom comes in different forms and there’s all sorts of ways you can consume it. The most common Kratom products on the market are Kratom Powder, Kratom Capsules, and Kratom Extracts. Only YOU will be able to decide which product works best for your personal needs, but we’ll tell you what works for us. Hopefully our advice makes your decision easier!
After surveying the staff, we concluded that 99% of us primarily use Kratom Powder.
“Powder all day (literally), usually moderate strains. The powder offers a 'full-spectrum' of alkaloids and gives that ‘balanced effect/above average mood/focus’ that I'm looking for. It's my Happy zone.”
- Expert Puddles Hippo | President
“I prefer Kratom powder, it is fast-acting and more cost-effective.”
- Expert Holly Hippo | Happy Hippo Helper Manager
“I prefer powder over everything. Capsules and Extracts are convenient, but if you're a novice Kratom user you definitely notice a higher impact from taking powder! Capsules take longer to digest and sometimes can give you an upset stomach because your body is trying to break down the shell of the capsule. Extracts are a completely different resonation - it also doesn't last as long as powder. Sure, powder can have an icky taste but it is the more pure, sensible way to take Kratom! And there are many ways to cover up the taste.”
- Expert Avery Hippo | Project Manager
“My go-to is straight-up Kratom powder. I have simply never tried capsules, although I’m sure they would work perfectly well; and extracts to have a dull, buzz effect which I find to be unsatisfying.”
- Expert Brian Hippo | Happy Hippo Team Member
What Are The Downsides of Using Kratom?
Most people do not experience serious side-effects when using Kratom. We’ve made this conclusion based on years of experience using Kratom daily.
Use it sparingly and stay within the recommended serving sizes, and you shouldn’t have complications. However, there are a few insignificant side-effects that might occur depending on certain factors.
We asked our experts, “Do you experience any side-effects when using Kratom?”
“A general "indifference" or "apathy" to things I should probably care more about. This is both a good and bad thing. For example, I don't crave social interaction like a normal person would. I'm very content to be by myself. Too content. It's always been that way, but Kratom took that to another level. In my defense - if you are 40 years old and looking to party all the time - you have issues that Kratom will not fix. Kratom is not a "party drug" anyway. I offset any lower libido with doctor supervised hormone replacement therapy. I consider the appetite suppressant effects to be positive. High positive actually.”
- Expert Puddles Hippo | President & Chief Executive Officer
“That's the best part - I do not experience side effects. Kratom does not have a crash like energy drinks or coffee. I prefer not to travel with Kratom, as it is a little controversial, and luckily I don't feel crappy when I don't take it. There are no headaches like with caffeine (no judgment I also drink coffee coffee coffee) and if I didn't have coffee for a few days I would be a monster with a bad headache.”
- Expert Holly Hippo | Happy Hippo Helper Manager
“If I take too much I can feel jittery, uneasy, and sometimes nauseous.”
- Expert Sky Hippo | GMP Production Team Lead
“Every once in a while I'll have a bad resonation if I take too much. Puts me in a bad mood.”
- Expert Luis Hippo | Affiliate Manager
Kratom Strains That We LOVE - Happy Hippo Staff Favorites
Before we dive into our favorites, let’s talk about Kratom Speeds because they will be mentioned briefly throughout the staff’s testimonials.
“Kratom Speeds” are a classification technique developed by us that helps Newbies understand what effects a certain strain will provide. Kratom speeds categorize strains based on their overall resonation and effects on a spectrum between Energy and Relaxation.
The Kratom Speeds are Fast, Moderate, and Slow.
- Fast Speed Kratom = Energy/Motivation/Productivity
- Moderate Speed Kratom = Balance between Fast and Slow
- Slow Speed Kratom = Relaxation/Discomfort Relief/Restful Sleep
The concepts of Fast, Moderate, and Slow in relation to other strains is clearly displayed on our Kratom Strain Chart.
Alright! Now let’s talk about our favorite Kratom strains!
“Sumatra strains, but frankly - any moderate or slow strain (with the exception of Red Island Kali or the Chocolate strains) can get me in 'the zone'. I also use the moderate-fast strains, but rarely the super fast strains.”
- Expert Puddles Hippo | President
“Zen Hippo (Green Sumatra), because it brings peacefulness to my chaotic mind.”
- Josh Hippo | Chief Production Officer & General Manager
“I have so many different favorites because each day may have a different need. But my 3 go-to Strains are Jolly Green Hippo, Ghost Hippo, and Happy Hippo I. Each of these Strains has a very nice motivating resonation that really helps me get my to-do list cleared. I have to make sure that I am always focused on getting all of our Happy Hippo Orders fulfilled and shipped out super fast!”
- Expert Jamie Hippo | Customer Happiness & Experience Manager
“I really love White Horned Rhino (White Horn) for discomfort relief. Red Sula (Lovely Hippo) is great for calming relaxation. Thunder Hippo (White Malay) is one of my favorite fast strains.”
- Expert Luis Hippo | Affiliate Manager
“My favorite Kratom strains are White Borneo (Ghost Hippo), Green Sumatra (Zen Hippo), and Yellow Vietnam (Wild Golden). I’ll usually mix some combination of these strains. I like the Borneo and Sumatra strains because they both have a high amount of Mitragynine in their alkaloid profile; and Yellow Vietnam has a lot of 7-Hydroxymitragynine, which seems to provide a relaxed, comforting mind-set.”
- Expert Brian Hippo | Happy Hippo Team Member
“My favorite Kratom strain has always been Sunshine Hippo (Yellow Maeng Da)! But when you take the same strain too much, you start to build up a heavy tolerance to those alkaloids. It's VERY important to rotate your strains - even if it means mixing your favorite one with another strain. Another great strain I like to mix with others, is Platinum White Bali. It sort of has that potentiating effect and will boost the resonation.”
- Expert Avery Hippo | Project Manager
Kratom Tips From The Experts - How To Get The Most Out of Your Kratom Experiences
Whether you’re a seasoned Kratom user, or just starting out, it’s helpful to seek advice from the community. You can find tips, reviews, and general advice about Kratom on ‘Kratom Reddit’ forums and other online sources. But, how much can you really trust this information?
The BEST advice always comes from experienced experts. These are specialists who use it daily, study it, advocate it, and work with Kratom every single day. The true masters of Kratom.
Here are some helpful Kratom tips from our in-house Kratom Experts:
“Trial and error are key. Different strains can resonate differently for people as well as different serving sizes. Also, rotating Kratom strains is very important.”
- Expert Holly Hippo | Happy Hippo Helper Manager
“My advice would be to pay close attention to which strains have a consistent high level of Mitragynine in their alkaloid profile (15+mg of Mitra per gram of raw powder), and then mix 2-3 grams of powder into a quick toss and wash. The effects are comfortable and long-lasting.”
- Expert Brian Hippo | Happy Hippo Team Member
“Tip #1: If you're a powder user, grab some orange juice, pineapple juice, or any sort of citrus juice, and pour about 2-4oz into your kratom (AFTER mixing with hot water, cold liquid makes Kratom curdle) and it makes it 10 times easier to chug!
Tip #2: If you want to potentiate your Kratom, drink or eat some sort of fatty substance a little bit before taking your Kratom, such as cheese, milk, etc. You can also use lemon juice or a highly concentrated acidic juice!
Tip #3: Take your Kratom powder about 30 minutes to an hour after eating something to avoid an upset stomach.”- Expert Avery Hippo | Project Manager
“Start with a small serving, and take your time finding your perfect sweet spot. By doing this, you will really come to appreciate what this amazing leaf can do.”
- Expert Josh Hippo | Chief Production Officer & General Manager
“Always try a smaller size before committing to a large bag... because what works for me, may not necessarily work for you. Everyone is built differently and there is one strain that I may love and swear by, but someone else may get nothing from.”
- Expert Jamie Hippo | Customer Happiness & Experience Manager
“For the newbie - it takes a good month to really figure out Kratom, especially the powder. This will be a process of trial and error, just accept that. Start with small amounts. You'll either feel nothing or it will do something. Try again later. Every serving will increase your Kratom IQ.
If you've tried Kratom before (and didn’t like it), RESERVE JUDGMENT. There's a ton of sub-par Kratom on the market. The effects (or frankly, non-effects) are not reflective of what this magical plant can really do.
What you want to avoid is taking too much, having a bad experience, and deciding that "Kratom doesn't work". There's way too many people who do that. Sadly, many of these people shut the door on Kratom when their quality of life stood to benefit exponentially. There's a reason that Kratom can be life-changing. Don't walk away until you've tried it at least 10 times, different strains at different serving sizes.
That said - there are about 1-5% of people who are non or lesser-responders that never can get the A+ effects that I do. It doesn't work for some people. Don't declare yourself a non-responder until you try Happy Hippo's product. There's a world of difference between cheap Kratom and real Kratom. If you've legitimately tried a high-end Kratom product (hint: Happy Hippo) 10 times and it still doesn't work - no Kratom will work for you. Which is a bummer because this stuff is awesome for a lot of people.”- Expert Puddles Hippo | President & Chief Executive Officer
Final Thoughts
If you need advice about using Kratom - please contact us or refer to our blog.
When you reach out to Happy Hippo, you’re speaking directly to our experts. Our customer service agents use Kratom regularly. They are patient, friendly, knowledgeable, and best of all, they treat you like family. After all, the Kratom community IS our family!
If you want to try some of the highest-quality Kratom products with the FASTEST shipping, we’ve got you covered. With 25+ strains to choose from, you’ll definitely find a product (or multiple) that you LOVE!
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