Kratom Side Effects You May Want To Know

As the popularity of Kratom continues to skyrocket in the United States, people are inspired to learn more about this amazing plant. Unfortunately, due to severe lack of funding and legal turmoil, scientific studies on Kratom are extremely limited right now. Most of what we truly know about Kratom comes directly from user experience. 

A large majority of the Happy Hippo staff has been using Kratom for several years - it has changed our lives tremendously and we’re proud to share our experiences with the community. 

There are plenty of articles online that talk about the benefits of Kratom, but like all natural botanicals and even prescription medications, Kratom also has potential side effects that can occur in rare circumstances. In this article, we are going to discuss a few Kratom side effects you may want to know before embarking on your personal wellness journey. We will also cover some side effects caused by developing a Kratom Tolerance. 

Please Note: All of our advice on Kratom comes from personal experience and is NOT intended to be medical advice. Everyone's body processes Kratom differently. Tips and tricks that work for us may not work the same for you. 

Be patient with yourself and feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions.

What is Kratom?

Kratom (Mitragyna Speciosa) is a tropical tree related to the coffee plant. 

It grows in Southern Asian countries such as Indonesia, Bali, and Malaysia. This special plant is known to produce over 40 natural alkaloids which have incredible benefits to the mind and body once consumed. The benefits vary between the different strains. Some Kratom strains are known to provide energy, motivation, and mental focus while others provide relaxation, discomfort relief, and restful sleep. 

Kratom speeds help to categorize strains based on their overall resonation and effects on a spectrum between Energy and Relaxation.

• Fast Speed Kratom = Energy, Motivation, and Productivity
• Moderate Speed Kratom = Balance between Energy and Relaxation
• Slow Speed Kratom = Relaxation, Discomfort Relief, and Restful Sleep

There are people in Southeast Asia who have been using Kratom as an herbal remedy for centuries. It’s primarily used to help them relax after a long day of demanding physical labor. Back in the day, they would consume it by chewing on raw, fresh Kratom leaves or brewing Kratom Tea. In the United States, Kratom is most commonly found in powder form and similarly consumed in a tea-like beverage. You can also find Kratom available in capsules and extracts. 

If you’re interested in learning more about the basics of Kratom and the ways you can use it, please refer to this article. 

What are the Side Effects of Kratom?

The side effects experienced from using Kratom are usually caused by a combination of factors such as: serving size, the alkaloid profile of the strain, Kratom Tolerance, and your personal body chemistry.

Kratom Side Effects (caused by too large a serving):

• Nausea
• Vomiting 
• Irritability
• Dry Mouth or Dehydration (Drink water!) 
• Constipation
• Slight numbness of the tongue 
• Increased Kratom Tolerance (see below)

Kratom Side Effects of Increased Tolerance: 

• Decreased effects at your normal serving size
• Frequent feelings of “It Doesn’t Really Work Anymore” 
• Having to take an increasingly larger serving to feel any effects at all

If you want more insight on how to prevent or reduce your Kratom Tolerance and keep your serving sizes low - we have an entire article dedicated to Kratom Tolerance written by our in-house Kratom experts. 

How Long Do Kratom Side Effects Last?

Most Kratom side effects are temporary and will subside after a couple of hours.

In most cases, they are brought on by taking a larger serving size than you’re used to. However, you can also experience side effects when trying a new strain with a higher alkaloid content for the first time. 

If you want to avoid feeling yucky, try to keep your serving size low and always work your way up in small increments. Kratom is not a “more is better” kind of thing. 

New users should start with ½ - 1 teaspoon of Kratom powder for their first time. If effects aren’t apparent, wait about 2 hours and try again with a slightly larger serving. It’s best to work your way up in ½ gram increments. Remember to be patient. Finding the perfect serving size may be a process of trial and error for some. Don’t worry! It’s well worth it in the end. 

In the rare event that you experience any unusual side effects from Kratom, you should immediately cease use and seek professional medical attention. 

Is Kratom Safe?

Although scientific studies are limited, most evidence suggests that Kratom is generally safe to consume. After all, the natives of Southeast Asia have been using Kratom successfully for generations. Still, adverse reactions can occur from ingesting heavy serving sizes all at once. Stay within the recommended serving sizes for the best results. Hopefully scientists can tell us more about Kratom and the long-term effects it has on the body in the coming years. 

Right now, Kratom is unregulated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), so there aren’t many rules in place that protect consumers from shady vendors. 

Buying Kratom from trustworthy, reputable vendors is the way to go. Any vendor that is certified by the American Kratom Association is a good place to start because they are required to follow GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) in all of their facilities.  

Moral of the story - Do some research before buying anything and ask to see their lab testing results. Reading lab reports will let you know the alkaloid content of the strain and if any contaminants were present at the time of testing. 

Where To Buy High-Quality, Safe Kratom

If you want the best Kratom ever, check out the massive selection we have at Happy Hippo Herbals.

We have so many great Kratom strains and most of them are available in both powder and capsule form. We also have amazing Kratom Extracts, including liquid extract, Kratom shots, soft gels, and even Kratom Taffy!

Why is Happy Hippo Herbals the best place to buy Kratom?

• We are proudly certified by the (AKA) American Kratom Association
  
• We strictly abide by GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) in all of our facilities
• All of our Kratom is lab-tested for heavy metals and other contaminants (Ask to see our lab results!)
  
• All of our Kratom is pre-sterilized
  
• All of our Kratom products are neatly packaged and clearly labeled
  
• 100% ALL NATURAL KRATOM - no additives or inferior botanical fillers necessary
• Our Kratom is visibly different - it looks and smells fresh. Trust me, you’ll notice the difference.
• We specialize in high-quality Kratom products, but we also have superb alternative botanicals (Kava, Kanna, Akuamma, and more!)

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.