In the past decade, herbal products have grown in popularity being introduced to the mainstream market. Kratom was one of those products. The natural plant product was once only found in headshops or on internet websites, but now Kratom is also sold in gas stations, health food stores, and vitamin shops; this is because the plant is known to provide multiple benefits. Nevertheless, there are still some people in the US that haven’t heard of Kratom.
We put together a comprehensive Kratom guide that remains relevant for both novice botanical users and long-term Kratom connoisseurs alike. Below is a table of contents - simply click to skip to the question you have!
What are the Effects of Kratom?
What are the Benefits of Kratom?
How Long Do Kratom Effects Last?
States That Have Restricted Kratom
The Best Place to Buy Kratom Online
What Is Kratom?
Kratom is a tree related to the coffee plant. It also goes by its scientific name: Mitragyna speciosa. The evergreen tree grows predominantly in Southeast Asia. Kratom needs tropical conditions to flourish, so it thrives in the rain forests of the tropics. It’s an indigenous species to countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam, and Myanmar. While it grows throughout several nations, almost the entire global supply is exported from only one country: Indonesia. It used to be the only country that provides a legal channel to purchase Kratom, until recently. In more recent news, Thailand started lifting more restrictions regarding Kratom. Although it remains highly regulated, approved sources are now allowed to import and export Kratom from the country.
The other countries regulate the plant due to its remedial qualities. But over the years, the native inhabitants of those lands have used it as a natural aid. The two primary alkaloids found in kratom (mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine) have since then been known to produce a variety of effects once ingested.
Today, plenty of people in the West yearn for a more holistic approach to their well-being. As such, the popularity of Kratom has increased in recent years.
What are the Effects of Kratom?
There are quite a few profound effects that Kratom produces. Some of them are dependent on the serving size. But for the most part, people usually classify Kratom effects as either stimulating, relaxing, or discomfort-relieving. However, there are plenty of other effects Kratom provides for the user, too.
What are the Benefits of Kratom?
- Discomfort relief: Scientific studies suggest that Kratom helps curb physical discomfort.
- Relaxation: Kratom provides calming effects for individuals needing a restful night’s sleep. It relaxes your muscles, too, which may help alleviate any tenseness from strenuous activities.
- May aid with Social-Jitters: The calm feeling that accompanies Kratom supports a relaxed mentality and provides a more pro-social attitude.
- Stimulation: Like Kratom’s distant cousin, coffee, kratom stimulates the neurotransmitters in our brains that give us energy.
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Provides Mental Clarity: Kratom gives its users an intense focus and mental clarity, creating motivation and determination to help tackle everything life throws your way.
How Long Do Kratom Effects Last?
Shortly after ingesting Kratom, one should feel the effects within thirty minutes. For those with a slower metabolism, it can take up to 45 minutes to an hour. Usually, the Kratom effects peak somewhere between 1.5 to 2.5 hours, but the duration of the overall Kratom effect remains dependent on a few variables.
The serving size taken by an individual is one factor. The effects felt from a small portion of Kratom will not last as long as taking multiple grams all at once. Again, the metabolism of a person can change the outcome. Anyone with a faster metabolic rate will metabolize the substance quicker than someone with a slower digestive system; but on average, the terminal half-life of mitragynine maxes around 24 hours.
Another thing that can alter the duration of Kratom effects is the consumer's diet. Taking the powder on an empty stomach makes the Kratom reaction more profound, and it lasts longer. But any discomfort relieving benefits will slowly reduce in effectiveness within a few hours after it peaks.
How Is Kratom Used?
Traditionally, in Thailand, Kratom leaves are either brewed into a Kratom tea or chewed as fresh leaves. If they choose the latter, the Thai people don’t swallow the leaves after they finish chewing them. Instead, they only consume the juices from the plant and spit out the vegetative material. The indigenous natives take Kratom for energy, and the contentment it provides. They work outside in the relentless heat, so various strains of Kratom help them overcome the struggle.
But in the US, Kratom consumers don’t have access to fresh leaves. We have to purchase Kratom that has gone through a manufacturing process, also known as a “drying process”. In addition, dried Kratom has a slightly changed alkaloid content resulting from an oxidation process that converts mitragynine into 7-hydroxymitragynine, making our Kratom products more potent.
Americans use the dried product to create a beverage with the Kratom or ingest it by other means (e.g., capsules, mixing with food, or a toss and wash).
What Is Kratom Tea?
Kratom tea is a beverage produced by placing Kratom leaves in hot water and allowing them to steep. As the hot water softens the Kratom leaf, it leeches the alkaloids from the plant matter, leaving a hot beverage filled with chemical compounds from the Kratom. Something to be cautious of, however, would be to make sure the water is not at boiling point. Boiling water or liquid over the temperature of 190 will destroy the alkaloids in the Kratom altogether, depleting the effects you’re looking for. When made correctly, the stimulating effects will give the user a jolt of energy, which feels comparable to coffee.
Some people remove the plant waste from the finished tea before drinking it, but others leave the leaf matter in it since some of the alkaloids remain inside the plant matter. Either way works, whichever way one chooses remains solely to one’s preferences.
What Is Kratom Powder?
Indonesian farmers grow different strains of Kratom on farms. They pick the fresh Kratom leaves off the tree whenever they mature. But before the Kratom gets shipped to the US, it goes through a manufacturing process. The farmers use fermentation and drying techniques to produce different Kratom varieties. After the Kratom has completely dried, it gets ground up into a fine Kratom powder.
Kratom powder helps to reduce the chance of bacterial pollutants. That’s because moisture levels in foods will significantly increase the odds for bacterial contaminations. The dried Kratom powder also allows more Kratom to fit in shipping containers, so that powder gets packaged and exported to our country for retail purposes.
Types of Kratom Products
You can find an assortment of high-quality American Kratom products on the market today. Most Kratom companies have a massive selection. A few of those products are listed below.
Dried leaf crushed into a fine powder.
Capsules filled with Kratom powder.
- Kratom Oil
It's an oil created from either a Kratom extract or isolated compounds.
- Kratom Beverages
Beverages with Kratom alkaloids added as ingredients.
Shots, usually in a flavored juice of some sort, including Kratom extracts.
A Kratom extract is a concentrated form of Kratom alkaloids.
Nevertheless, the most popular Kratom product remains Kratom powder, which is usually purchased by weight through buying quarters, halves, or entire kilograms.
The Kratom consumers that can’t stomach its taste can buy Kratom capsules; that way, they can take Kratom as a pill.
Still, some want a more efficient serving size but don’t want to take any additional product. Those people can always depend on Kratom extracts to get the job done. Kratom extracts are the most potent Kratom product available for sale.
What Is Kratom Extract?
Kratom extract is one of the most effective Kratom products on the market. All Kratom extracts are concentrated portions of the alkaloids extracted from the Kratom leaf. Therefore, you need a much smaller serving size of Kratom extract to feel the effects. This also helps to cut out a lot of the raw plant material that you ingest whenever taking Kratom powder.
Companies produce Kratom extract by removing the excess plant material, leaving nothing but a condensed formula of molecular compounds that deliver the desired Kratom effects in consumers.
A Kratom extract can be created in a multitude of ways. The most popular way would include using a food-grade ethanol and citric acid. The mixture of those two liquids and Kratom powder are placed in a container which is then placed in a bowl of hot water, until the ethanol is fully evaporated.
To read about the full process, read our blog about Liquid Kratom Extracts.
There are several strengths of Kratom extracts on the market, so it’s important to pay attention to which concentration of Kratom you purchase before you ingest it. Happy Hippo’s liquid extracts are created using 9 grams of Green Vein Maeng Da - which is just enough Kratom to get you through a challenging morning or afternoon at work.
Why Use a Kratom Extract?
The alkaloids in Kratom produce a bitter bite, making the flavor of Kratom a very acquired taste.
Lots of Kratom consumers get turned away from the taste and won't take it. This is why Kratom extract can be preferred by many, because it allows them to bypass that bitterness and still get the benefits from taking Kratom.
In addition, some people have digestive complications from ingesting all the plant material found in powdered forms of Kratom. Taking the time to strain the plant waste from Kratom tea is so time-consuming, so instead those people purchase Kratom extract to take throughout the day.
Those who have a stronger physical discomfort need substantially more Kratom to do the trick. In those instances, Kratom extracts are a more reasonable solution. It is important to note, however, Kratom extracts raise your tolerance considerably so they should be used sparingly.
Is Kratom Legal?
There are a few countries where Kratom is illegal, but in the United States, Kratom remains legal at the federal level. Our Congress hasn't written any legislation that restricts US consumers from buying or taking Kratom products. On the other hand, there have been congressman who introduced anti-kratom legislation into the House of Representatives. Fortunately, those bills never made it to see the break of daylight.
As such, citizens in the US are free to buy, sell, or consume Kratom. But even with that being the case, complications do arise with the importation of Kratom from overseas. Unfortunately, our government cannot control the laws of other countries. And currently, the threat of a Kratom restriction in Indonesia endangers the US supply chain in the future.
Although the federal government allows legal access to Kratom, other restrictions might apply to your situation, depending on where you live. There are a few states in the US that have made kratom illegal for their citizens.
States That Have Restricted Kratom
Currently, six states in the US have restricted kratom. In those six states - the purchase, sale or use of Kratom is currently restricted and may have legal penalties. Make sure you check the laws of every state before you travel with Kratom.
Right now, the following states continue to persecute kratom consumers by restricting its use.
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Indiana
- Rhode Island
- Wisconsin
- Vermont
Unfortunately, there are still a few municipalities that have restricted Kratom in states where it’s legal. Some cities, towns, and counties have passed legislation outlawing the substance in their jurisdictions, and those laws can change at a moment’s notice. Just because it’s legal today doesn’t mean they can’t restrict it by tomorrow. Likewise, there are instances where a local government has reversed a Kratom restriction.
It’s our responsibility as American citizens to stay up to date with the laws in the US before buying any Kratom products.
Where to Buy Kratom
Previously, purchasing Kratom was more difficult. The only places to find Kratom were in specific tobacco shops or through online Kratom vendors. However, Kratom consumers have more options at their fingertips since the herbal commodity has become more mainstream. Nowadays, some vitamin stores even carry the product. Brick-and-mortar retail businesses that specialize in CBD can offer Kratom in their shops as well.
Still, most of those types of companies usually carry Kratom products from different vendors. But most Kratom customers prefer to buy Kratom from specific Kratom companies that they know and trust. Some Kratom vendors provide less-than-stellar or inconsistent Kratom products, so utilizing a business with a proven track record for producing high quality kratom makes consumers comfortable with their purchase. And in the Kratom industry, one particular online Kratom company stands above the rest.
Check out our other blog on How to Buy Kratom Near You!
The Best Place to Buy Kratom Online
Out of all the online Kratom businesses, here at Happy Hippo Herbals we have a team of professionals that continually prove to go above and beyond our competitors. The reputation and expertise of our Happy Hippo employees are unmatched. The customer service representatives take additional time and effort to make sure you’re getting what you ordered, and if you have any concerns or queries, they’re on standby to assist you with choosing the perfect Kratom variety for your specific needs. The selection of Kratom products here at Happy Hippo Herbals is beyond reproach, as they’re constantly adding new strains and products. As members of the American Kratom Association, all of our kratom is lab-tested, and processed using Good Manufacturing Practices, ensuring the highest quality product.
In addition, we keep the selections under three easy-to-navigate topics. You can find slow, moderate, and fast strains of Kratom on the website. Plus, there are over 35 Kratom strains at your fingertips, so you can find a strain of kratom for every occasion. Take the time to peruse the site and make an order; afterwards, the odds are you’ll be a customer for life.
* Disclaimer: Kratom is NOT intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or condition. Our products are not intended for use by pregnant or nursing women or if you have a medical condition. DO NOT combine with alcohol or ANY prescription medications. Not for sale to persons under 21. Our product is a 100% unadulterated botanical specimen harvested without pesticides.
SOURCES
Stevens, Cara J. Kratom: is it safe? Healthline 2020
T., Poramet. Campaign for legal kratom use nears goal. Bangkok Post 2021
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