What you need to know before switching to kratom extracts?

Kratom leaves from the tropical tree Mitragyna speciosa used for centuries as a traditional medicine and natural stimulant. Due to their highly concentrated alkaloid content, kratom extracts are growing increasingly popular as an alternative to conventional powders. But before substituting regular plain-leaf kratom for extracts, there are some important factors to consider.

What are kratom extracts?

kratom country extracts are made by boiling down large amounts of fresh kratom leaves or powder into a highly concentrated paste, resin, or powder. Through selective extraction and purification processes, kratom extracts contain up to 50 times the alkaloid levels found in natural kratom leaves. On their own, kratom extracts are generally too potent to consume comfortably. They are typically mixed with plain powdered leaves to make “enhanced” kratom products. The resulting enhanced kratom blend offers the convenience of needing smaller doses while still retaining the plant’s natural alkaloid profile.

Benefits of switching to kratom extracts

There are several reasons why a regular kratom powder user might choose to switch over to using extracts instead:

1. Higher alkaloid concentration
2. Faster onset of effects
3. Enhanced strength of effects
4. Increased duration of effects
5. More convenient dosing
6. Different range of effects

The richness of alkaloids makes extracts potentially ideal for addressing pain, anxiety, insomnia, or opioid withdrawal symptoms. Due to requiring a smaller quantity to dose, extracts also help users save money in the long run.

Things to keep in mind before switching

While offering benefits, kratom extracts also have some downsides to consider before incorporating them into your regimen. Things to keep in mind include:

Probability of building tolerance faster

Due to containing a far higher alkaloid concentration, tolerance often builds much more rapidly when using extracts frequently or in high doses. This leads users to become dependent on extracts to feel kratom’s effects.

Potential for dangerous interactions

The heightened potency of extracts also increases the risks of adverse reactions when combined with drugs like benzodiazepines, opiates, gabapentinoids, etc. Using extracts alongside such substances raises safety concerns.

More side effects

While generally dose-dependent, common extract side effects include nausea, headaches, dizziness, vomiting, and constipation. Less is typically more when using extracts to minimize adverse reactions.

Difficulty transitioning back to powder

Frequent extract users often report difficulty transitioning back to plain leaf powder if attempting a tolerance break. Withdrawals may manifest when ceasing extract use due to down regulating natural kratom tolerance thresholds.

Dosage guidelines when switching to extracts

Due to their radically higher alkaloid concentrations, extreme care should be taken when measuring out extract dosages:

1. Start low with a threshold dose of 0.5 grams to assess potency and tolerance.
2. Consider a normal kratom powder dose between 2-5 grams. Extract doses are 5-10 times lower than plain leaf doses.
3. 1 gram or less of 20-50x extract powder is typically sufficient for most users.
4. For tinctures, start below 0.5 mL to test potency before increasing dosage.
5. Never exceed 1 gram of powdered extract or 2 mL max of tincture in a single dose.

Be exceptionally careful using ultrapotent extracts labeled as enhanced powders, resin extracts, 50x, 100 xs, etc. A little goes an extremely long way with these products to avoid adverse reactions. Threshold doses under a gram are wise.