What is Kratom?

Native to the tropical rainforests of countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, the Mitragyna speciosa tree can grow up to 82 feet in height, with a 3-foot wide trunk! The leaves – which are used to make powders, extracts, and other therapeutic kratom products – are dark green and glossy, and can get quite large: up to 8 inches long and 5 inches wide.

In addition to the healing leaves, the kratom tree blooms with pretty, ball-shaped flowers that grow three to a bunch at the ends of the branches.

How To Use Kratom

Kratom delivers unique effects depending on the amount consumed. Smaller amounts enable kratom to act as a stimulant, offering up increased physical energy and alertness (and even enhanced sexual energy!). People in countries to which kratom is native have used this plant for generations to improve motivation and make it easier to do repetitive or monotonous work. In this way, kratom really showcases its relationship to the coffee plant!

When Do The Effects of Kratom Start?

Following a small amount of kratom, patients can expect to feel effects in about half an hour, and continue to experience relief for one to two hours (some strains last longer than others). High doses can kick in more quickly, and last as long as 6 hours. Whatever dosage of kratom you take, and whatever symptoms you’re trying to treat, to avoid injury to yourself and others, always wait a few hours before driving or doing any heavy manual work.

Effects of Kratom Strains

Though the above is a good basic guideline for using kratom, at Original Harvest we offer options that deliver more or less energy or relaxation based on strain alone. Our Red Vein kratom powders and Red Vein capsules are generally “slow”, which means they provide more relaxation and pain relief, while White Vein kratom capsules and kratom leaf are known to be “fast”, providing mostly relief from fatigue and depression, and relatively small analgesic effect. Green Vein kratom is “moderate”, delivering a nice balance of clean-burning energy and pain relief.

As with any other therapeutic product, the tolerable and beneficial amount will vary from person to person, depending on many different factors including physical/chemical makeup and tolerance (due to the similarities in the products, people suffering from opioid addiction will have a higher tolerance than others).

For regular kratom products (regular potency as opposed to strong potency), new users should be limiting quantities to 1 to 3 grams. Here at Original Harvest, we never recommend anyone take more than 6 grams of kratom at one time, unless recommended by a medical professional. Amounts above 6 grams are more likely to result in unwanted (though ultimately mild) side effects such as “the wobbles”. But 6 grams is also more than enough to feel the sedative effects of certain strains.

Kratom for Relaxation

When you use a higher quantity of kratom, the effects essentially reverse. The powder becomes a sedative and an analgesic (painkiller), leaving you comfortably relaxed and in a sort of dreamy state. Some people using kratom at higher doses experience a faint euphoria, though if you’re seeking a “high”, kratom is likely to disappoint.

Public Advocates for Kratom

Some of the most promising evidence of kratom’s benefits (besides the fact that it has been used medicinally for hundreds of years) can be seen in the outcry that followed the DEA’s attempt to blacklist the product by classifying it a Schedule 1 substance (like heroin and cocaine).

When word came out about this development in the fall of 2016, hundreds of thousands of people spoke up about the devastating effect scheduling kratom would have on their health. The petitions, public comments, and involvement of individuals in government power overturned the DEA’s plan to make Kratom a Schedule 1 drug; kratom remains legal in most of the US states, and is sold as an aromatherapy product “not for consumption”, throughout Canada.

Kratom is not authorized for human consumption in some US states and throughout Canada. The information shared on the Original Harvest Kratom website is intended for informational purposes only. While we will always work to ensure our information is up-to-date and honest, we cannot guarantee its veracity and encourage our customers to seek medical advice before purchasing kratom. Original Harvest will not be held responsible for illegal or incorrect use of our products.