The Kratom Starter Guide (Powder)

You’ve embarked on the journey into the world of kratom. Awesome! There’s a few simple things to keep in mind to have an optimum experience, and figure out what works best for you. Here are the main points to consider when starting a kratom regiment.

How do I take it?
How much do I take?
What strain and vein should I take?
How often should I take it?
How do I know if it’s working?

Best Practices
Troubleshooting
Tips & Tricks
Starter Recipes
Supplies

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LEGAL DISCLAIMER: *Kratom has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. It is not intended to treat, cure, or prevent any disease or ailment. This page is intended for informative purposes, and is purely opinion based on our own experience. No statement or advice is intended to be a prescription or prescription guidance. Please consult your physician before trying any new supplements, kratom, or for any questions regarding your personal health, medication interactions, or specific requirements necessary for your individual situation. That One Place is not liable for adverse reactions resulting from mishandling, misuse, or consumption of the products.*

Ways to Take Kratom

There are multiple methods in which people consume their kratom. Some strategies are arguably “better” than others but every person has their own needs and preferences. We will list options in this section as well as weigh the pros and cons of each. It takes some experimenting and troubleshooting to figure out what works best for you. Utilize our experience to fast track your journey and eliminate potential pitfalls. The alkaloids in kratom are processed by an enzymatic process in the liver. For this reason, kratom is most effective when consumed orally. This plant IS NOT INTENDED NOR EFFECTIVE WHEN SMOKED.

Capsules:

Capsules filled with kratom powder.

Pros:

- Quick and easy
- Can be done on the go
- No bad taste
- Low profile, looks like a supplement
- Easy to consistently measure doses
- No supplies necessary (unless making your own capsules)
- Full alkaloid spectrum
- Can have many doses prepped ahead of time

Cons:

- Capsules can’t hold very much kratom- a lot may need to be taken in order to reach desired results
- Capsule digestion may mitigate or hinder alkaloid absorption
- Takes time and supplies to prepare
- Can be costly if bought pre-made
- Capsule sizes/weight differ between retailers

Easy Foods:

Add your preferred dose of kratom to a smoothie, yogurt, pudding, applesauce or similar food item.

Pros:

- Flavor can be masked
- Easy to implement if you already make smoothies
- Full alkaloid spectrum
- Can be consumed fast or over time
- Blender does the mixing for you

Cons:

- Alkaloids compete with food for absorption
- Can alter the taste of the smoothie or food
- Harder to do on the go
- Not recommended to prep ahead of time

★ K-Shot / Drink:

A serving of powder mixed into liquid such as water, lemonade, juice, coffee, tea, etc usually intended to take quickly like a “shot”. Hot liquids work best for mixing, and absorption. Click here for our quick n’ easy super effective HotShot recipe.

Pros:

- Relatively fast to make
- Extremely fast absorption
- Can be flavored
- Full alkaloid spectrum
- Consistent and accurate doses

Cons:

- Requires some supplies
- Can have bad taste if not flavored
- Harder to do on the go but not impossible
- Can’t prep for future use
- Kratom does not mix well in colder liquids

Oblate Discs / Parachuting:

A quickly dissolving disc in which larger amounts of powder can be taken (like a large capsule).

Pros:

- Quick
- Can be cheaper than capsules
- Faster than making capsules
- No bad taste
- Can be done on the go
- Consistent doses
- Very few supplies necessary

Cons:

- Takes practice, can potentially burst open in your mouth when done wrong
- Can’t prep ahead of time
- Encapsulation can mitigate alkaloid absorption
- Must be able to quickly swallow larger objects
- Potentially messy

Red Bubble Tea:

An advanced tea making method that theoretically causes the main alkaloids to become extremely bioavailable. Soak kratom dose(s) in solvent such as lemon juice, steep the pasty mixture in hot water, let the tea cool and then freeze, thaw out and enjoy.

Pros:

- Cool red tint from chemical extraction process
- Breaks down the cellular integrity of the plant, releasing main alkaloids for maximum absorption
- Can be flavored
- Fun to experiment with
- Can prepare multiple doses ahead of time, and store for long periods of time
- Full alkaloid spectrum
- Consistent and accurate doses

Cons:

- Requires supplies
- Takes hours to fully prepare and serve
- Benefits may not outweigh time required to make
- Can not do on the go, but can take on the go after prepared
- Complicated

Tea:

A long brew tea steeped from the leaf powder, dried leaves, or crushed leaves.

Pros:

- Better flavor / Can be flavored
- Extremely fast absorption
- Easier on the stomach, no plant matter is consumed
- Can be made in bulk for future use
- Can be consumed fast or over time

Cons:

- Requires time to prepare
- Only the main alkaloids are absorbed into water. It is difficult to get a full spectrum tea.
- Requires experimentation
- Dosage calculations may be different and more difficult to gauge as opposed to consuming powder
- Requires more supplies

Toss & Wash:

A dose of kratom powder (usually in a teaspoon or similar utensil) put directly in your mouth and then washed down with water or another liquid.

Pros:

- Quick
- Fast absorption
- Can be done on the go
- Requires almost no supplies
- Consistent doses and measurement
- Full alkaloid spectrum

Cons:

- Potentially Dangerous (inhaling powder by accident, choking, etc.)
- Bad taste
- Sticks to teeth, clumps up, and taste lingers
- Potentially messy

Considering available factors, our personal favorite method is the K-Shot / Drink (marked with a star). It is quick and easy, the bad taste can be masked, it promotes fast and effective absorption of alkaloids, and can be done on the go. For those who have a sensitive GI tract the Long Brew Tea option would likely be more beneficial, because the digestive system won’t have to process all of the plant matter. Our Hotshot recipe is in the video below 🙂

Important Notes:

Clear as Mud

There is no magic amount, strain, or vein that works for everybody. There is no official recommended starting place. Every single person has different chemistry and may process kratom in a different way. Some are highly sensitive, others take heaping amounts with no reaction. It will most definitely take some trial and error to fine tune your dose. These tips are an attempt at mitigating bad experiences and expediting the experimentation phase into an effective regiment. The video at the top of this page will cover most of these topics if that's easier to learn 🙂

Measuring

DO NOT EVER "eyeball" a serving of kratom. We can not express the importance of measuring EVERY TIME. This practice allows for you to conserve kratom, experience desired benefits every time, prevent getting adverse reactions such as puking (from taking too much), keep tolerance down, and let you accurately adjust the regiment up or down based on preference. By guessing how much of this plant you're taking, consistency of the experience is eliminated. We don't recommend rolling the dice when you could instead know exactly what to expect. No fancy tools or equipment are required to reliably measure a kratom dose. The easiest "hack" is a measuring teaspoon. If for some reason this is unavailable, they're available at a majority of stores like Walmart, Dollar Tree, etc. In fact, Grandma probably has 3 spares she could lend. We have specially designed kratom kits available in-store as well. A level unpacked teaspoon of leaf powder is approximately 2g. Simple math will show 1/2 tsp is about 1g and 1/4tsp is right around .5g. Although not entirely necessary, a scale (measures to .1g or .01g is best) would provide even more accuracy.

The First Dose

One of the first questions we ask when determining a good starting point for kratom is "what is your tolerance to most things such as medication, caffeine, etc?". A person with lower tolerance and high sensitivities to other substances will likely be sensitive to kratom and vice versa. Our recommended starting points are 1g for low tolerance and up to 4g for high tolerance. A person with average tolerance would usually start closer to 3g. Less is usually more with this plant.

Tolerance

Kratom's alkaloids do not signal the pathways that regulate tolerance. For this reason, people have been able to maintain a low dose while still being effective for years. However; Consistently taking more than needed, or "chasing the dragon" (taking more than necessary in search of a high) will cause your body's tolerance to spike. Kratom's potential benefits will be virtually negligible if this happens. A cascade effect can happen where wasteful amounts of kratom are used in search of the effects, tolerance will keep rising, and your body may reject the sheer amount of plant matter and alkaloids being consumed. Being caught in this cycle is expensive and hard on the body. The only way out of it is to abstain, detox, and try again later with a hopefully greater respect for the plant and yourself. Over the years, we have been able to stay on the same regiment, and even reduce the amounts while still experiencing the same benefits. Respect the plant, and it will respect you. In our opinion- the largest factors in keeping tolerance down are a healthy diet/lifestyle, healthy bowel movements, and a conservative regiment.

Troubleshooting

After consuming, take note of how you feel. If you feel there are no noticeable differences- DO NOT immediately take more. In the case the dose may have been a bit too strong, drink plenty of water, eat some food, and make sure to take less if you try again later. Kratom takes anywhere from 10 minutes to 1.5hrs to feel. Wait a minimum of 4-6hrs (preferably wait until the next day) before trying again or else you'll pose the risk of adverse effects from taking too much. Move the dose up or down in .5g or 1g increments every attempt until you have reached the MINIMUM amount of kratom to reach desired benefits. Kratom has a ceiling effect, so once desired effects are attained, taking more will not be beneficial. Duration of effects varies between individuals. Typically, 4-6hrs is the window in which most people will say kratom's effects wear off. Others say it lasts all day. Another good practice is to note the time your dose was consumed, so you don't make the mistake of taking too much too soon. Normally, smaller doses are more stimulating, while higher doses are more sedative. We recommend starting smaller because you can always take a little more on the next go around. If you take too much, the only way your body knows how to fix that is to puke it back up.

Choosing the Right Vein

Yellow / Gold

One of the biggest mysteries of kratom... a Yellow Vein is usually not a pure vein but rather a blend. Depending on what vendor you're looking at the blend could be red/white/green but a typical yellow is a red and green blend that is slightly heavier on the red. These pure vein color mixes give the blend a more yellow appearance. Rarely, a true yellow will present itself. Real yellows go through their own unique and proprietary drying process akin to a red but not quite the same. The Yellow and Gold moniker are pretty much interchangeable throughout most vendors, however we do things different and "gold" means slightly enhanced.

Some Tidbits to Keep in Mind

Contrary to what many articles say- the vein color we know is not determined by the maturity of the leaves being harvested. The vein color is determined by the drying process in which the leaf went through after harvesting. The actual color differences are varying and subtle. Bright greens, deep reds, and blinding whites are unnatural. It has become a trend for overseas distributors to color the powder in an attempt to stand out from competitors and make the product more attractive to the unassuming American market. Many people associate brighter colors with “fresher” and “better” product. The same tricks are pulled in grocery stores with fruits and vegetables. They are genetically engineered to be pretty so you’ll buy them, but lack the same quality as an organically grown specimen. Color is not the best indicator of kratom quality or freshness, so don’t be fooled by this new pretty kratom trend.

Strains - The Dirty Truth

Strains don't exist.

What About Region?

If Strains Don't Exist...
Then Why Do We Have Them?

Strains originated as a marketing tactic for distributors to sell more leaf. Buyers from America are more enticed by some Super Ultra Green Iron Man rather than just “Green”. This obviously leads to confusion for a lot of vendors and customers. There are no standards. One Green MD is completely different from another. Plenty of vendors are unaware that strains don’t exist, which means a majority of consumers still believe in the myth. Strain mythology is so widespread and engrained in kratom culture that we’re stuck with it.

Our Decision to have "Strains"

Just because strain names got a rocky start, doesn’t mean there aren’t benefits to the system. We get pure veins and a few pre-blended strains from multiple sources. Names are easy for us (and for you) to remember. Example: Do you think of 8.8.4.4 when searching something online, or do you think of google.com? It’s easier and catchier remembering “Green Malay” rather than “Pure Green Source 1″… just like it’s easier to remember “google” instead of an IP address. Overall, it makes things smoother with customers who are still used to strains, and it makes our inventory and selling process better.

So what does that mean for me?

There’s no magic strain. Even batch to batch the same “strain” can be completely different. We try to be as consistent as possible, but there are an infinite amount of factors affecting how each batch or even bag will be. We try to provide detailed descriptions to aid in your search, but since everybody is different these descriptions may not be applicable to you personally. Experimentation, note taking, and self assessments are essential in narrowing down your personal best options.

What About Extracts?

Some answers to your questions

Kratom Extracts will ruin your tolerance

Can’t tell you how many times we’ve heard this… But it’s simply untrue. A responsible user calculating proper doses can effectively stay at their normal dose and switch between powder and extracts with no issues. However, due to the potency and convenience of extracts- people who are carelessly consuming can potentially develop problems.

Extracts are dangerous

Kratom extracts have the same major constituents as kratom powder, only in higher concentrations. They’re not inherently more dangerous. When used irresponsibly, the high strength can be a risk factor to easily overdo it. A good metaphor we use is: A motor vehicle is a 4000lb mass of fast moving metal. The vehicle isn’t dangerous though, that responsibility is beheld by the driver. Don’t be a bad driver.

"FULL SPECTRUM" Extracts

Hate to burst anybody’s bubble but there’s no such thing. Some companies say a “Full Spectrum” is using all 3 vein colors in an extraction. Others will tell you an extract with a modest amount of secondary alkaloids is “Full Spectrum”. There is no standard for what the spectrum is, or what the claim even means. Some of the compounds in kratom are not extracted by conventional methods. A few are fat soluble / non-polar and others are soluble in a polar solution. Essentially all kratom extractions are a “polar pull” which by default leaves part of the original full spectrum contained in the leaf out of the final extract. So the terminology is rather misleading, especially without any form of standardization.

Bad Marketing

For years now, shady marketing tactics have dominated smoke shop shelves and even infiltrated many household names in the online space. A great example is “50x crystal kratom extract in rainbow colors!” The 50x is supposed to mean for every 50g of powder 1g of extract is produced. Theoretically 50x the strength. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. The zany colors are obtained through food dye, and even if 50g of powder was used to obtain 1g of extract the potency generally doesn’t surpass about 3x normal kratom powder strength… meaning the extraction process was super inefficient or the claims are lies.

Another common tactic is a vague statement of “Contains 500mg Kratom Extract”. Then no information is given on the strength of the extract, total MIT content, or any other information that is vital to the consumer for safe usage. If 2 kratom shots were sitting on the shelf with the exact same price and one says “200mg MIT” and the other says “500mg Kratom Extract”- the 500mg number looks bigger and appears to be a better value. Even though it could realistically be weaker or lower quality than the properly labeled counterpart. It’s important to learn how to recognize and avoid these traps.

Regulation is in our hands

Kratom is an unregulated industry which comes with its own list of pros and cons. We are personally happy it is unregulated because there’s no government overreach and interference. BUT due to the grey area some people throw safety to the wind in favor of some better profit margins… Legally. We uphold a high standard of quality and safety for this community, whether people like it or not. Which has landed us in the line of fire from unhappy vendors and their fans alike that don’t appreciate us calling it out. Bad practices like dirty solvents, cheap filler, dyes, misleading marketing, medical claims, poor advice, and corner cutting can cause harm to people and ultimately cause the government to step in and ban kratom. To combat this unethical behavior, while simultaneously preventing the government from stepping in- we want to aid in education about this plant and hold ourselves and other vendors to a gold standard. It will be up to you to hold vendors to a higher standard as well. If businesses with bad practices are still being supported and funded they will continue providing unsafe products. If customers stop buying, these businesses are forced to get better or get out. Since there is almost nothing that can legally be done to shady vendors, the act of cooperatively balancing the free market is the community’s super power in preserving our plant. Regardless of who or where you choose to get your kratom from, you deserve to have a safe and quality experience. That One Place has your back.

Some things to look out for

There are a few things to look out for when shopping for extracts. A super low price generally indicates a cheap or unwanted extract. The “crystal” shiny looking extracts are a basic crude extraction generally performed in Indonesia with low grade “toss out” powder that could not be easily sold. Often times lab tests are not available and they will be marketed as a “50x” or something similar with an “x”. They’re named with “crystal”, “glass” and other things to emphasize the shiny appearance. These extracts generally don’t surpass around 5-8% MIT content.

There are free base and salt extractions. Neither is superior but they are different from each other. It is wise to find out which type your extract is. Most extracts will be free base, so if the description doesn’t specify the extract is most likely a free base. When the MIT percentage starts climbing over 45%, it may be a salt. If the extract you are looking at is advertised as “water soluble” it is likely a salt but the claim about being water soluble is untrue. A salt requires an acid like citric acid in the water in order to be soluble.

Extracts can come in different colors based on the extraction methods but super bright colors are usually not a good sign. This generally only happens with “crystal” extracts to make them more appealing. Deeper orange and red colors on mit percentages 40% or less can indicate leftover solvents.

Strong odors emitted from the extract indicate residual solvents. This means part of the extraction process was not done properly and not all of those chemicals are evaporated from the final product. If a food safe solvent like citric acid is used then this isn’t a big deal, but if a harsher solvent like methanol is used (without proper protocol) this can be a really big deal and cause irreversible damage to the consumer. Due to the unregulated nature, there are no laws or standards on what chemicals can and can’t be used for extraction.

Just like different veins of kratom, extracts can have varying balances of alkaloids. In fact, they can have more prominent differences. It is a good idea to pay attention to not only the MIT and 7-OH content but the secondary alkaloids as well, to learn what types may be more or less suitable for your specific needs.

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The Kratom Starter Guide (Powder)

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