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Overview of Products and Their Potency
Kratom
Citation:   platypus. "Overview of Products and Their Potency: An Experience with Kratom (exp78072)". Erowid.org. Jul 5, 2018. erowid.org/exp/78072

 
DOSE:
  repeated   Kratom
BODY WEIGHT: 140 lb
Having heard of Kratom's opiate-like effects and legality, I decided to order some and give it a try. I ended up trying out nearly every Kratom extract and resin available, along with a few different varieties of plain leaf, in an attempt to find out what Kratom product was the most economial and effective. I used only reputable vendors that I had purchased great products from in the past. Here is the results (I rated each product on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being total crap and 10 being the best I tried). Ratings are based on the value for the money I spent.

Plain leaf (Maeng Da) - 7
Plain leaf ('Boe' Thai) - 3
'Thai 8:1 Resin extract' - 2
'Kratom resin pies' - 1
Powdered 10x extract - 4
Powdered 15x extract - 10
Powdered full-spectrum extract - 9
Kratom elixir/'nectar' - 6

I decided to try the plain leaf first (Maeng Da strain). I ate about three grams of the leaf, getting moderate stimulant effects. I would compare the stimulant effects to a small amount of dexedrine or adderall, without the 'cold' feeling I have gotten from amphetamines in the past. Next, I made tea with 7 grams. I placed the leaves in a pot full of water (too much water in hindsight), brought it to a boil, let it boil until about half the water had evaporated, then strained out the leaves. I then boiled the water down to about half a cup, let it cool and drank it. Yes, it tastes vile. I don't enjoy tea to begin with, and this was very very bitter tea. I received the stimulant effects mixed with mild opiate effects. The opiate effects were roughly equivalent about 200mg of tramadol.


Next, I decided to order the '8:1 Resin Extract'. I tried a gram of it first, and perceived only mild stimulant effects which were weaker than the 3 grams of leaf I ate. Next, I ate the remaining 2 grams and was left with slightly stronger stimulant effects. None of the opiate-like effects were achieved either time.

Thinking that perhaps I got a weak batch of resin, I ordered 1 gram each of the 'Full spectrum extract', '8:1 Resin extract' and '15x extract.' First, I tried the resin extract again. This time I got very mild opiate-like effects (comparable to 100mg of tramadol). However the stimulant effects were so strong and long-lasting that I didn't sleep at all that night and made it a unpleasant experience overall. Next, I tried the gram of full spectrum extract. Getting the stuff into my stomach was quite the experience, as it tastes HORRID whether eaten plain or mixed into a beverage. I experienced moderate opiate-like effects and quite a bit of stimulation, comparable to about 250mg of tramadol. This experience was the most enjoyable yet, and convinced me my purchases were indeed worth the money I had spent. However, the stimulant effects still seemed excessive to me and detracted from the euphoria. Next came the 15x extract. The gram of 15x was much, much easier to consume than the full spectrum. The taste is more palatable and it didn't stick to every nook and cranny of my mouth like the full-spectrum did. The effects were about the same as the gram of full-spectrum, but with less stimulation. I enjoyed this experience even more.

The next order was 4 grams of the 10x extract. I split it up evenly and downed about 1.5 grams the first time. The effects were much weaker and less enjoyable than the gram of 15x. Two days later, I ate the other 2.5 grams. This experience was a bit stronger, but still seemed weaker than the gram of 15x/full spectrum.

Next up was the 'Kratom resin pies', available from a different vendor than the '8:1 Resin extract' that I had previously purchased. This resin seemed even weaker than the 8:1, and was much harder and brittle. While the 8:1 resin was rubbery and comparable to opium in its texture, this resin was like a big, brittle piece of sandstone. Whenever I tried to break off a chunk, it would crumble into tiny pieces. It took me SIX grams of this resin to get effects equivalent to the gram of 15x, even though the vendor claimed this resin was about 7x in its potency. I've noticed that the resin extracts seem to mostly give me the stimulant effects, while the powdered extract/plain leaf give me much more of the opiate-like effects. I'm sure it has to do with the solvents used in the extraction process. Both resins I received were 'cold-water extracted', and seemed to be able the same potency despite their different appearances. I had really hoped that the extract resins would be more potent, since they are much easier to consume that any of the other Kratom products. Its alot easier to swallow a ball of resin than make puke tea or eat the powder and try not to vomit.

Finally, I ordered 1 fl. oz of Kratom elixir/'nectar', which claimed to be a 5:1 liquid extract of Kratom mixed with flavorings and wine to make it more palatable. 10-20 drops of these gave me moderate stimulant effects, comparable to a gram of two of the resin extract. Next, I drank roughly 1/2 fl. oz (half the bottle), and got stronger stimulant effects and mild opiate-like effects.

Over the next few months, I ordered more full-spectrum and 15x extract, along with more plain leaf. I made tea with up to 14 grams of plain leaf. The only difference between the full-spectrum and 15x is that the full-spectrum gives me a higher ratio of stimulation:euphoria, whereas the 15x gives me a higher ratio of euphoria:stimulation. I settled on about 2 grams of either of these as the most enjoyable overall. With 2 grams of either extract, I feel effects comparable to about 14 grams of leaf. I'm sure that some of the active alkaloids are lost during the extraction process and the lowest grade Kratom is used for the extractions, which explains why they are,in reality, about 7x potency comparable to higher-grade plain leaf. 2 grams of 15x has opiate effects comparable to 150-200mg of codeine, but without the excessive itching or nausea I get from codeine or other prescription opiates. Great legal plant! I'd say its the best legal botanical available if you're not a huge fan of psychedelics.

Exp Year: 2009ExpID: 78072
Gender: Male 
Age at time of experience: Not Given
Published: Jul 5, 2018Views: 8,918
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Kratom (203) : Retrospective / Summary (11), Personal Preparation (45), Not Applicable (38)

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