Kratom Powder: Pros, Cons, and What to Expect

Medically reviewed by — Written by Alex Eriksson

Kratom is a type of evergreen tree that grows in the tropics. It is also part of the coffee family.

It can be found in many parts of South Asia such as Malaysia, Thailand, and Myanmar.

Just like coffee plants, the extracts from this tree is also quite potent. However, unlike the coffee that we are familiar with, Kratom can act both as a stimulant and also as a sedative.

This is why some researchers comment that it is quite an dynamic herbal product. In fact, some of the suggested potential uses and benefits of its extracts include the following:

Note that unlike coffee, the potent compounds of Kratom are not found in the beans or fruit. Its leaves are often extracted for medicinal and recreational purposes.



Types of Kratom Products

If you are interested in using Kratom, one of the first things that you will notice is that there are a variety of product types to choose from.

Some manufacturers sell kratom powder, which is a fairly common type of product in the market. There are also kratom extracts as well.

And then from time to time you will find some kratom tinctures. The next question is that which of these types of kratom products should you buy?

Will there be any difference in the potential effects depending on the type of kratom products that you will buy?

We will go over the advantages and disadvantages of each type of kratom product in the discussion below.

Henna leaves with powder on ceramic bowl

Kratom Powder

Kratom powder is usually extracted from the leaves of the evergreen tree where it is sourced. Some manufacturers may use other parts of the tree as well.

The leaves are dried up and then they are ground into powder form. Note that some manufacturers may incorporate powders from other herbs, so check the label carefully.

If you want to use kratom powder then you should make sure that you are getting the pure powder from the leaves without any additives.

The powdered leaves are then encapsulated and packed into bottles. These leaves packaged in powdered form are classified as whole herb supplements in contrast to leaf extracts.

Advantages of Using Kratom Powder

Remember that when it you use kratom in powdered form, you are getting the full-spectrum of nutrients from its leaves.

Remember that the leaves are where the most of the chemicals and nutrients are derived. There are only a few manufacturers that use the other parts of the kratom tree as source materials for their products.

Using herbs in their powdered form gives you the advantage of all the phytochemicals in any plant, veggie, or tree. These compounds are designed to work in complete synergy.

Another benefit of using kratom powder is that it is less expensive. The process to make the powder is relatively simple.

By using pregnenolone cream or pregnenolone supplements, the levels of the compound in the body increases, and this brings about various benefits such as fatigue relief, and delay of the aging process.

If you’re looking for a more budget friendly option, then this might be a good choice. Powdered kratom products are more readily available in the market as well.

Another benefit that you can get from kratom powder is that you can take it in a variety of ways.

You can just ingest it as it is in its pill form. You can also open the pill and add it to your drink or make it an ingredient in any recipe.

You can also make a type of kratom tea out of the contents of the capsule. Mix it with other herbs to get more nutrients and improve the overall taste of the tea.

Here are the pros in a glance:

  • You get all the nutrients from the leaves
  • You get the ingredients in raw form
  • It is a cost efficient way to get the health benefits you want
  • They can be taken in a variety of ways

Cons of Using Kratom Powder

One of the downsides of using kratom powder is that the ingredient contents are not standardized. That is an issue not only for kratom powder but for all whole herbal formulations as well.

Herbal powders haven’t been tested and no standards have been set regarding their use. Their absorption rates haven’t been determined, which means you don’t really know how potent the ingredients are.

The quality of kratom powder has never been tested either. As a result, you’re not sure if you will be absorbing all the nutrients from the powder.

If you’re not getting the results that you need, then you may have to take increase the dose as needed.

It is also pretty easy for manufacturers to include dried powder from other herbs when using this production method.

That in a way can be a good thing and a bad thing as well. Adding more herb powders in the mix will improve the nutrient levels that can be obtained from a single pill.

However, the downside is that you don’t know how the ingredients will interact. You may even be taking other medications and you don’t know how the mixed ingredients will impact your health.

Here are the cons of kratom powder in a glance:

  • Herbal powder has not been tested and there are no standards set
  • There is no way to tell how much of the chemical components are in each capsule
  • It will be difficult to gauge the potency of each pill
  • There is a chance that there are indigestible fibers in them, which lowers their absorption rate
Person pouring liquid product on table with pipette

Kratom Extracts

You will also find kratom extracts sold in stores today. They are derived from the leaves as well and use the same method as other herbal products.

In the case of these products, the beneficial nutrients and chemical compounds are extracted from the leaves using alcohol, water, or a combination these and other chemicals.

Take note that herbal extracts usually contain all of the chemical compounds that can be sourced from the kratom leaves. However, you should still read the description on the packaging to be sure.

The extraction process is more standardized compared to the production of herbal powders. That is why you can be sure that the compounds in kratom extracts are more potent and consistent.

Note that there are several types of herbal extracts, namely the following:

  • Tinctures
  • Powdered extracts
  • Essential oils
  • Liposomal blends

Kratom Extract Pros

Moving on the pros and cons of krtaom extracts, we can say that they are the better choice. This is because the manufacturers can state how much the concentration of every compound is.

For example, if they state that the kratom extracted contents have a 2:1 ratio, then it means that each capsule will contain twice the concentration compared to tea form or powdered form.

Extracts also do not contain the non-digestible fibers that you can find in many kratom powders. This means that the absorption rate for extracts is much higher.

By using pregnenolone cream or pregnenolone supplements, the levels of the compound in the body increases, and this brings about various benefits such as fatigue relief, and delay of the aging process.

Remember that herbal extracts usually have a higher concentration of active ingredients compared to herbal leaf powders. The same is true for kratom extracts.

Here is the summary of the pros of using kratom extracts:

  • It has a higher concentration of active ingredients
  • It is more potent compared to kratom powder
  • Herbal extracts have a higher absorption rate compared to teas and kratom leaf powder

Downsides of Kratom Extracts

Kratom extracts usually have a bitter strong taste. It’s definitely not something that you can add to your drinks or recipes.

Apart from that, since the extraction process entails a lot more steps and other ingredients, expect them to be a lot more expensive compared to traditional teas or dried kratom leaves.

Some kratom extracts may have been produced using a lot of alcohol and other substances. If you are sensitive to alcohol or have very low tolerances to it, then using extracts may not be the best option for you.

Note that some manufacturers may have even used solvents to produce these extracts so make sure to read the product label carefully. These solvents should have been evaporated completely before the extracts have been packed into individual doses.

Some manufacturers add healthy fats to their herbal extracts. These healthy fats are good in a way, since they are technically beneficial to your body.

However, the additional fat content will translate to a reduced potency. If you’re after the potent active ingredients from kratom extracts then these extracts may not be the best option for you.

Make sure to read the label carefully to ensure that you’re getting the most out of every product.

Here are the downsides of kratom extracts in a glance:

  • Expensive
  • The extracts may include alcohol and other substances
  • Herbal extracts usually come with strong pungent smells
Kratom Tincture Group of dropper bottles

Kratom Tinctures

A tincture is a form of liquid extract. In the case of kratom leaves, these are liquid essences and compounds derived from kratom leaves.

To manufacturing tinctures, you must soak the kratom leaves in a chemical solution. It requires more than just boiling the leaves in water, by the way.

Manufacturers use a combination of water, alcohol, vinegar, vegetable sourced glycerin, or some other solution. Please check the label carefully.

Here are the pros of using kratom tinctures:

  • You get a higher concentration of the active ingredients from kratom leaves
  • They tend to enter the blood stream a lot faster—some solutions are even sublingual

Here are the downsides of using kratom tinctures:

  • They are expensive
  • They have a distinct strong scent

Conclusion

If you have a bit of a budget constraint but need some kratom, then kratom powder may be your best option. If you’re looking for more potency then a tincture or extract may be the better option for you.


author

Alex Eriksson is the founder of Epic Kratom, a blog dedicated to all Kratom lovers that provide honest and research-backed advice on how people can treat their chronic health problems using Kratom.

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