Here's the link:
https://youtu.be/9rswbAUWLDI

Timestamps are on the bottom if you'd like to skip around. Thank you! I'm doing this every week, and we have another episode with the CIO of the AKA next week. This is a new podcast, so I'll be upgrading it a lot over the next few weeks. I'm particularly excited about Christopher McCurdy on the 17th of May.

Also, you can ask questions directly on our discord, which will guarantee that it gets answered by the appropriate professional. https://discord.gg/GQK33DmH

Thank you guys so much for your interest in this. I plan to do it forever.

PLEASE SEND ALL OF YOUR REBUTTALS TO ME IF YOU THINK SOMETHING SAID ON HERE IS BULLSHIT! I will take them to task for you.

This is a very new show. Please be patient as I made it not crap.

I'll be interviewing him and I'd like to get some questions from the community! Thanks!

I’m on arguably the smoothest taper I’ve ever experienced. Strangely, effects are getting BETTER the lower I go. My goal is not to get off completely, but rather to get to a low enough dose where I can skip days, and not experience strong physical dependence.

When I started taking kratom, I didn’t really pay attention to doses, I just took a scoop or 2 when I needed a boost. I got up to 30gpd, and was having some negative side effects and physical dependence. Here’s what I did:

I made some larger cuts up front, maybe 3-4 grams per week, down to about 18gpd.

From there, I started a gradual, percentage based taper. I used teaspoons mostly, and leveled, unpacked teaspoons for me weighed 2g. I bought a 1/2 tsp and 1/4 tsp spoon, for 1g and 0.5g. Most of my taper intervals were using these

I started cutting between 5% and 10% of my current dose at each interval, so as I got lower, the cuts got smaller. I didn’t weigh it out exactly, but rounded to the nearest 0.5g.

I stay at each dose for between 1-3 weeks.

The first 3-4 days of each cut, I feel minor psychological effects, but after adjusting, the effect is still enjoyable for the next week or two. I consider myself fully stabilized after 10 days at a dose.

Minus a few days of minor tiredness or irritability, this has been without a hitch. The cuts are small enough, and the adjustment period long enough, that after cutting, I’ve started getting the “magic” back with kratom.

Now at 7gpd, I have no ill effects, and many good ones. My goal is between 4-6gpd, which I consider long term sustainable.

My dosing schedule is 4x per day, 6am, 9am, 1130am, and 430pm

I try to keep doses even as possible, but when it’s time to cut, I take it out of one dose.

So 8g was 2,2,2,2. When I cut to 7.5, I reduced one of the doses,

Now at 7gpd, it’s 2, 1.5, 1.5, 2, etc.

Here to share experience and answer any questions, but this has been extremely helpful to me

I’m fairly new to making Kratom extract powder from Kratom leaf powder or crushed Kratom leaf. I’ve only been doing it as a hobby for a couple of years, but I’ve been a Kratom consumer for about 10 years. I’ve tried the basic “red-bubble” method, various ethanol/alcohol methods from 80 proof vodka to 200 proof food grade ethanol, and acetic acid methods like citrus acid crystals, lemon/lime juice, white vinegar and apple cider vinegar.

Based on the starting weight and final weight, my extract usually ends up being somewhere around a 5:1 extract (1,000 grams of leaf powder to make 200 grams of extract powder). A fairly low potency extract. The final product is generally a coarse extract powder comparable in texture to table sugar. The extract is usually dark, typically dark red, brown and even black at times. Higher proof alcohol seems to make a darker, almost black colored extract.

The extract I make will typically have an alcohol or vinegar flavor and smell, even though I dehydrate it completely so that I can crush it into a powder. I’ve been told that I can make lighter colored extract that’s cleaner by de-fatting it, but I have no idea how to do that. It’s probably easy. I just haven’t found a simple explanation yet on how to de-fat or remove the plant oils from the extract.

What prompted my question is that I’m seeing some extracts advertised as salt extracts or salt based extracts. Unless I’m misunderstanding, these salt based extracts seem to be a much higher potency extract. They are light and fluffy, similar in texture to white powdered confectionery sugar you’d see on a donut. The color range is somewhere between a light yellow or light orange and sometimes even white. Salt based extracts, from what I understand, are nearly odorless and tasteless.

Are salt based extracts cleaner? Are they better in any way as compared to an acetic acid or ethanol extract? Being salt based, I would imagine that they are soluble in water? Does a salt based extract method produce a higher Mitragynine content or a fuller spectrum extract with more of the secondary alkaloids?

For those that make their own extracts and/or are familiar with making salt based extract, could you explain how this is done? Or perhaps steer me in the right direction so I can read more about it? Is any special “chemistry” equipment required?

I also want to be clear that I’m not a vendor and have no intention of selling any of the homemade extract I make. It’s all for personal use. I’d like to make an extract that’s stronger and cleaner than the 5:1 extract that I’m making. I’m getting close to retirement age and this is a fun hobby for me. I consider myself a life long student, always trying to learn new things. An amateur botanist, herbalist, and alchemist, I suppose. So, any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Just wanted to pop in and share a cozy recipe I put together and absolutely loved. If you're into kratom and enjoy a good cup of chai, you've got to try this Kratom Chai Tea mix. It’s perfect for these chillier evenings and has quickly become my go-to comfort drink.

Here’s how you can make it too:

Ingredients:

• 1-2 tsp of your favorite kratom strain (I went with Green Maeng Da for a nice energy boost)
• 2 1/4 cups of water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves
• 4 cardamom pods, cracked open
• A couple of black peppercorns
• A pinch of fennel seeds (totally optional)
• A small chunk of fresh ginger, thinly sliced
• 3 black tea bags
• A cup of whole milk
• 4 tsp of raw sugar (or whatever sweetener you fancy)

Directions:

1. Start by simmering your kratom powder with water in a saucepan—keep it gentle to preserve all those good alkaloids.
2. Toss in all those tasty spices—the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, fennel seeds, and ginger. Let that simmer for about 10 minutes to get all the flavors mingling.
3. Drop in your tea bags and let them do their thing for another 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the milk and sugar. Heat it up till it’s just hot enough but not boiling—you don’t want to mess with the milk.
5. Strain out all the bits and pieces, and pour yourself a cup of this magic concoction.

Has anyone else tried mixing kratom with other teas or got any recipes they swear by? I’m all ears for more ideas to switch things up!

As you may know, naming vendors and sourcing kratom is not allowed on reddit. However, we still feel it's extremely important that consumers have access to a vetted, approved selection of verified vendors.

So whether you're new to kratom and shopping around for your first purchase, or a seasoned veteran just looking for more options, we recommend you check out the vendor listings and reviews on our website.

• A LISTING OF APPROVED/VETTED VENDORS: Kratom Vendor Listings

And if you need some help making a decision, be sure to check out our reviews. We have one of the biggest collections of kratom reviews on the web submitted daily by consumers just like you!

• CONSUMER KRATOM REVIEWS: Kratom Vendor & Strain Reviews

Title. I’ve been using kratom for a few years now. I popped like 3g today and went on a walk with the most beautiful sunset now it feels like I’m on a low dose of shrooms and keep staring at the most random shit like trees, everything looks super beautiful, and I feel at peace

The normal, store-bought kratom pills. All I can find is instructions in weight and I don't have a scale. So how many would a regular dose be?

Yohanis Cianes is the president of a massive Kratom farming collective in Indonesia. Our interview discusses variations in perception between the east and the west, the dubiousness of kratom extracts, profit margins, and much more. Link: https://youtu.be/AICPpoPiIQE

I recommend you use subtitles, as English is not Mr. Cianes' first language.

For my next episode, I will be interviewing a Kratom chemist.

Hey everyone! Been experimenting with kratom and tea, and I've got to say, it's been a game changer. Here are my quick top 5 blends that seriously upped my tea time:

• Green Tea + Kratom: A classic. Adds a refreshing twist and a health kick. A bit of honey, and you're golden.
• Chamomile + Kratom: Ultimate chill-out combo. Super soothing after a long day.
• Peppermint + Kratom: Refreshing and crisp. It's like a breath of fresh air for your mind.
• Red Rooibos + Kratom: Rich and velvety. The sweetness of red rooibos perfectly balances kratom's natural bitterness.
• Ginger + Kratom: Spicy and warming. Perfect for that natural energy boost and warming up on cold days.

What other types of tea work well with kratom? Would love to hear your faves and tips!

I take Kratom capsules, sometimes red and sometimes white strain. I always use the same vendor. I take 4 capsules at once. Sometimes it gives the most amazing energy where i am getting things done rapidly and in a healthy mood. Other times i just don’t feel any impact. One thing this is for sure, the times when it’s most optimal is amazing.

The question is why is it inconsistent? Maybe it doesn’t absorb well sometimes? Or maybe some capsules have lower quality Kratom? Is it something to do with taking it on empty stomach?

What has all your experience been? Anyone get a very steady and consistent impact every single time?

So I'm getting into better non headshop extracts a few days a week and plain leaf the rest of the time.

I never can tell how to equivocate the different measures. I understand the X is how much leaf was used for the extract and Mit % is pretty self explanatory.

I've got exp with 10% mit, 45% mit, 50% mit and 80% mit. Also experience with 10x, 25x and 100x. So far 200mg of 100x feels like 200mg of 50% mit effects.

However cost wise I'm probably gonna buy mostly 10x after sampling a bit. Also the effects are more similar to plain leaf. 10x also feels like 10% Mit

So I’ve been using kratom since 2019 as needed for chronic pain due to having my lumbar spine fractured and the subsequent surgery (kyphoplasty) improved my quality of life and a minority of the acute pain however the flare ups and chronic pain would persist- for years actually. I came off hard liquor later that year in 2019. The Covid pandemic hit in early 2020. Don’t remember much except being hunkered down inside and I’d drink a lot of beer, even during the day. I wasn’t employed anymore at that time which made things even darker. After a few attempts since 2021 to finally quit ALL alcohol (liquor, beer, wine, hard, seltzer, etc.—ALL of it with No Exceptions) I’ve been alcohol free for 3 months (minus one colt 45 one weekend 3 weeks ago, was an impulse buy; not an innate desire to drink).

So my friend introduced me to kratom in late-2019 after I came off the pain meds for my surgery and treatment. It was just a couple of time I did it but the first time I did it I was amazed and even remember crying tears of joy that this was the only thing, besides a pill (which it was not), that actually HELPED with mg agonizing , debilitating pain that had left me bed ridden almost daily from Oct 10 2018 to late-December 2018 just before Xmas I had the surgery.

Now here comes the point of my post: I’ve been taking kratom daily since 2022 since quitting alcohol and it’s been successful in letting me get back to work and exercise and daily living relatively pain-free for most of the day. However, my tolerance has evidently build up. I know most here will say take a tolerance break and I am trying to cut down my doses (take approx. 3/4oz a day of Reds) and I take that in mind and action.

But the injury that just happened this week sometime was to my rib. I’m a caregiver and I have to lift my bed bound client out into his wheelchair so he can eat breakfast, watch TV, etc. IDK how, cause I didn’t bang it, maybe I twisted the wrong way without realizing? I wasn’t hurting immediately either way. But over the weekend I just felt this sharp pain in my rib cage & now it’s Wednesday. I wanna toughen this one out without a doctor visit. I see enough as is and im a very busy person. Unless it’s the emergency room for some legit reason/s, I refuse to go. It’s not even an emergency. It’s just a pain in the ass to cough, blow my nose, even breathe a little through my nose like deep breaths… Hopefully it’s just bruised, I’ve had those before and Dan feel painful almost like a fracture. Sorry for rambling.

But I been taking more than usual of the kratom and it hasn’t been helping my rib pain. I also use cannabis (helps) and have applied Hempvana cream to the right side of my body. Anyone else have this issue? Any pointers on how to lower my kratom tolerance while curbing my pain? I take it mainly for my back but it’s hasn’t been helping my run which is odd/weird to me. Usually helps everything. Is it just the bag? Is it me? Idk.

I switched out my daily green strain to a white strain to change things up. I take 3g once per day and as of recently I have been experiencing some negatives. Sometimes when I take it I will just end up getting angry, sad, and feeling very isolated or kind of antisocial. I never really got this with greens. Do you guys have any experience with white strains or this effect, or do you think it is because I’ve built some tolerance?

*Preface*: Let me begin by saying* you don't know what you're taking if you don't weigh*. Spoons are not a correct measurement, so understand your baseline and what you regularly consume then make sure to weigh every time.*

Doses often go up and down. This is for anyone trying to get their dose to go down.

I was a heavy GPD user (14g green morning; 16 grams red evening). I've had zero negative effects from my usage (if anything, it's been a huge benefit to my life and career), nor do I experience withdraw symptoms when I go without for days at a time (this is not common and individual results vary GREATLY between users). Still, I'm trying to regulate my intake of anything unnecessary, so my kratom is going down. This method has been working seamlessly for me, so I thought I would pass it along.

• I bought these pill storage containers from Amazon. The tops screw together nicely and allow me to plan my week, considering I might be lazy in the morning or forgetful of my current dose. With some light tapping on the counter, they maxxed out right at 16 grams.
• I use a tube for a week (mix daily dose with my coffee, creatine and protein), using different caps to differentiate red and green strains.
• Once the tube is empty for the week, I refill for the coming week but reduce the content by 1 gram. You could easily increase or decrease your reduction levels.

Here are a few pics of the process.

I'm currently at 09g in the morning and 11g in the evening - down 10 daily grams total over five weeks as a 7-year kratom user. No insomnia, restless legs, or grumpiness. No changes at all, really.

Just sharing because I think this might helpful with anybody intimidated about reducing their intake. That being said, this leaf was tremendous relief for me/my back pain as I went through PT and exercises to bring myself back to normal.

I want it to be like they make it, but instead of raw leaves I want to use powder. How would I go about this, especially the dose of powder for 1,5 liter bottle?

It depends on vendor / method of production? Or why so divergent opinions when it comes to this subject? :/

I have the S and V myself, and they really do provide kratom effects to a lesser extent, but I really don't know if this decreases my tolerance to kratom and I'm afraid to test it.

Hey everyone,

I hope you're all doing well. I've been doing some research on alternative methods for managing stress and promoting relaxation, and Kratom has caught my attention. I've read mixed opinions online, so I thought it would be beneficial to tap into the wisdom of this community.

A bit about where I'm at:

• I've been dealing with occasional stress and mild discomfort.
• I'm exploring natural alternatives to support relaxation.

I've heard that some people find Kratom to be helpful, but I'm also aware of potential concerns and varying experiences. Before I consider giving it a try, I wanted to reach out to you all for any insights or advice you might have:

• Have you personally tried Kratom for stress relief or relaxation?
• What are some reputable sources or brands to consider?
• Are there any potential side effects or considerations I should be aware of?

I believe in the power of community knowledge, and your input could provide valuable guidance. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and experiences with Kratom! 🌱🌿

I’ve been taking one day everyday for almost a year now at 3-4grams. I regularly switch strains and take a few days off every month. I actually have never built tolerance until just recently. Now 4 grams barely feels like anything. Anyone else in this same situation? Has anyone noticed any minor/major drawbacks to one dose per day other than dependence??

I take capsules daily. I take red maneg da and started this brand like a few months ago. Works great, never had an issue, got the warm feeling. All of a sudden, if I take a certain amount, I just puke and puke. It’s just this brand. I don’t puke every time, but I took like 20 within a few hours and bam here I am puking. But sometimes, even if I take like 5 and I get a major warm buzz, I still puke. BUT it’s not every time I take it. I only puke after I get the warm fuzzy feeling a few times. Once I reach a comfortable sedation is when I want to puke, with only this Brand :( why… it there some kind of laxative in it

I want to be clear that I am legitimately asking. I want to hear evidence from both sides, if it exists.

I've personally been using Kratom for over half a year (~7g/day currently) but don't consider the minor drawbacks I experience to outweigh the benefits. I am, however, concerned about the potential long-term side effects.

As to the matter of liver damage, I found one article that says,

Eleven cases of liver injury attributed to kratom were identified with a recent increase. The majority were male with median age 40 years. All were symptomatic and developed jaundice with a median latency of 14 days. The liver injury pattern was variable, most required hospitalization and all eventually recovered. Biochemical analysis revealed active kratom ingredients.

The article does not, however, specify how much Kratom the people in these case studies had been taking. It also states that the latent onset was under a month for ALL eleven subjects (and a median of only two weeks). Additionally, eight of the eleven showed up with liver injury in the same four-year stretch. (The oldest case studied was in '06-'07, more than ten years before the newest cases.) Also, though the article is incredibly vague about it, it seems implied by the following quote that there was a range of genetic abnormalities in the subjects:

Genetic analysis revealed that one patient carried the minor allele (A nucleotide) of the PTPN22 SNP rs2476601. Seven of eight European Americans had either HLA-B*57:01 or HLA-B*44:03 alleles; both had the same allele frequencies (AF = 0.25), but higher than their corresponding AF in the general population (AF = 0.04 and 0.05). In total, four patients carried one HLA-B*57:01 allele, and three patients carried HLA-B*44:01 but one had homozygous HLA-B*44:03.

Of course, I could just be misinterpreting what that analysis means. The article doesn't do a good job explaining, though.

Anyways, it seems likely to me -- and I'm not a scientist, so I must emphasize this is just the speculation of a layman -- that most people who get liver complications have either ended up with a bad batch and/or were genetically predisposed to get said complications. But I want to hear what you guys think. It is equally important, imo, to question both big pharma and alternative treatment methodology.

I'm a new denture wearer and I was wondering if kratom stains dentures? With my teeth I could not tell if kratom stained my teeth because I was a pack a day smoker and coffee drinker. I no longer smoke, but I still drink my coffee.

I'm struggling with an erratic sleep cycle and looking for advice on which Kratom strain could help me get a good night's rest. If you've had success using Kratom to improve your sleep, please share your recommendations and experiences. Your insights would be greatly appreciated.

I want my dosages to be smaller.

I went on a month break hoping to come back at a smaller dose, but it didn’t work for me at all and I found myself right back at my old dosage within a week, and now I’m finding it even harder to manage.

So is there a better strategy?

If I taper down to a new lower dose, will that eventually reset my tolerance to feel the effects if I stick with it? Or is it a lost cause and I’m stuck at my current dose forever unless I just quit?

I find that if I don’t take enough Kratom, I feel like my skin has pins and needles and it’s just an unpleasant experience and I would have been better off just not taking any. So that’s why I have a hard time lowering my dose.

I don’t know what happened to my metabolism, because years ago I used to feel it within 15 min, and I could take a small amount.

Now it takes 2 hours to kick in, I need much more, and I can’t take the same strain within 2 weeks, nor can I take the same strain on the second dose. This means I need to have like 30 different strains on hand. If I take the same strain accidently within a week instead of 2, I feel horrible. It’s so weird.