Most Kratom users notice the effect of this herb after 30 minutes of consumption. It can be relaxing, stimulating or mood-lifting depending on the strain and dosage you ingested. However, there are moments when you might experience Kratom not working.
Yes, it is possible not to experience Kratom’s pain-relieving, mood-lifting or soothing effect. If you are one of those, you know this can be a very frustrating, especially for people suffering from chronic pain and need immediate effects.
What To Do When Kratom Is Not Working?
There are several reasons why your Kratom isn’t working. In this article, let’s discuss the leading causes of ineffective Kratom and some handy tips to help you avoid this disappointing experience.
Ask Yourself These Questions When Kratom Is Not Working
Are you taking the right dose?
Dosage is a critical factor when it comes to the efficacy of Kratom. When taken at a low dose, it provides a flow of energy so you can do your tasks, focus, and concentrate. At a much higher dose, a user may experience pleasant relaxation, sometimes even sedation.
Due to Kratom’s vague legal status in the US, many vendors feel hesitant to place their dosage information on their websites. This situation is quite complicated for users as they need to determine the correct dosage on their own through experimentation.
Also, it is easier to look for dosage information for Kratom leaf powder than for Kratom extract, since you still have to compute the amount of extract that would equal to the dose of plain leaf powder.
For example, the lowest Kratom dose of Kratom leaf powder is 3 to 4 grams, moderate dose 5 to 7 grams and high dose at around 10 grams. A 15X Kratom extract is equivalent to 15 grams of leaves to make 1 gram of Kratom extract. The lowest dose of 15X Kratom extract will be about 200mg, which equals to 3 grams of the dried leaf while the moderate dose would be 500mg, which equals to 7.5grams of dried leaves.
It is essential to buy a digital scale that can accurately weigh in milligrams so you can consume the exact amounts of Kratom extract.
Have you developed tolerance?
Only a very few people have natural stomach enzymes that can break Kratom alkaloids before even reaching the bloodstream, which prevents them from experiencing any effect. But this kind of tolerance to Kratom is rare.
Most tolerances making Kratom ineffective happens due to cross-tolerance from using opiates or prescription painkillers regularly. Though Kratom isn’t an opiate, it could still perform a cross-binding activity on the same brain receptors that opioids target such as the mu-opioid receptors. If this is the reason, try to temporarily lower your opiate dose when taking Kratom, only if it’s safe to do so. Also, you may try taking Kratom between your schedules of painkillers to determine if there are any effects.
Tolerance may also develop with Kratom use, especially if you are taking it for a long time. If you think you have no effects from Kratom due to long-term use, avoid the impulse of increasing your dose. You may feel renewed, and your body will eventually get used to the high dosage, which will push you to use more. This further increases the risk for addiction or dependence.
Instead, take a break from using Kratom for several days. Rotate the strain of Kratom you’re using and try different origin and vein colors. It will reduce tolerance as different strains, and vein color contain varying percentages of alkaloids.
Are you using excellent quality Kratom?
Like any other herbal remedy, quality plays a vital role in the product’s efficacy. Though Kratom has been used for centuries in its Southeast Asia origin, it is relatively new in the US market. Many vendors want to make quick money by selling low-quality Kratom that contains little, if not, zero Mitragynine.
Kratom can even be substituted with a filler herb or a related yet ineffective species such as Mitragyna parvifolia, a plant native in Northern India. Sometimes, a product may be adulterated with dangerous substances, such as synthetic opiates, to imitate the ‘high’ even though Kratom isn’t an opiate or a poisonous herb.
Having said, you need to research thoroughly before buying from a vendor. Check the vendor’s online reputation and read reviews online. Get connected to regular Kratom users and find out where they source their Kratom.
Are you storing Kratom properly?
Kratom products, whether dried leaves or extracts last for a long time. But if stored improperly, the alkaloid content will deteriorate, making it less useful. When exposed to moisture, UV light or oxygen, Mitragynine deteriorates and changes into mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, stripping Mitragynine’s potent pain-killing properties. Protect your Kratom by storing it inside a fridge in a light-blocking, airtight container.
How about your current health?
Health factors such as lack of sleep, poor nutrition, illness, and fatigue may mean your body isn’t well-equipped to break down Kratom effectively. If you notice Kratom isn’t working, it is crucial to check your health too.
Some users reported that drinking alcohol while using Kratom can neutralize Kratom’s effects. Although a small amount of alcohol can enhance Kratom effect, drinking too much will negate the effect or even cause unpleasant side effects.
Enhancing Kratom Effect
Ever heard of the ‘Empty Stomach Rule’? Unlike other medications that can be taken with meals or on a full stomach without any issues, the potency of Kratom may be dramatically reduced this way. Since Kratom powder is a dried material, your body needs to digest it thoroughly to release the alkaloids in your system.
If you have a full stomach, the digestive process will further be delayed; hence you’ll never be able to notice Mitragynine’s effect. Taking it on an empty stomach is essential to experience the most potent effect.
If you’re not comfortable using Kratom on an empty stomach, you may take it after eating but be sure not to do it immediately after a meal. Take it at least 30 minutes to an hour after your meal.
Final Thoughts
When starting to use Kratom, there will always be some trial and error, but remember that you’ll get better with it as you continue. Sometimes, Kratom may end up not working – it happens. Use this guide to troubleshoot it.
In the future, the key points to remember when this happens include the right dose, right vendor, rotating strains, proper storage and your tolerance.
What if a person takes Suboxone, will that drug make the Kratom not work at all. Please let me know what you think !!
It will cause withdrawal symptoms and you won’t get any beneficial effect. I know I take talwin nx. It’s an agonist/ antagonist drug too. My blood pressure shit up to 220/ 118. Don’t mix them .
Watched a friend of mine get so high he got sick and he uses subs.. 8s… I always assumed too, but it doesn’t seem so. He takes alot less now. Lol and is off subs.
My wife stores her kratom in her big soup bowl sized bellybutton.
If a person is thinking about not taking kratom for several days, then what are they supposed to take in place of the kratom, especially if the person suffers from debilitating chronic pain? When someone is experiencing severe pain, all they want is relief from the pain, which is why some unfortunately end up committing suicide.
Watched a friend of mine get so high he got sick and he uses subs.. 8s… I always assumed too, but it doesn’t seem so. He takes alot less now. Lol and is off subs.