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Kratom (mitragyna speciosa) comes in several different forms. Extracts are highly concentrated and super potent. People love extracts, because they are more convenient and pleasant to use than kratom powder.

While extracts can come in tinture, resin (typically the most potent extract), liquid shots, or dry granular form, we’ll focus on the dry granular extracts.

Dry granular kratom extracts are tart, not bitter, so your tongue won’t rebel against them, though the tartness is very sour. If you dislike tart substances like lemons or Sweet Tart candies, you might find extracts to be a bit weird. This is a minor problem that is easily solved. Just add some dry extract to your kratom powder or load kratom extract into capsules.

Remember that extract should be used at about ¼ the amount that you use with regular kratom powder.

CAUTION: One must use all kratom extracts sparingly, with great respect for their strength, because regular use will cause tolerance to develop quickly. In other words, you don’t want your body to get used to the super powerful effects of extracts, so that regular powder no longer has much impact. With kratom, it’s smart to take the lowest dose amount and dose frequency possible, that provides the desired effects.

So extracts should be used in very tiny amounts and only on special occassions, for example, when your symptoms are more intense than usual. Another good use of extracts is when you’re tired of taking so much bitter, regular kratom powder in your mouth, and want to give your tongue a break. By using extracts, you bypass the typical bitter taste and exchange it for what to most people is considered a nice tart taste.

It’s best to just sprinkle a little extract into your regular powder, or if you take extracts instead of powder, take about ¼ the amount that you normally use in powder form. So, for example, if you typically take 2 level teaspoons of regular powder per dose, use just ½ a level teaspoon of the extract granules.

Dry, granular kratom extract will surprise your tastebuds. Instead of being bitter like kratom powder, it’s very tart. Many kratom users like the taste of extract a lot better than regular powder. Extracts are fun to nibble on, but don’t get carried away! Measure your dose and stick to just that small amount.

Now, how is extract made? How is it derived from kratom plants?

There are a few different methods for distilling kratom to get extracts.

3 Most Common Kratom Extraction Methods:

1. Steeping kratom leaves in water (cold or hot, but not boiled – boiling kratom leaves can destroy the alkaloids) is one way to make a kratom extract, in the form of tea. Kratom tea is not very concentrated, but it’s a way many people like to take kratom, as it can easily be flavored or sweetened with honey or sugar.
2. You can also extract kratom alkaloids by using a solvent like ethanol or ethanol plus water. The solvent is what pulls the kratom alkaloids out of the leaves, leaving the plant material behind. You take raw kratom leaves and dissovle them in a mixture of ethanol and water (or just water). It’s best to add some citric acid as a preservative, and to test the extract to make sure that its pH is acidic, preferably around pH 4. Shake the mixture well, then store it in a cool, dark place for 1-2 weeks and let it steep. After 1-2 weeks, strain the mixture, and let half of it evaporate, to reduce the liquid content. Sometimes, glycerin is added to it to reduce the acidity. The extract is usually much thicker by this point, like an oil. Store the final extract product in a dark, air-tight bottle to prevent air-borne bacteria from getting into it and prevent light from striking it.
3. Another method is to put kratom powder into a kiln, with some ethanol added to it, which activates the alkaloid content causing it to separate from the plant. Then this mixture is stirred by hand or machine for a minimum of three days – and no more than a week. Stirring helps the alkaloids to separate from the kratom powder and makes it easier to extract them in a concentrated form. After this is accomplished, the liquid extract is derived by pressing the powder which has been mixed with ethanol. This liquid is then placed in a spray container where the consistency levels are handled more successfully. When full, the liquid in the containers are sprayed onto wide glass trays and are allowed to fully dry. When the liquid in the glass trays has dried, the crystallization process begins, often expedited via a tranditional scratching method which breaks up the dried extract and makes it appear in a granulated crystal form.

It’s recommended that you have some kratom extract on hand for emergencies or as a change of pace from regular powder doses.

If you suddenly experience an injury, or a situation of extraordinary pain, depression, anxiety, or low energy, kratom extracts can be the ideal way of going beyond what your regular kratom powder does for you. Kratom extracts can replace or boost your normal kratom powder dose.

Don’t worry about the enhanced effects of kratom extracts. These effects are what you’re already familiar with from your use of kratom, but more intense.

As long as you reduce the amount and just take little bits of dry granular extract, or sprinkle a tiny amount into your regular kratom powder, you should be fine. It’s really wonderful having super potent kratom extracts in your supply for times when you really need it.