**Disclaimer**
Kratom is not approved or regulated by the FDA. This article contains data about kratom for informational purposes only. None of the information contained herein should be considered medical advice. Kratom is not intended for use in diagnosing a disease, or for treating, curing, or preventing diseases or other health conditions. Anyone considering the use of kratom should speak with their physician to answer any questions before doing so.
What Is Kratom?
The kratom plant, also known as Mitragyna speciosa, is an evergreen tree closely related to the coffee plant in Southeast Asia. This herbal substance can be consumed to achieve stimulating or sedative effects, depending on the dosage.1
Read on to learn more about kratom consumption effects, potential benefits, and ways to reset kratom dosage.
How to Use Kratom?
Kratom is typically sold in a powdered or extract form. The powder can be mixed into a liquid for easy consumption, brewed into a tea, or put into capsules for easy dosage control. A typical dose of kratom ranges from one to eight grams.
Benefits of Kratom
Lower doses of kratom (up to four grams) can have energizing effects, while higher doses (four to eight grams) can have relaxing effects. Kratom has several benefits, including euphoria, increased energy, relief from discomfort, alleviating sleep disorders, temporarily alleviating anxiety or stress, and increased concentration.
What Is Kratom Tolerance?
Kratom tolerance occurs when a person takes frequent or daily doses of kratom and reaches a point in which they require higher doses to feel the desired effects. When the body adjusts to frequent consumption, a person may need to increase dosages consistently to achieve the benefits.2
Increasing Dosage
When noticing a tolerance to your current kratom dosage, increasing your dosage may help you achieve the effects that you are after. However, consistently increasing your dosage will only increase your tolerance to the substance.
Using Other Substances
Using other substances instead of kratom can help you to reduce kratom tolerance. Using replacements such as sleep aids, caffeine, and over-the-counter pain relievers can help you refrain from or decrease kratom use to achieve a tolerance reset.
Taking a Break
Taking a break from kratom usage altogether is the best way to reduce kratom tolerance. Doing so will give your body a chance to readjust to feel the effects of kratom once again.
How Much Time Does Kratom Take in the Body?
The effects of kratom can be felt within 10 to 30 minutes after consumption. These effects can last between three and eight hours, depending on dosage and whether it was taken on an empty stomach. Kratom has a half-life of 24 hours and can take five to six days to exit the body completely.3
How Quickly Does Kratom Tolerance Build?
Kratom tolerance can build quickly if a person consumes the substance frequently or daily. People taking high doses may find themselves adjusting and building a tolerance within days. In order to not develop a tolerance, it is important to note over-consume kratom.
Should You Take a Break from Kratom?
If you are wondering whether you should take a break from kratom, you have likely gained a tolerance or are experiencing negative side effects due to overconsumption. Take a break from kratom if you feel you have developed a tolerance to the substance. However, there are side effects associated with kratom withdrawal that you must be aware of before taking a break.
Frequent Users of Kratom Will Experience What Withdrawal Symptoms?
For heavy, frequent users of kratom, expect to experience these adverse withdrawal effects when taking a break:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Joint pain
- Bone pain
- Achy muscles
- Runny nose
- Involuntary arm and leg movements
- Mood swings
- Confusion
- Hallucinations
- Seizures
How to Lower Kratom Tolerance
If you are experiencing symptoms of kratom tolerance, there are actions you can take to decrease your tolerance once again.
Ensure You Obtain High-Quality Kratom from Reputable Suppliers
To avoid a high tolerance for kratom consumption, ensure you are only obtaining high-quality kratom from reputable suppliers to guarantee you are getting a product with the maximum potency.
Switching Strains in Your Kratom Schedule
Creating a schedule that allows you to switch kratom strains every so often can help to reset your tolerance toward specific strains. If you frequently change strains, it will be harder for your body to adjust and build a kratom tolerance.
Mind Your Diet
Being mindful of your diet and choosing to eat healthy foods can help ensure you maximize kratom's effects when you consume it. A balanced diet will allow your body to stay nourished and healthy while taking kratom.
Kratom Extracts
Kratom extracts are a more concentrated form of kratom, making them excellent options for users building a tolerance. These extracts can have higher potency and make it easier to take a higher dosage when needed.
Regular Exercise
Partaking in regular exercise can help your body regulate itself to allow you to process the kratom within your body to experience the benefits of your dosage to its full potential.
Kratom Tolerance Break
Taking a kratom tolerance break by spending several days to weeks refraining from consumption can help you decrease the current tolerance you have developed.
Kratom Tolerance Reset
A kratom tolerance reset involves quitting kratom consumption for an extended period to allow your body to fully reset and eliminate any tolerance you may have built up towards the substance.
Use of Potentiators
A potentiator can help to increase the effectiveness of a kratom dose. Examples of potentiators for kratom are turmeric, acidic-based products (juices, etc.), chamomile, or caffeine.4
Tapering Kratom Dosage
Tapering kratom dosage by gradually taking smaller doses for a period can help lower your current kratom tolerance. Tapering is much more reasonable than quitting altogether for people accustomed to daily kratom use to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
Space Out Your Dosage
Choosing to space out your dosage over time can help decrease your kratom tolerance in the long run. The more frequently you consume kratom, the higher your tolerance to the substance will be.
What to Do When I Build Tolerance?
If you are experiencing a high tolerance or kratom addiction, there are several steps you can take to allow your body to reset.
Take a Break
Taking a break from daily kratom use will give your body the reset it needs to feel the full effects of your dosages once again. Doing so will allow your system to readjust and become less dependent on kratom.5
Allow Your System to Reset
Giving your system a break to reset your kratom dose after frequent consumption will help eliminate any tolerance effects that you may be experiencing.
Use Kratom Responsibly
Choosing to use kratom responsibly by taking safe dosages and not abusing the substance will allow your body to decrease any high kratom tolerance it has developed. Spacing out doses or taking smaller amounts when consuming responsibly can help eliminate your current tolerance.
