Powder vs. Extract Overview:
Kratom powder is made by crushing the full dried adult kratom plant into a fine powder. Kratom powder is by far the most common form of Kratom available on the market, as the dosages are more standardized and the process to create Kratom powder is more simple than creating Kratom extract.
Kratom extract has a similar creation process, however, extra steps are needed to make the extract more concentrated. The kratom powder (crushed up from the full dried adult kratom plant) is boiled for an extended period of time and then strained to ensure that all alkaloids are extracted, enhancing potency due to the increased concentration of alkaloids. Because the process for creating Kratom extract is more involved, extracts are generally more expensive than their pure powder counterpart.
Potency:
Potency for Kratom powder is standardized (with 1 gram of a strain typically always comparable to 1 gram of another strain).
Kratom extract potency is a bit more complicated, as they use ratios to measure strength of the extract vs. its powder form. Because some extracts utilize more powder during the creation process, ratios are used to standardize strength. For example, a 2:1 ratio would typically mean that for the same serving size, the Kratom extract is two times stronger than in its powder form. The same thought process would apply for 3:1 and 10:1, representing 3x and 10x the Kratom powder strength, respectively.
Despite its increased potency, Kratom extracts provide the same psychoactive effects as its powdered counterpart. As with any form of Kratom, it is recommended to begin with a lower dosage.
Kratom Extract Benefits:
For many experienced users, Kratom extract provides a higher dosage of Kratom for an individual’s desired effects. For others, particularly in different forms of Kratom, extracts can be seen as a more convenient method of ingestion. For example, a Kratom user would only need to take a single Kratom extract capsule to achieve the same effects as five or six (representative figures) powdered capsule pills for the same desired effect.
The thorough process of creating Kratom extract provides additional benefits, tailored to the individual user’s preference. With extract, the user is less likely to consume plant matter, which may upset the stomach. Kratom extracts also provide a more standardized method of measuring potency, while regular Kratom powder can have different potencies between strains or products. The onset of Kratom extract effects can be felt faster than powdered Kratom due to less plant matter that is required to be broken down by the body. Lastly, Kratom extracts are easier to store and preserve in the long term, as compared to powdered Kratom.
Ultimately, Kratom extract and Kratom powder function very similarly and are both viable forms of consumption, given that they are taken responsibly and carefully.
