Kratom Extracts

An alternative to kratom powder or capsules is kratom extract. Kratom extracts are made by brewing the crushed or powdered leaves of the kratom tree for prolonged periods of time to evaporate off most of the water content. This produces a thick, green paste that is a powerful, concentrated form of kratom. Kratom extracts contain a rich concentration of the alkaloids mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, the active ingredients of kratom that gives it its effects.

This paste can be further processed down into tinctures, powders, oils, or solid resin. Kratom extracts—like with any plant extract—is a refined product that seeks to preserve the potency of the natural plant but can be taken in smaller, more controlled, more powerful doses.

What’s with the Grading on Kratom Extracts?

The grading of kratom extracts is often misunderstood. They are commonly graded with a number and followed by an “x”. At first glance, people assume this grading means the extract is x-times the strength of regular kratom. For example, 20x would be interpreted as having 20 times the alkaloid content of untreated kratom leaves.

This isn’t the case. Instead, the gradings are actually meant to represent the concentration factor by volume. What this means is that a 20x extract started as 20 grams of powdered kratom leaves, which was reduced down to one gram concentrate. On the other hand, a 3x extract started as three grams and was reduced down to one gram.

There is also a misconception that extracts with higher degrees are more potent. People assume the 20x extract will be stronger than the 3x extract, but that isn’t necessarily the case. This is mainly because alkaloid content varies across all the different strains and varieties of kratom leaves. This is why the strain of kratom is often a much better indicator of the strength of the extract than the grading will be.