At least 6-8 hours. Ideally, I tell all my readers to take kratom no more than once a day because of the risk of quickly growing a high tolerance. However, if you suffer from intense chronic pain, wait at least 6-8 hours before re-dosing. Do not increase your doses, as that may trigger side effects.
Despite kratom’s soaring popularity, confusion remains about how much to take and how much to use. I want to chip away at that confusion today and improve your confidence with this powerful herbal product.
Let’s explore the answer to the question of how long to wait between kratom doses for different conditions and why caution is crucial. I have also got some must-read tips on how to potentiate your kratom.
Want to know more about the proper use of kratom? Don’t miss these posts!
The Correct Amount of Time to Wait Between Kratom Doses
Whatever your ailment, I advise erring on the side of caution when dosing with kratom. Better to delay your next dose by an hour than bring it forward and be overwhelmed.
In order to prevent your tolerance from increasing too quickly, refrain from using kratom on a daily basis if possible. Like caffeine, the more you use it, the higher your tolerance.
However, if you suffer from constant pain or anxiety, the following guidelines are the minimum amount of time you should wait between doses. Keep in mind the strain you use could also influence how long you should wait. Every kratom strain has a unique composition of alkaloids and its own set of effects.
For Pain
Managing pain with kratom generally requires moderate to large dosages. I’m talking 4 to 8 grams.
The high end of the scale is a lot of kratoms to be taken regularly, and you will quickly notice your body’s growing tolerance. This leads to higher dosages still, increasing the risk of serious side effects.
I recommend waiting at least six hours before taking a fresh high dose of kratom for pain. If you do not want to risk the effects wearing off, move down to a moderate dosage and reduce the time gap.
You should keep a written record of how much you are taking and how often. This will help keep your dosages under control and set the tolerance alarm bells ringing if you start consuming too much.
Red Maeng Da
Red Maeng Da offers the same pain relief benefits as Red Bali without intense sedation. It’s more of a relaxation effect than drowsiness. It’s also well known for its mood-boosting and anti-anxiety capabilities. Its high alkaloid concentration makes it one of the most potent and popular strains on the market.
Red Maeng Da is an excellent strain pain-relieving strain, but unlike other red strains, such as Red Bali, it’s not as sedative. It’s a great combo for those pain sufferers who have busy, physical lifestyles.
You need low doses to avoid sedative benefits, so wait the full 6 hours before topping up. Otherwise, the active amount of kratom in your system will increase, which could blunt the energizing effects in favor of classic red-strain sedation.
For Anxiety
The recommended kratom dosage interval for anxiety depends on your anxiety type.
Generalized anxiety: If anxiety bothers you constantly, you need to stay well-dosed to keep the nagging negative thoughts away. Ideally, you can re-dose after around five to six hours. Keep an eye on your tolerance.
Social anxiety: I suggest adopting a lighter dosage regimen for anxiety that spikes in social situations. You may find a single dose before a social engagement is enough for your needs.
If not, stick to a six-hour interval between doses any more frequently, and kratom’s sedative effects could start kicking in.
I’ve personally struggled with anxiety for quite a while, and it’s the reason why I found kratom. From my experience, red strains calm you down to eliminate anxiety, while green strains eliminate anxiety by boosting your mood. White strains are not as effective.
Green Maeng Da
Green Maeng Da is the best kratom strain for any anxiety. It calms the mind and a tense body while simultaneously boosting your mood with powerful euphoria. It’s also very effective for increasing energy and reducing pain. If you have anxiety, this strain is perfect for you.
My favorite green strain is Green Meang Da because it’s highly euphoric and keeps you energized. I use Red Bali for red strains because it removes stress and anxiety and helps me sleep.
For Focus and Clarity
Small doses are best for bringing out the focus-enhancing effects and mental clarity benefits of white and kratom strains such as White Thai and Green Maeng Da.
Spreading out your dose is key to getting the full concentration benefits out of kratom. Sticking with a couple of grams every six hours will serve you well. Dose too often, and you may experience a nauseating headache.
However, if you do want a blend of energy and calm, feel free to shorten the dosage time with White Bali kratom. Bali kratom is widely considered to be the most opioid-like strain on the market.
You can also mix red and white strains to obtain the same effects.
For Euphoria
With recreational kratom usage, you can bend the rules a little. After all, this is about taking kratom to get high, not for any particular therapeutic benefit.
Topping up your dose as soon as the effects start wearing off (probably around four to five hours) is the only way to enjoy a lengthy kratom trip. Just keep in mind the second dose will NOT provide another mood boost with equal potency. A single dose should be all you need if the hardcore kratom sessions are not for you.
Becoming euphoric on kratom is lots of fun, and I’ve done it on many occasions. But even so, after a full-on trip, taking a few days off is good to bring your tolerance down. This will ensure you can keep reaching the highest of highs without taking the highest dosages. Kratom can be used recreationally, but it must still be used responsibly.
As I previously mentioned, Green Maeng Da is my favorite, not just for anxiety relief but because it also provides the strongest mood boost.
What Happens if You Take Too Many Kratom Doses Too Quickly
Taking too much kratom too quickly is a recipe for nasty side effects. Booming headaches are common, as are nausea and vomiting, especially among newer users. Other known side effects include:
- Heartburn
- Dry mouth
- Constipation
- Irritability
- Aggression
- Need to urinate frequently
In rare cases, Kratom is linked to seizures, coma, and death. Poison control centers in the United States reported 1,800 or so kratom-related cases between 2011 and 2017.
I’m not here to worry you, to give you some context on what can happen when things go south.
Regular high dosages increase the risk of side effects. If you are inexperienced with kratom, the threshold dosage for problems is much lower.
But seasoned users can also run into problems and get overly confident with kratom; at stronger dosages, issues are likely to be more severe.
Why You Should Wait Between Kratom Doses
Waiting between kratom is essential to reduce your tolerance and the risk of dependence. Kratom has addictive potential, albeit not to the extent of classic opioid painkillers. But getting hooked on kratom is no joke.
Stopping kratom use once dependent is far from easy, and your body will spring a series of withdrawal symptoms on you. Anecdotes from dependent kratom users on the road to quitting do not make fun of reading.
Physical withdrawal symptoms include insomnia, fluctuating body temperature, restless leg syndrome, and flu-like symptoms. Withdrawal can also trigger cravings, depression, and lethargy.
However, continuing with big daily doses of kratom is not sustainable either due to the side effects we explored in the previous section.
In addition, not waiting between doses effectively makes your kratom more expensive. Larger doses are necessary to achieve the same effects as your tolerance increases. Those extra couple of grams per dose add up over time.
Easing off and keeping good dosage discipline is better for your health and your wallet. And most of all, you will be able to continue benefiting from kratom with confidence.
Other Ways to Avoid Kratom Tolerance
Thankfully, avoiding kratom tolerance is not too difficult. Taking a break and changing strains are both effective techniques. Kratom potentiators are also fantastic at stopping kratom tolerance in their tracks. I’ll discuss these more in the next section.
Abstinence
Taking a break from kratom is much easier before you experience dependence. I advise any kratom newbies to avoid getting into a daily kratom habit from the start.
You might not even need to take kratom every day, and scheduling in ‘off days’ is a good way to break things up. Extend that break to a few days if your tolerance has noticeably risen.
I like keeping a kratom journal where I note dosages and effects. This immediately alerts me to increased tolerance and tells me when I need some time off.
Rotate your Strains
Many users find switching strains enough to avoid tolerance. I appreciate this isn’t always easy. Once you have found the perfect kratom, you will probably want to stick with it. But it’s well worth searching around to find an extra couple of strains for your kratom toolbox.
Each strain boasts a unique set of alkaloids and natural compounds. The major differences between red and white veins highlight this. There are subtle variations between strains, too. For instance, Red Bali is slightly more sedative than Red Sumatra.
By changing strain, your body has to adjust to a new set of compounds. A new strain with a fresh combination of alkaloids will catch your body off guard and bypass your tolerance.
Sure, it will eventually catch up to your clever ways, but as it does so, the tolerance acquired to your original strain will diminish. Job done!
How to Potentiate Kratom Effects
“Potentiator” is just a fancy drug that speaks for ‘enhancer.’ In kratom terms, products like lemon juice and cat’s claw can help your kratom go further. You can use them to strengthen your kratom sessions, reduce dosages, and keep a tight rein on tolerance.
Lemon and Grapefruit Juice
Citrus fruit juices are popular kratom potentiators, not least because the zingy flavor takes the edge off kratom’s bitterness. But there’s a practical benefit, too. Lemon, grapefruit, and lime juice all contain enzymes that enhance mitragynine and other alkaloids in kratom.
Sometimes, I will drink kratom tea alongside a glass of grapefruit juice. If you don’t love fruit juice, forget about the glass and squeeze some juice into your tea.
Turmeric
Turmeric is a popular spice and, in the world of health, a stunning anti-inflammatory. Containing high levels of curcumin, turmeric also potentiates kratom’s effects by reducing the metabolization rate. This keeps kratom active in the body for longer, adding an extra couple of hours to your dose.
You can make specialized capsules using kratom powder and a capsule maker. If you don’t have time or the taste of kratom doesn’t faze you, stir some turmeric into a kratom-infused beverage of your choice.
Caffeine
Caffeine also potentiates kratom and goes well with coffee. No surprises there, given kratom and coffee are both members of the Rubiaceae family of plants. Not everyone likes mixing caffeine with kratom. After all, many turn to revitalizing white kratom strains as anxiety-free coffee alternatives.
Mix kratom powder into a caffeinated beverage, or take some capsules and drink coffee or a soft drink 30 minutes later. Waiting gives the body a chance to digest the capsule and start absorbing kratom’s alkaloids.
Caffeine alongside a red vein strain provides an energy boost without compromising on kratom’s soothing, painkilling effects. But prepare for maximum stimulation if you take white vein kratom with caffeine.
Cat’s Claw
Cat’s claw is native to Central and South America and has a global reputation, like kratom. A woody vine with claw-shaped formations, this supplement may have immune system benefits and virus-fighting potential.
Cat’s claw is packed with alkaloids, which can be harnessed for kratom potentiation, making your experiences more potent and efficient.
Since a cat’s claw speeds up kratom’s effects, take a capsule before consuming your kratom and another just afterward. A faster onset of effects is useful if you take kratom to manage social anxiety, neuropathic pain, or any other condition with sharp and sudden symptoms.
Watercress
Watercress is another effective kratom potentiator, working its magic by slowing kratom alkaloid metabolization. Kratom alkaloids are broken down by enzymes in the cytochrome P450 system. Watercress says, “I don’t think so,” and temporarily deactivates these enzymes, allowing kratom’s effects to last longer.
For the full benefit, eat watercress 45 minutes before you plan on taking kratom. By the time you dose up, those pesky enzymes will be switched off, and the kratom will have an immediate effect.
Chamomile tea
Put chamomile and kratom tea together, and you have a therapeutic wonder. Chamomile is a great sedative and works well with red vein kratoms like Bali and Borneo. For maximum relaxation, add a chamomile tea bag to your kratom tea.
You could also brew a regular chamomile tea and pop some kratom capsules 30 minutes beforehand. The choice is yours!
