As most kratom users know, a little can go a long way. But what about very very little? More and more users report “microdosing” kratom as their preferred way of taking this natural botanical. But is the hype earned? Can the effects of microdosing kratom have a significant impact on your productivity, drive, or energy?
The Microdosing Trend
Although microdosing has been practiced for as long as humans have been taking psychoactive substances, it’s recently stepped into the spotlight in a big way. The surprising cause of this surge in interest? Tech innovators!
Silicon Valley has long been a site of innovation and trendsetting. Surprisingly, that isn’t limited to the world of technology. Following reports of Silicon Valley engineers’ increasing their productivity by “microdosing” nootropics (that is, “smart drugs”), interest in and experiments with microdosing have become popular for a wide variety of substances.
From psychedelics like LSD to drugs like marijuana to natural botanicals like kratom, more and more users report finding benefits from smaller and smaller doses.
But What Is Microdosing?
What is microdosing? Well, it’s all right there in the name! Microdosing refers to using very small amounts of a substance, often in the range of 1/10th to 1/20th of a standard dose.
Taking such small amounts of a substance can serve various purposes, depending on the substance in question. Users report a number of effects of microdosing, including the following:
- For new users, microdosing can allow you to get a sense of how a substance affects you and interacts with your unique biochemistry.
- Microdosing regularly throughout the day allows users to maintain their desired effects over time, without the “peaks” and gradual fade associated with a full dose.
- For dose-dependent substances such as kratom, microdosing can lead to different effects than would a full dose.
Microdosing is most popular with natural nootropics: substances that can have a positive impact on energy, cognition, and creative drive. With nootropics, a little can often go a very long way. In fact, users report that many such substances (including kratom) actually have entirely different effects with small doses than they do with large ones!
But microdosing isn’t just about taking a small dose: it’s about taking a minimal dose, dramatically less than one typically might! And while microdosing certain substances has strong anecdotal support, is that true of kratom?
Microdosing Kratom: Is It a Viable Option?
Many users report a positive experience with microdosing kratom. However, it’s crucial to properly align one’s expectations. Microdosing kratom may have its benefits, but one shouldn’t expect effects as pronounced as when microdosing some other substances.
Microdosing is most strongly associated with incredibly potent substances, such as the psychedelic hallucinogen LSD. Although kratom’s effects are entirely different from hallucinogens’, we can at least draw some comparison.
Such substances’ effects are typically far more powerful than those of kratom, even when kratom is taken at high doses. Because of this, microdosing kratom powder will not have as powerful an effect as microdosing some other substances.
Does that mean that microdosing kratom is an ineffective option? Not at all! Many users report a positive experience with microdosing kratom. In fact, many in the Kratom Spot community claim that they’re making microdosing a regular part of their kratom routine!
What to Expect When Microdosing Kratom
When microdosing kratom, it’s important to align your expectations. The effects can be subtle, but many users report a positive and effective experience with taking kratom in very small amounts.
In the kratom world, peer-reviewed research is somewhat sparse, even with relation to standard-sized dosages. When it comes to microdosing studies, there’s been even fewer clinical studies!
However, existing research and anecdotal user reports agree: kratom’s effects are dose-dependent. That means that users experience very different results based on the size of their dose. Obviously, your choice of strain also has an impact on the effects you can expect to feel. But specific trends hold true, regardless of your choice of strain.
Typically, large doses of kratom can have a relaxing or sedative effect. Small doses, on the other hand, tend to be energizing and stimulating. It would make sense, then, that microdosing kratom would follow this trend, only in less potent fashion.
Users report that microdosing kratom gives a subtle, uplifting effect that can improve focus and help maintain energy throughout the day. Microdosing kratom can be likened to a cup of coffee, but without the jitters or stomach upset that can accompany your morning joe. As such, microdosing kratom has become increasingly popular for users looking to increase productivity throughout their workday or enhance their energy and mental acuity when engaged in creative pursuits.
Before trying your hand at microdosing kratom, you should know what to expect. To restate: the effect of microdosing kratom is subtle. Some users claim that the effect is almost unnoticeable and is only evident when, looking back on their work, they notice improved productivity. If you’re looking for a subtle increase to energy and productivity without distracting mental effects, then microdosing kratom might be a great option for you!
How to Microdose Kratom
Microdosing isn’t about taking a small dose of kratom: it’s about taking an incredibly small amount of kratom! But even at such small doses, microdosing kratom may be just the thing to give you a morning boost, get through a workday slump, or enhance your evening adventures.
Typical microdosing involves a dose that’s roughly 1/10th to 1/20th of your standard dose. Many users take regular microdoses throughout the day. This allows them to maintain a clear-headed focus without a noticeable peak or gradual decline in effects.
If you’re an experienced kratom user, then you likely already know the size of a standard dose that you prefer. When measuring a microdose of kratom, simply measure out an amount that’s roughly 1/10th of what you typically would. From there, take the microdose via your preferred method.
Note: When microdosing, it’s incredibly helpful to make use of a powder scale. Because microdosing kratom involves incredibly low dosages, it’s virtually impossible to get an accurate measurement via teaspoon or tablespoon measurements.
For new users, here are a few microdosing guidelines:
- Consider starting with a dose of 0.1-0.25 grams of kratom powder. In such small amounts, kratom’s bitter taste can easily be covered up using the toss and wash method with orange juice or your preferred beverage.
- Wait roughly 45 minutes to allow this initial microdose to take effect.
- If you have not noticed any effect from this initial dose, take another of the same size.
- Repeat up to a third time. If you still have not reached a desirable effect, wait several hours, then begin the process again with a larger beginning dose.
- Once you have found a microdose that is effective for you, you can begin each microdose with that amount, then repeat the dosage several times throughout the day.
Choose Quality Kratom
When microdosing, it’s more important than ever to choose only high-quality kratom powder.
Kratom’s effects are the result of its unique blend of natural alkaloids. When you purchase premium kratom powder from a reputable vendor such as Kratom Spot, you know that the product you receive will be pure, potent, and brimming with the natural compounds that make kratom effective. With an inferior product, you can expect diminished alkaloid content and, as a result, diminished kratom effects.
Potent alkaloid content is all the more important when microdosing. With such small amounts of kratom powder, inferior products are unlikely to produce any effect at all. When microdosing, trust only the best in the business.