How Long Does Kratom Last

kratom storage

Regardless of what type of Kratom you buy, it will degrade over time and eventually lose potency. This is an inescapable truth when dealing with organic plant matter whether you are using Kratom leaves, a bulk powder or some type of extract. Fresh Kratom will have the highest concentration of active chemicals, but these alkaloids become less effective and the leaves can grow stale as time passes. There are some who say that the alkaloid last slightly longer if you purchase full or crushed leaves as opposed to powdered or encapsulated products though this has not been confirmed in a lab environment. For the best possible results, you should use your leaves, powders or extracts within 1 to 3 months and only purchase from vendors who have a high turnover rate and are not shipping out old inventory.

Of course, that is not always possible. It can sometimes be tempting to stock up on bulk product at wholesale prices that are much cheaper than if you were to buy your powder one ounce at a time. In these instances, it becomes important to properly store your reserve supplies to prevent them from going bad before you have the chance to use them. How long does Kratom last for and what can you do to make it last longer? In ideal storage settings, it can stay potent for well over a year and by some reports up to five years. But there are many different factors that can influence the perishability of your Kratom supplies and cause it to go bad earlier. Below are some of the easy strategies you can use to store Kratom so that it lasts for as long as you need it to last.

How to Store Kratom to make it Last Longer
Over time, chemical reactions can occur in your Kratom products that may interfere with the active ingredients. One of the key beneficial alkaloids found in Kratom is mitragynine which is an opiate agonist and gives this plant its pain-relieving and relaxing properties. In the wrong conditions, sources say that this alkaloid can be converted into mitragynine pseudoindoxyl which is actually an opiate antagonist. To prevent this, Kratom leaves or powders survive best in a stable environment that is airtight, temperature-controlled, moisture free and has limited exposure to light. Consistency is key if you want to be able to enjoy it for many months at a time.

Ideally, you should keep your Kratom in a cold room, inside an interior closet in your house or some room that does not have a window. This is necessary to ensure a relatively static temperature for the leaves which will slow down the rate at which the alkaloids degrade. Heat from the sun or from leaving your Kratom next to a heating vent can promote reactions with the alkaloids and cause them to lose potency faster. There are some users who will store their high potency Kratom extracts in a refrigerator or freezer to ensure it is as fresh as possible. While you do not necessarily have to do this, keeping it in a cold room with an unchanging temperature is a good idea.

Another threat to how long your Kratom lasts is dampness, humidity and moisture. Even a tiny bit of water in the right environment can stimulate the growth of mold in your crushed leaves or powder. Unfortunately, if you detect any mold on your Kratom, it is usually necessary to throw away all of the product that you have stored in the same place to prevent inadvertently consuming some undesirable bacteria. The best way to limit exposure to moisture is by storing it in an airtight container in some part of your house that is usually dry. (Temperature control also plays a role here to prevent the build-up of condensation.) Consider placing the powder in a Ziplock bag and then placing the bag inside a glass jar or plastic Tupperware container with a sturdy lid.

Using an airtight storage container will also prevent your Kratom pills from oxidizing which can shorten its useable life. Oxygen can cause the leaves to become stale due to a physiological process known as cross-linking. Air exposure can also react directly with the alkaloids, once again causing them to become less potent over time. To minimize oxygen exposure for long-term storage, you can use a vacuum seal plastic bag that removes as much air as possible from the environment. A cheaper option is to place it in a Ziplock bag and make sure to squeeze as much air out as possible before sealing it.
Finally, keeping your Kratom leaves in a dark environment will protect it from sunlight and UV radiation damage. Have you ever noticed how a picture left in the sunlight will become faded much faster than if you were to leave the same picture in a dark closet? The radiation from the sun and other sources of light can actually damage the molecular structure of everything from photographs to Kratom powders, causing significant reductions in alkaloid concentration over time. Keep your Kratom in a dark cupboard or closet and ideally do not leave it out in the sun or next to a window for extended periods of time. If you follow all of these steps, you can maximize how long your Kratom lasts and you won’t have to worry about throwing away unused amounts even if you’re buying it in bulk quantities.