Two terms that you may come across in your research on Mitragyna Speciosa are “Kratom Isolate” and “Full Spectrum Isolate Extract”. While many vendors use these terms, few offer a complete product description to define them and explain what they are. Furthermore, not all Kratom isolate extracts are made the same. In this article, we will explain the fundamental difference between a single alkaloid isolate and a full spectrum isolate and help you to understand why one of these is greatly favored over the other.
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Kratom Isolate
An isolate refers to any type of Kratom product that has been processed in such a way as to remove the alkaloids from the leaf. The effects of the Kratom herb are powered by the nearly 25 alkaloids and 40 total active compounds that have been discovered in the leaves of this tree. Each of these natural alkaloids may contribute to the experience when ingested, but the three main chemicals are mitragynine, 7-hydroxymitragynine, and mitraphylline. These substances are unique to Mitragyna plants and they are also known to occur in different amounts across different Kratom strains. This is why some strains may be cited as more stimulating and concentration-enhancing while others are more relaxing, mood-lifting and analgesic in their effects.
The best way to benefit from using the alkaloids is to consume the Kratom leaf as a powder. But you need to consume quite a large amount of this raw leaf powder in order to begin feeling the effects. Typical dosages will fall anywhere from 4 grams to 8 grams at a time. Kratom powder is also known for having a bitter taste and there are some who may feel nauseous or develop stomach discomfort when swallowing this much at a time. As a result, some vendors started offering Kratom isolates that extract the alkaloids from the natural leaves so that you avoid consuming some of the unnecessary plant matter. This means the alkaloids are much more concentrated in the final product so you will require a smaller dosage.
Kratom FSIE
There are quite a few different isolates sold today and they do not all produce the same effects. Some companies will sell isolates of one specific alkaloid such as mitragynine or 7-hydroxymitragynine isolate. Many of these are actually synthetic products and not natural extracts. Other vendors provide non-standardized isolates which do not guarantee the alkaloid content present within. The final type available is known as a Full Spectrum Isolate Extract or Kratom FSIE. This product is a standardized extract which contains the full range of alkaloids present in the Kratom leaf according to their natural proportions.
Full Spectrum Isolates are the only form we recommend. Kratom’s benefits are the result of the harmony and interplay of the 25 identified alkaloids in this special leaf. If you design a product that has an artificially high proportion of any one of these alkaloids, you risk throwing off the balance that nature has produced. This tends to lead to a greater risk of side effects, tolerance and other problems related to abuse. This is especially true with some of the mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine alkaloid isolates on the market. When using full spectrum extracts, these dangers seem to be greatly diminished without reducing the potency.
Should you Use Extracts at All?
Before you rush out to buy Kratom extract online, an often dismissed consideration is whether you should use an extract at all. New users are often attracted to the idea of buying the strongest, highest concentration Kratom products on the market. While there is certainly a time and a place for this, for those users who intend to take it on a regular basis, a lower potency dosage of alkaloids is to be preferred. Isolate extracts will accelerate the process of receptor down-regulation leading to tolerance and sometimes causing individuals to take more than what would be considered a safe dosages. Extracts are also more expensive over the long run. This is why most responsible experienced users will purchase either crushed Kratom leaves or un-enhanced powder.
Where to Purchase Isolate Extracts
If you do decide that you want to try an extract, make sure to not over-use it and plan ahead to give yourself breaks so that your receptors can reset. You can buy Kratom isolate extracts in a few different forms online. The most economical is to purchase powdered full spectrum extracts, but you may decide that capsules are more convenient. There are also liquid tinctures available as well as Kratom resins which are popular among advanced users.
Make sure to be on the lookout for products that over-promise or are not what they say they are. You may see some high potency Kratom extracts advertised as containing 50x or even 100x the alkaloid content of the raw leaf. Any of these pills are not going to be full spectrum isolates due to the physical constrains present in the extraction process. There is an upper limit set at about 20x for the amount of alkaloids that can realistically be extracted from Kratom leaf. Generally, authentic FSIEs will fall between a score of 8x and 15x. Anything higher will not preserve the full spectrum of alkaloids and instead will only isolate some lesser fraction.
