Posted by Red Kratom is far an away the least “newbie friendly” strain of Kratom on the market today, and that’s before you consider alterations to MIT ratios of 7-OH presence that might make-up some of the more niche products such as “Maeng Da” variants. The advanced nature of Red Kratom can be boiled down to it’s 7-OH presence relative to the amount of MIT it provides: While most Kratom strains are sought after because of their energizing effects (thanks to the presence of MIT,) Red Kratom is almost universally sought after for two things; a less energizing effect in the morning or a deeply relaxing effect in the evening.
Though the use cases for Red Kratom are numerous, and though we still have to explain why Red Kratom behaves the way it does, we should cover some basic warnings about Kratom and Red Kratom collectively so that any newcomers wondering why Red Kratom isn’t going to be a recommended choice for them understand why.
Kratom, MIT, and 7-OH.
All Kratom leaves are made up of two main alkaloids from which they draw value; Mitragynine (MIT) and 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH). Despite their names, they do not share a similar effect profile at all, and the way you treat MIT is not the way you should treat or consider 7-OH.
MIT is the most abundant alkaloid in Kratom, and, as we have mentioned, will create the desirable energizing effect that users are so fond of when brewed or taken via tablet. In essence, MIT functions as a stronger variant of coffee, with a stronger kick, greater sense of euphoria and focus associated with its consumption, as well as a higher risk of dependency and health-related issues with consistent use.
The nature of the dependency is such that it’s going to vary from person to person, but in general if someone has a history of substance abuse, Kratom is best avoided altogether. Additionally, if someone finds that they are increasing their dosages from small amounts (250 milligrams to 1 gram) to medium or higher amounts (2 – 10 grams), they should discontinue usage as the increased dosage requirements point to a spiraling need for greater MIT or 7-OH efficacy.
However, the health issues associated with Kratom aren’t as intangible and can generally be measured. Generally speaking, anyone who consumes more than 10 grams of Kratom in a single sitting runs the risk of experiencing cardiovascular issues and vomiting as the body rejects the dosage. Additionally, some users might experience cardiovascular issues even at lower dosages if the use is consistent enough, though this will vary from person to person, and some people can consume Kratom responsibly for years without experiencing any sort of negative side effects aside from the expected effects on potential sleep quality (it doesn’t get better.)
Red Kratom Use Cases
With all of that in-mind, let’s take a look at Red Kratom: With a higher 7-OH to MIT ratio, Red Kratom is the strain users reach for when they want less of a kick and more relaxation associated with their Kratom. This, in theory, could be absolutely fine and many users do indeed have perfectly fine results using Red Kratom for their morning brew. The problem stems from the 7-OH dosage.
Since 7-OH is infinitely more dangerous from an addiction perspective, Red Kratom poses a risk for users who are susceptible to development dependencies. With enough time, these users will find themselves taking more Kratom in single servings and, eventually, will be taking more than five grams per sitting or so.
Despite Kratom posing a low (but not zero percent) chance of risk at 5 grams, RED Kratom, specifically, has such a high dosage of 7-OH at that level that many users find it becomes the dominant alkaloid around that dosage. This means that there’s no energy being received from MIT, but instead a pure sense of relief and euphoria from the 7-OH, comparable to Morphine. Needless to say, this isn’t something to be toyed around with. Thus, here’s what we recommend for Red Kratom users;
Stick to low dosages in the morning or afternoon: no more than three grams in a single sitting. Avoid variants of Red Kratom that are advertised as having higher concentrations of 7-OH than they otherwise would have. Lastly, discontinue use if you begin to associate with Red Kratom after 2 P.M., as that means that you’re likely getting a more 7-OH dominant effect than you should be if you’re after MIT.