Posted by Liquid kratom extract shots are popular for their convenience, portability, and fast onset. They’re the modern alternative to bitter, traditional kratom tea. But there’s no way anyone is going to (or should) take a whole shot bottle for their serving, especially if they are a new user. Kratom shots also run a higher risk of tolerance and dependence and should be for occasional use as opposed to regular or heavy dosing.
To get the most benefits without waste and risking side effects or excessive amounts, you need to know how kratom shots are distinct from powders, capsules, and tablets. Learn how to take a shot effectively and avoid risks with this guide.
Differences in Kratom Shot Products
There are two main types of kratom shots.
- Kratom only: These shots contain the active ingredient of Mitragyna speciosa leaf extract and if full-spectrum also contain trace amounts of 7-hydroxymitragynine. They have a purified water or vegetable glycerin base, acids and emulsifiers for suspension, and sweeteners with flavoring agents or natural flavors.
- Kratom and kava: With the addition of kava, these shots contain Mitragyna speciosa leaf extract for the primary alkaloid of mitragynine. They also contain noble kava root extract, Piper methysticum as well as preservatives and stabilizers. Brands like Real Botanicals’ Mood Boost kratom and kava shots include the additional nootropics of L-theanine, GABA, and Ashwagandha for extra calm and relaxation that prevents kratom jitters. Theirs preserves the natural flavors of the ingredients.
Factors in Kratom Shot Potency and Effectiveness
Kratom shots vary by vendor, so it’s up to you to read and inform yourself about the specific product. Consider the following factors to anticipate the effects of a particular kratom shot and how much to take:
Concentration of kratom (and kava)
Standard kratom shots are the equivalent of taking 7 to 10 grams of raw powder all at once. Extreme potency or enhanced shots can contain over 25 grams of raw powder.
If they’re combination kratom and kava shots, they tend to contain a moderate amount of kratom (40 to 75 mg of mitragynine) or the equivalent of 3 to 5 grams of raw leaf powder. Kava’s bioactive compounds are kavalactones and combination shots typically contain between 250 mg and 500 mg of kava extract.
Milligram count of kratom
Kratom shots can contain anywhere from 30 mg to over 150 mg of kratom per bottle. There are also high-potency versions that contain 200 to 360+ mg of mitragynine. However, the bottles themselves contain anywhere from 10 mL to 30 mL of liquid.
Other ingredients
If you’re considering kratom and kava shots, the bioactive compounds of kavalactones from the kava also matter. They enhance each other’s effects, a phenomenon known as synergy. There’s no standard for the proportions of kratom and kava, but Real Botanicals has mild and maximum strengths that maintain the same amount of kava and increase that of kratom.
Taken with food or not
The best effects from any kratom products come when you eat food beforehand. Kratom is fat-soluble and so is kava, and by having a light meal or snack you increase their bioavailability, the amount that enters your bloodstream.
Another reason to eat before taking a kratom shot or kratom and kava shot is to avoid a spike, nausea, dizziness, and crash. If you take a shot on an empty stomach, you will feel overwhelmed by its effects.
Serving size and ceiling
The serving size depends on the milligram count of kratom (and kava). For Real Botanicals’ kratom and kava shots, a serving size is half of the shot bottle. The ceiling – the maximum amount you can take where any more has no more positive effect – is a whole shot bottle.
Solvent residues
Typical kratom extraction leaves behind solvent residues because they use volatile organic solvents to strip the leaves of their alkaloids. Manufacturers can fail to properly vacuum-bake, evaporate, or purge the liquid from the toxins, so they end up in the final product. The extracts also undergo thermal degradation when boiling off extraction fluids to achieve a high concentration.
That’s never an issue with Real Botanicals’ ChromaPure, an advanced patented extraction technology. Their kratom products are always pure and effective.
Scheduling Protocol for Kratom Shots
Making a scheduling protocol for kratom shots, or kratom and kava shots, is different from that for kratom powders and capsules. That’s because the kratom concentrate extract bypasses digestion and puts strain on the liver. It’s also more potent and has a much higher risk of tolerance and dependence.
For these reasons, you should never take kratom shots consecutive days in a row. Allow at least one day in between the shots so that the alkaloids can clear your opioid receptors. You’ll also want to avoid re-dosing when you feel the effects fading, because it increases tolerance and side effects of nausea and dizziness.
Kratom and kava shots have a dual-dependency risk of opioid-like and sedative-like effects, so you’ll want to wait even longer between doses. Limit them to rare occasions or specific situations, which they’re made for. Users love the ones by Real Botanicals for its additional nootropics of L-theanine, GABA, and Ashwagandha for social anxiety-inducing events they don’t normally get exposed to, like big social gatherings and parties.
Final Thoughts
Kratom shots and kratom and kava shots give you two very different choices, especially when considering individual vendors’ formulas. Dosing is unique depending on which one you choose as well as the vendor’s concentration of active ingredients. If you’re looking for more regular-use kratom products, Real Botanicals has other options for you to consider.
You might also enjoy: What Happens If I Take Too Much Kratom? and Mood Boost Kratom and Kava Shots vs. Kava Karma by Real Botanicals: Choose Your Alcohol Alternative and Introducing Kava Karma by Real Botanicals: Maximum Social Chill