Resources

What’s The Difference Between Kratom Powder & Kratom Extract?

April 14, 2021 by Jacob

Once Kratom is grown and harvested, the leaves go through a cycle to become the powder that most enthusiasts are familiar with. Kratom vendors process their products in multiple ways to create the unique and varied lineup available for sale today.

For example, it can be hard to see how Kratom powder and extract are not the same product types because they can both be powdered substances.

Here at Left Coast Kratom, we sell both Kratom powder and Kratom extract. Each of these products offers a unique experience to consumers, but not all customers are familiar with what the differences are.

Find out how both of these substances come to be and when you might prefer to try one over the other in today’s article.

Kratom: The Common Denominator

Kratom powder and Kratom extract share a common denominator: the Kratom plant itself!

Common kratom products all originate from the same type of tree. This evergreen tree, scientifically known as Mitragyna speciosa, grows in tropical regions of southeast Asia. People in Malaysia, Thailand, Borneo, and other places in the area have used Kratom for hundreds of years. These traditional practices have revived today, and Kratom has become a natural choice for many enthusiasts worldwide.

Powder vs. Extract: Where Things Diverge

Though Kratom powder and Kratom extract share the same roots, the two products have important differences and are taken in different situations. Where exactly do things diverge, and what makes this divergence so interesting?

Let’s learn more about each of these substances!

Kratom Powders

While Kratom powder is not the most basic form of the plant, it is very close. The most basic form belongs to Kratom leaves which are often used to brew tea. But, we’ll leave that for another blog post!

When Kratom is processed, the leaves are harvested and then dried. People then brew the leaves into a tea or grind them into a powder that can be mixed into drinks, taken in capsules, or brewed. This is the substance we know as Kratom powder.

Large kratom leaves easily grind down into a fine powder once thoroughly dried. When the plant is processed into Kratom powder, it contains a similar level of alkaloids to the plant itself.

Kratom Extracts

In a way, Kratom extract is a further extension of Kratom powder. Without whole leaves or powder, Kratom extracts would not exist.

Kratom extract is a higher-concentrate version of Kratom made through an extraction process. Compared to other Kratom products, extracts have the highest alkaloid concentration levels. As alkaloids are largely responsible for Kratom’s effects, extracts often have the most potent effects.

To create this high concentration product, plant matter is reduced so that the alkaloids in the extraction are in a higher concentration than the Kratom leaf had in its original form.

There are different extraction methods with varying cost associations and degrees of success. The most common extraction methods rely on water, solvents, and evaporation, as this method is time- and cost-effective.

Why People Choose One Or The Other

Concentration

The most significant difference between Kratom powder and extract is that extracts are more concentrated. This means there is a greater percentage of alkaloids in the same amount of powder. Alkaloids are the component most responsible for Kratom’s effects.

Kratom extracts are sometimes advertised with a ratio number, such as 2x, to show the level of concentration. You might also see extracts labeled with a percentage, such as 10% Mitragynine. Trying out different ratios or percentages until you find one that generates the desired effects is one way that enthusiasts explore what Kratom offers.

Side Effects

Some Kratom users face frustrating side effects, such as nausea, when using standard powders alone. For these individuals, an extract might be the better choice. Ingesting less plant matter when taking Kratom extract can reduce side effects and improve efficiency for some people.

Change It Up

Trying extracts doesn’t always have to be about revolutionizing the way that you experience Kratom. Instead, it can simply be about changing up your routine! Extracts offer new blends and experiences that you haven’t had before. Check out different options to see what might work well with your body’s routine.

Remember Reliability

Whether you’re new to Kratom or experienced in this world, make sure that you continue to check that you are shopping from reliable brands!

It can be hard to tell the difference between Kratom powder and Kratom extract just by comparing the two. Buying from honest vendors that clearly label their products will make it easier (and safer!) to enjoy Kratom on your own terms.

The best way to be sure that you are doing this is to buy Kratom from vendors that are part of the American Kratom Associations GMP program. This program ensures that vendors properly test and label their products to prevent customer confusion.

Experience More With Our Top Sellers

Are you interested in finding the best Kratom powders or extracts?

Our catalog includes a variety of high-quality options. Whether you are looking for Kratom powders as a beginner’s start or Kratom extracts to change up how you experience Kratom, we have various great offerings.
Hopefully, you’ve learned something new about the world of Kratom today. Our goals include providing valuable and exciting information to our customers so that you can make more informed selections. Check out the rest of our resources to learn more!

Fair Trade Practices In The Kratom Industry

January 13, 2021 by Jacob

Fair trade practices are standard in many worldwide industries. Coffee and chocolate manufacturers, for example, may find that acting in accordance with fair trade groups is in the best interests of their business and the industry at large.

Do organizations seeking fair trade practices in the Kratom industry exist, and if so, does Left Coast Kratom follow their directives?

The idea of fair trade in the Kratom industry is not one that is commonly discussed, but it is one that we’d like to talk about today. Fair trade is an exciting concept that can be applied in many ways, and we’d like to talk about how we consider it important.

What Is Fair Trade?

The first thing to understand is exactly what fair trade is.

Fair trade standards are, in practice, business principles. When using these standards, you are doing your best to guarantee that the health, human rights, economic stability, and independence of producers worldwide are prioritized. Avoiding things like forced labor or paying below wage standards must be avoided, and some practices need to prioritize environmental sustainability as well.

Fair economic practices are often focused on what benefits are given to small producers to enable them to develop, have economic stability, and continue doing the work they are doing.

What About Fair Trade Labels?

Fair trade labels are given out by organizations that have been developed to certify businesses as fair trade in a particular sector. For instance, there are fair trade programs that work specifically with coffee vendors or those who work on traditional South American apparel.

Each of these organizations and specific labels may have some variety of principles depending on where they work, but there are always some commonalities as well:

Safe working conditions
Fair payment
Accountability
No discrimination
Sustainability
Economic stability

No matter what industry is being explored for fair trade possibilities, all six of these things will still need to be present to create the best working supply chain possible.

Why Does Fair Trade Matter?

Fair trade is important for improving conditions for those working in poverty for others’ profit worldwide. Marginalized individuals in many countries are exploited for their labor, goods, or resources, and they are often unable to get out of this cycle without outside support.

Fair trade principles prioritize enabling these individuals to be able to set up a better economic situation for themselves while also ensuring their health and safety. Small businesses and those working at companies will find themselves more safe and able to have a future to look forward to.

Additionally, fair trade helps to improve the economic and living standards around the world. People from larger nations with higher capital can use their money to support those around the world simply by buying fair trade, making a big difference in the worldwide economy.

Are There Fair Trade Labels For Kratom?

While several non-profit organizations offer fair trade labels, there are not any specific labels in action in the Kratom industry. We have high hopes that this will soon be changing though!

The Confusion Of Fair Trade Labels

Fair trade labels can be a bit confusing because individual memberships and organizations give them out, so the vetting process for each group can be different. A fair trade label on one product is not always equitable to a label on another product.

To really understand what a label is saying about any given product, you must understand how the label is given and what guarantees it offers.

The Problem Of Bulk Products

Bulk products like Kratom and tea are often collected from a huge number of growers and harvesters. Suppliers in the Kratom industry have said that more than one thousand harvesters can collect a single order of Kratom leaves. This makes it hard to verify with fair trade organizations even when you want to do so.

As such, certifying bulk products as fair trade is difficult. While many Kratom companies have a high level of commitment to asking their supplier to adhere to fair trade practices, it is not always possible to certify that this is happening.

Future Kratom Fair Trade Labels

It is possible that some organizations will work together to create fair trade guidelines for the Kratom industry as it continues to grow. It is also possible that existing organizations will find ways to check Kratom businesses for fair trade practices.

Ultimately, both of these things will take time!

Verifying each step of a supply chain this deep is time-consuming, so figuring out how to implement a labeling program efficiently will not be a speedy process.

Does The GMP Program Incorporate Fair Trade?

The GMP program, a good manufacturing program run by the American Kratom Association, does not specifically mention any fair trade practices at this time.

That being said, the guidelines in the AKA’s GMP program does require Kratom companies to establish processes with their suppliers and ensure that their suppliers follow these processes.

While the processes talked about in the GMP are more focused on the safety of the Kratom itself, a Kratom company could include fair trade practices in their own arrangements with their suppliers.

Does LCK Care About Fair Trade Practices?

Companies like ours take time to ask our suppliers about the Kratom, who harvests it, and what is being done to ensure their industry’s long-term health. We want Kratom harvesters to be able to make a successful living at this job while continuing to supply us with Kratom for a long time, and we know that fair trade practices can help with that.

If you as a customer have a deep commitment to fair trade practices, you can always ask the Kratom companies that you patronize for more information about their stand about Kratom fair trade practices!

Remember, all companies that prioritize the health and safety of their customers and their suppliers will be willing to show how they are doing that. Here at Left Coast Kratom, we like to be as open with our customers as we can be. That is why we create educational articles like this one!

Browse Our Selection Of Fair Trade Kratom Products Now!

How Does Kratom Benefit Local Economies Around The World?

September 29, 2020 by LCK

Every single customer that buys a kratom product is not only supporting the business that they are buying from, but they are also supporting a variety of other businesses as well.

When you buy from a local shop, that shop has sourced the kratom from a larger manufacturer. The manufacturer has sourced the kratom from overseas suppliers and possibly even from farmers directly. The supply chain goes much farther than many people realize!

Kratom as an industry supports small businesses on many levels. From local to national to international, let’s take a look at how the industry supports these businesses.

Kratom: From Sourcing To Customers

What does the kratom supply chain look like?

The chain will vary for different companies and policies, but the general outline usually goes likes this:

Local Farmers
Local farmers grow or harvest kratom. Some may do this on their own properties; others will work at larger farms where kratom is being grown.
Distributors
Local or international distributors will broker deals with these farmers to send their unprocessed kratom exports to kratom vendors or manufacturers.
Kratom Vendors
Once they have the kratom, vendors will process, test, and blend their kratom products.
Local Shops
While most vendors sell directly to customers, they also sell directly to smaller smoke shops that carry kratom. These shops then sell directly to customers as well.

Most kratom vendors have specific arrangements with farmers and distributors so that they have a secure, steady supply of reliable imports. Once they receive the product, however, they must still test it to ensure the quality.

Supporting Local Businesses With Kratom

The local economy has benefited from the expansion of the kratom industry in the US. We can expect those benefits to continue as kratom becomes even more commonplace. How is kratom having an effect on businesses and economies in America?

National Companies

Many kratom vendors operate primarily online, but that does not mean that they do not employ people and positively affect the economy.

Vendors that important unprocessed kratom must set up:

Facility for kratom processing, packaging, and shipping
Sales team
Marketing team
Supply chain management team

Each of these sectors requires that the company hire people. Most kratom vendors ship to all states where kratom is legal in the US, so they are also helping to continue the movement of money between small businesses in America.

Local Stores

Local smoke shops and other companies that carry herbal products may decide to stock kratom on their shelves. Typically, they’ll stock those products directly from national kratom vendors. Purchased in bulk at a discount, these local vendors then sell at MSRP for a profit. In this way, you can also support local business by buying from your local shop.

Supporting The Right Laws

Even if you don’t purchase kratom or you only want to buy from one shop that you rely on, it is possible to support the business that works at all parts of the supply chain in one go.

How do you do this?

Kratom’s legal status has been constantly evolving over the last few years, and the lack of regulation in the industry is causing unreliable vendors to create more problems. By supporting kratom consumer protection laws in your area, you can help to ensure that businesses who profit from kratom will continue to see those benefits.

Choose The Right Vendors

Some vendors are more interested in the overall well-being of the kratom industry than others. When a vendor chooses to put profits before safety, they are jeopardizing the entire industry. Kratom advocates are still fighting for legal protections in the US, and low-quality kratom sales put that legal status at risk.

Do your research before you purchase kratom. Look for vendors that have not only a positive effect on the economy, but also vendors that adhere to good manufacturing practices. The American Kratom Association has a program that vendors can join for this type of guidance known as the GMP Compliance Program, and we are happy to be members.

Supporting Kratom Production Abroad

As mentioned in the supply chain above, kratom production is not just limited to America. Kratom is a tropical tree native to certain parts of the world, so the actual kratom will always need to be imported from Southeast Asian farms.

When purchasing kratom, you support the farmers that grew and harvested the kratom and the international distributors that connected those farmers to vendors in the US.

Choosing High-quality Production Companies

Choosing kratom vendors in the US that care about the kratom farmers that they buy from is essential. There are no official fair trade practices in the kratom industry yet, but the idea should still prevail. Fair trade prevents farmers from being undervalued or ripped off for an exported product.

Helps Local Workers

Many Kratom farmers joined the industry as other industries were dying out there. Farmers were unsure what to turn to as some industries were no longer viable. In the kratom industry, they found a great, new living. As a profitable export industry, their farms and lifestyles are revolutionized.

Environmental Effects

Kratom farming is also less dangerous for the environment than palm oil, a common type of plantation seen in Indonesia. By farming kratom instead of palm oil, the farmers are making good money and also keeping their land healthier.

Left Coast Kratom: People First

From our customers to the farmers that we buy kratom from, Left Coast Kratom is devoted to acknowledging the work that creates high-quality kratom. Through your support, we can compensate everyone that works on our products fairly.

Additionally, the local shops that stock our products are able to continue the supply chain into the local business arena, and we know that this can have a positive effect in many communities. From start to finish, the kratom industry provides opportunities and support to people that might otherwise be left behind, and we are proud to be a part of that.

Click Here To Browse Our Catalog Of Superior Quality, Ethically Sourced Kratom!

What We Say: How and Why Kratom Advertising Is Restricted

September 15, 2020 by LCK

Kratom is classified as a food in many parts of the United States. This classification puts limitations on what we as kratom vendors can and cannot say about our products. The FDA limits what is permitted, and we must follow those guidelines if we want to be able to continue to market and sell our products legally.

How exactly do these restrictions come into play, and why aren’t we fighting against them?

Let’s talk about kratom, kratom labeling, and how advocacy organizations are working to improve the misinformation surrounding kratom.

What Can And Cannot Be Said

Ultimately, the FDA has made it clear that they are willing and able to send cease-and-desist letters to any kratom vendor that is publishing what they deem to be unsubstantiated claims.

Even in the articles that we publish, we have to be careful about our language and how we talk about kratom.

In the past, companies selling kratom have made huge claims about what kratom can do, and the FDA pushed back against these. But it wasn’t only bold claims that the FDA warned about; simple, seemingly common knowledge statements have also attracted their attention.

Risky Statements

What type of statements do we have to be careful about when using on our site? There are many, and it is also difficult for us to follow these limitations. We want to be as open, clear, and helpful as possible for our customers, but FDA rules make this difficult at times.

These are just a few examples of statements that have got kratom vendors into trouble with the FDA in the past:

Claiming that people use kratom as an alternative to some medications.
Claiming that people prefer kratom over their other medication options.
Claiming that people use kratom to help them stop using other things.
Claiming that kratom has specific benefits.

We know that these examples are vague, and that is intentional as not to catch ourselves in this trap. As you can see from the breadth of those examples, however, it becomes difficult for honest vendors like ourselves to share any information or evidence with our customers without risking trouble.

What Are Unsubstantiated Claims?

Let’s talk a little more specifically about what the FDA considers “unsubstantiated claims,” which is the most common reason they send out warning letters. We’ve given a few vague examples above, but let’s look at direct news from the FDA to see how they frame their approach.

Specifically, a press report from the FDA states the following:

Vendors are selling kratom “with deceptive medical claims for which there’s no reliable scientific proof to support their use.”
Vendors “ take advantage of consumers by selling products with unsubstantiated claims that they can treat opioid addiction.”

If the FDA is truly against products that are not backed by science and willing to support kratom research, that would be an understandable position. However, the statement goes on to say that Kratom is an “opioid analog that may actually contribute to the opioid epidemic,” which may be an unsubstantiated claim by the FDA’s own rules.

Additionally, the FDA report states that the FDA is willing to look into how kratom may or may not relieve pain or opioid addiction symptoms if people believe that kratom’s active ingredients show that potential. However, the AKA states that FDA has refused to support that type of research for years.

Simultaneously, the National Institute on Drug Abuse has refused to support scheduling kratom as a drug because NIDA’s own research has not borne out that claim according to NIDA’s standards.

As you can see, it is a very confusing field for kratom vendors like ourselves to navigate. Our goal is always to provide safe, high-quality products to our customers. We want to support those products with information, but it isn’t always an easy thing to do.

The Standards We Follow

How do we handle the labeling and advertising of our products when faced with limitations and concerns about what we can and cannot say?

As members of the American Kratom Association’s GMP Compliance Program, we ensure that our labeling fits these things’ standards. AKA is up-to-date with the FDA’s latest requirements, and they are also at the forefront of helping to implement Kratom Consumer Protection Acts in states across the country.

In short, they know what they’re talking about when it comes to labeling, advertising, and more.

As of June 2020, the compliance program has laid out the following guidelines for vendors and marketing:

Labels may not include:
- Any disease-related or unauthorized health claims
- Any reference to a “high”
- Any reference to clinical or research data
Labels must:
- Be fully compliant with FDA claim rules
- Include a batch or lot number
- Affirm that mitragynine and 7-OH alkaloids haven’t been altered from their original allocation
- Advise consumers to talk to a physician about dosing
- Include a statement that pregnant women should not use kratom
- Include this exact statement: “This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or condition.”

These same rules apply to the descriptions, websites, and advertisements used when marketing kratom products.

New: The Truth in Labeling Program

Recently, the American Kratom Association has started a reporting program known as the Truth in Labeling Program.

Due to the rise in vendors directly going against the guidelines expected by the FDA, the American Kratom Association and other advocates have seen a need for a program to keep track of and improve improper labeling practices.

Through this program, the AKA hopes to educate vendors that are putting the industry at risk through dishonest practices. If the vendors refuse to change their ways, the industry will start to self-regulate by reporting offenders to the FDA. To read more about how or why the Truth in Labeling Program is meant to work, you can check out AKA’s statement.

Understanding Kratom: Kratom Alkaloids Explained

September 1, 2020 by LCK

Natural substances like kratom have an effect on the body because of their chemical composition. Kratom itself is made up of many chemical components. When those components are released in the body, they bind and interact with human physiology in different ways.

While only a few kratom alkaloids are well known even among veteran consumers, kratom is actually made up of more than 40 alkaloids – and counting! What are these kratom alkaloids, and what types of effects are they being studied for?

Learning more about these alkaloids can help you better understand the myriad of ways kratom may be further developed and used. Let’s take a closer look!

What Are Kratom Alkaloids?

Alkaloids are a type of naturally-occurring compounds found in many plants. These compounds contain at least one nitrogen atom. These compounds bind readily with receptors in the human body; they cause physiological effects because of this binding. Common alkaloids include caffeine and morphine. The impacts of alkaloids vary widely.

Kratom is a natural plant, and kratom leaves have a variety of alkaloids in them. In fact, more than forty different alkaloids have been found in kratom. Many of these alkaloids have specific physiological effects on the body. Those alkaloids are being studied in more detail to find out what types of benefits might be found.

The specific alkaloid concentration in kratom leaves can vary from tree to tree, strain to strain. For that reason, additional research of the individual components is even more critical. Once the individual alkaloids are better understood, the potential effects of various alkaloid combinations can be studied in more detail as well.

Kratom Alkaloids Explained

Now that you know what alkaloids are, let’s cover kratom’s alkaloids and alkaloid composition of this plant in more detail.

What We Know

The alkaloid content of kratom leaves varies from plant to plant, tree to tree, and location to location. There is no guarantee of the exact breakdown of alkaloids in any kratom leaf because many things affect the alkaloid composition:

Harvesting time and frequency
Weather patterns
Soil composition
When leaves are harvested
Dry season length
Strain
Geographic location
Age of leaves

As teams studied kratom leaves in the 1970s and 1980s, they found that the alkaloid concentration varied in many ways. They began to compare samples and found that the above factors, as well as many others, changed what alkaloids were most prevalent in the leaves.

Despite the fact that more than 40 alkaloids have been identified in kratom leaves, only two of those alkaloids (mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine) are given credit for the effects of kratom. That’s because they occur in the greatest concentrations. Mitragynine usually makes up around 60% of the alkaloid content of kratom leaves on average.

As kratom is studied in more detail in upcoming years, we can expect to find out more about the variances in alkaloids in terms of effects and growth patterns for the kratom plants.

Meet The Alkaloids

Though more research still needs to be done about these substances, there are some alkaloids that have been studied after being found in kratom.

Mitragynine

The most prevalent alkaloid in most kratom leaves, mitragynine, is partially responsible for many of kratom’s active effects. It has been studied for many common uses, which can be fairly easily researched. As the primary kratom alkaloid, it is one of the two alkaloids that has its content percentage detailed on kratom packaging.

7-hydroxymitragynine

The other kratom alkaloid that is typically acknowledged by kratom vendors is 7-hydroxymitragynine. While the amount of this alkaloid is substantially smaller than that of mitragynine, it is also a significant player in kratom’s active effects. It has been studied for its unique effects and receptor binding in particular.

The Phyllines

The naming of alkaloids is typically based on the original plant family that those alkaloids come from. A number of alkaloids found in kratom are named with the -phylline base. Mitraphylline, isomitraphylline, speciophylline, rhynchophylline, isorhynchophylline, and ciliaphylline are all found in kratom.

These alkaloids are likely to be studied for their potential beneficial actions, and we hope to learn more soon about how they interact with functions of the human body.

Paynantheine and Speciogynine

After mitragynine, paynantheine and speciogynine make up for the largest percentage of alkaloids in kratom leaves. These two alkaloids have been compared to similar alkaloids with and it may be assumed that their qualities are similar. It is possible that these alkaloids contribute to some benefits of kratom, but more research is needed.

Corynoxine A and B

Found in other natural plant products as well, these alkaloids interact with important receptors in the human body. This means that they may affect the binding of body chemicals in some way. These alkaloids, like many others, are found in concentrations of far less than 1% in most leaves.

Why Is It Important To Know About These Alkaloids?

Simply put: we need to put more resources into studying them!

Kratom research has been progressing at a very slow pace for the last few years. Among other reasons, that is because of the complicated laws surrounding the possession, use, and classification of kratom. Funding kratom research is difficult whenever there are no laws clearly protecting its status.

As laws become clearer and kratom earns a more protected status in the US, we can expect to see more research about kratom and how it can affect the body. In particular, a lot of that research is likely to focus on the individual alkaloids found in kratom and their effects.

Scientists, in particular, are very interested in kratom’s potential effects. However, more research needs to be done on kratom’s alkaloids.

The Future Of Kratom

Kratom as a whole plant and food product will continue to be studied, but we can also expect to see more and more branch-off studies of individual components. Often, it is easier to understand the effects of the broad plant if we studied individual chemical components first.

Mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine are being studied more than other alkaloids at this time, but that is going to change as kratom becomes more heavily researched. We’re excited to find out what is discovered about every facet of kratom!

Kratom Pronunciation Debate: Krah-tom, Kray-tom and More?

August 18, 2020 by LCK

Many people have had the same experience when they talk to someone about kratom in person or out loud for the first time. They find that when the person they’re speaking with says kratom, they pronounce in a way that is completely different than what they expected!

Have you ever felt awkward about how you pronounce kratom? Unsure about whether or not you are saying this unique word the right way?

It’s a common experience to have. Kratom advocates and consumers often feel self-conscious about the way that they are pronouncing the word. Since there are different opinions on what pronunciation is the right way to say kratom, it’s hard even to find out if you have it “right” or “wrong.”

What is this debate all about, and how should you pronounce kratom? Let’s talk about it!

Pronouncing Kratom: Four Methods

There are two main ways to pronounce kratom, as well as two supplemental ways that some people choose to use instead.

Long A

The first way that you will often hear Americans say kratom is with a long A sound; this will sound like KRAY-tum. This is how many will sight read the word, and that is why it is commonly seen. Many American dialects favor this type of long A pronunciation.

Short A

Another way to say kratom uses a short A sound; this will sound like KRAH-tum. Many people think that this pronunciation fits the rules of English better, and they also believe that it sounds closer to the native pronunciation of kratom.

Native Tongues

There are also people who believe that they should try to mimic the local pronunciation of kratom as it is referred to where it grows.

This means that they prefer to say something more similar to KRAH-tum or KEH-tum since ketum is a word commonly used. However, there isn’t a single way to refer to or pronounce kratom in Southeast Asia because kratom grows in a few different countries.

Even if you were to consider a single area, such as Thailand, explaining the pronunciation of a Thai word using Roman characters is not easy. While some would say that kah-tom is close to how the Thai word is said, even the “K’ sound is complicated.

Why is that?

The K-adjacent sound used in the Thai word for kratom is a guttural sound that falls somewhere between the G and the K. Explaining how to accurately pronounce this word to anyone that does not understand Thai sounds, then, is too difficult.

Science Speaks

Finally, some scientists, politicians, and advocates of kratom prefer not to use the word kratom when possible and instead use the scientific name, Mitrogyna speciosa.

While this can work in many written documents, articles, and forms, saying this long scientific phrase aloud every time you reference kratom is not going to be appealing to everyone.

The “Correct” Pronunciation

Is there a definitive answer about how kratom should be pronounced?

No. There is not, which is why the debate about which of the pronunciations discussed above should be used when talking about kratom. Within the community, most people are divided between calling it KRAY-tum or KRAH-tum. That divide is pretty evenly split, and both sides tend to feel that their own pronunciation makes the most sense.

Dictionary Says…

Some would suggest using the dictionary to decide which pronunciation is correct. Unfortunately, both KRAY-tum and KRAH-tum are listed as pronunciation options in the Oxford Dictionary, so there isn’t a final answer to be found in that source.

Locals Say…

Others say that the only way we can make the final call about pronunciation is to ask the local population where kratom grows naturally. Normally, this would be a great way to find out how a foreign word should be best and most accurately incorporated into the English language.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a single way to refer to kratom in these regions since kratom grows in a number of Southeast Asian countries. Thai uses ketum and similar words while Malay has its own words or uses kratom pronounced in the Malaysian way.

Kratom growth and cultural history are not restricted to one area or language, so relying on a single language to make the call about pronunciation isn’t possible.

Advocates Say…

The community has also suggested that we follow the example of leaders of advocacy organizations and shops on the local level as a way to standardize the pronunciation. Even within these groups and shops, however, people use both KRAY-tum and KRAH-tum, so there isn’t an answer to be found here.

So What Should I Say?

Saying kratom with either a long or short A is okay; stick with whatever is most comfortable for you. If many people in your local community tend to favor one pronunciation, it might be best to shift to their version to remain consistent when talking with your community at large.

There is no standard pronunciation at this time. Until the community decides that it is necessary to unite around one pronunciation, continue to use whichever version makes the most sense to your mouth and your brain.

Moving Forward With Kratom

If this is a debate that you have gotten caught up in, it’s probably best to move on towards other things for now. There isn’t a singular way to pronounce kratom that is more correct than others, even if some people do have strong preferences.

The fact of the matter is that at this point in time, people are going to continue to say the word kratom in different ways. That’s not a big problem, so you shouldn’t let this debate get to you. Continue to say kratom however you want, and through your influence, those around you might convert to your way of saying it as well.

Beyond that, there are other things to focus on in the kratom industry that are more worth discussion and debate. Let’s focus on moving forward with kratom and not getting caught up in the minor details!