Thoughts at the End of the Kratom Era

With the recent changes to the national attitude towards kratom, we cannot help but feel like the United States is moving in strange directions. Here at HH, we have been working to keep good connections, and to be fair, we haven't directly advocated for petitioning in the same way as other venues in the ethno community, for a very specific reason. As an entity that does reviews of kratom, as well as other products, we feel very strongly about the importance of proper education and use of these plants and materials. While, like many supplements, health benefits are often hard to prove, there is at least room for a standard level of quality, care and growing practice. Consider vitamin supplements, for example. They are not "proven" in many ways but there is enough medical evidence and study to suggest that their use can be generally beneficial to consumers when used in moderation and under proper care. However, if a person randomly decided to take certain vitamins without cause, and took them without considering or heeding dosing directive that are considered safe for general use, those vitamins on the OTC shelf can kill you just the same as anything else. We oppose the movement of the DEA to make kratom a schedule I drug, but understand the path that has lead us to this point. When you consider the fact that kratom is often used by people and written about in the community as a "legal high" despite the fact that it doesn't typically intoxicate... That it's used to replace opiates, as a replacement substances for many addictions other than opiates such as alcohol, and regulated psychiatric medications.. and has been at least a contributing factor in serious harm and death when used improperly by consumers... Much of the reason behind this situation has come from the community itself. All of these statements are documented facts; they are not excusable or arguable points. Locally, we have tried to explore local headshops for supplies and to review brands, and are almost always unable to find capsules for purchase; not because they don't carry, but because the word has spread among the halfway houses that kratom will take the edge off withdrawal, potentiate certain psychological benefits, but is not tracked through routine drug screening. This is NOT a good thing. Most local rehab facilities of this nature are housing alcohol and opiate addicts, and the problem with unregulated distribution of kratom without proper guidance of use is not only the fact that these typically low income earners are spending copious amounts of money a day (one instance I was told a gentleman was spending upwards of $100 a day to get enough kratom for the habit he'd established) but also... When you consider the fact that these addictions typically compromise the cardiac and liver functions of individuals, kratom becomes even more potentially hazardous, simply because of its potential effects regarding heart rate, blood pressure and central nervous system side effects. We have read many accounts of people taking over 15g of kratom chasing a "high" that will simply not come but then finding themselves vomiting, having heart palpitations, suffering serious dehydration, or even worse, chasing it with things like alcohol or intentionally mixing kratom with psychiatric sedation and tranquilizers, opiates, speed, and other substances. So when we say that much of the reason this has come about, is because so much of the community is abusing kratom, rather than effectively using it. When we read the blogs and protesting parties that have a problem with this restriction, it is very often not people who are speaking on behalf of say, those working for alternative pain control or treatments for chronic medical conditions. Most of the time, the words come from users that are either casually using it as a potentiator, or people who are using it to treat serious chemical addictions that really should be monitored by physicians. We are all for natural remedies.. Hell, we run an ethnobotannical review blog... and Kratom, really, has been our #1 favorite thing to explore over the last few years... but we are not all about people chasing a chemical escape and excusing that behavior simply because it is a plant. Don't get us wrong, we think the plant should be available... But we think that the community needs to be truthful about it and look at the situation like the adults that we are. The fact that kratom, in conjunction with other substances or with lifestyle situations, can contribute to DEATHS is a serious thing. Saying something like "There is always something else involved" doesn't remove the fact that kratom was involved. There is *always* something else involved or something about a circumstance that can explain why that circumstance killed or seriously harmed someone. All this being said, our support of tighter restrictions on kratom comes down to the simple fact that there was a huge boom in the market... Sub-par plants being sold and people being granted the rights to re-brand the product when they bought it wholesale. Producers refusing to cite their source growers. Huge disparities in the pricing of the market. One of our common questions would be, is this source safe for me to buy from? What do you think of this website? There have been a ton of people trying to cash in on the pain and suffering of the population... Even to the point where we ourselves were asked for a positive review of a product, that ultimately made our reviewer sick for *two months* because of the terrible quality. All of these things are made even more evident by the flat out liquidation sales going on, extreme discounts being made available, shops closing down and giving away product because you know what? Whoever is holding when the doors close, those are the people that will lose out. So anyway... regardless of the decision... we will continue to support and review alternative methods to relax and enjoy ourselves, as well as pain treatment. We will never lie about why we do these things though. Some things we try for recreational reasons, some for medical reasons, and some recreational things turn out to be medically beneficial. We sincerely hope that the reason behind this restrictiveness is because of the very real and potential danger of abuse that comes with substances that act upon opiate receptors. Believe me, I'm not happy about it. As a chronic pain sufferer who thought kratom, even with its expensive price tag, was a Godsend for my fibromyalgia symptoms, it's hard for for me to accept that the freedom of availability is diminished. Unlike many others that can respond to Rx medications but prefer to not take them, I do not respond to traditional treatments and have been released from care due to modern medicine's inability to treat the severity of my symptoms... and kratom helped me function on some pretty difficult days, even if it didn't alleviate all of my pain. But I do believe that we have to work within the system, rather than scream like a spoiled brat that has been told they can't have what they want... So we just have to fight for it with legitimate cause. And maybe this fight will finally weed out the predatory producers that rack up thousands of dollars in sub-par products, so that when we do put our money down, we can be assured we're getting what we actually paid for... Yeah? We sure hope so.

Edit:

Since the posting of this entry, it's come to public light that the DEA has decided to stall their "emergency ban" on kratom, which has made many of us very hopeful. They have stated, the ban is still coming, but the statements that have been released on multiple news outlets seem to imply a hesitation at this time... We'll have to see how long it goes. I'm still not surprised that we've gotten so close, considering its relation to addictions, opiates, and its residence in headshops across the country... and I sincerely hope that this helps kratom users everywhere regain a sense of responsibility.

I know that as has been stated by so many, kratom users are primarily comprised of those using it for addiction treatment and non-pharma pain treatment, but I hope this has been a wake-up-call for those that may be using it for relaxation and fun, who don't think too carefully before they post... Some of us really do rely on the availability of this herb. Be safe, friends!

Review: Island Lion Herbals

Hello friends!

It's been a little while. We here at Herbal Headventures have been debating for several months how to go about this review, because it's the first time we felt compelled as a team to report a negative experience. The question becomes, how do you do this communication with tact and professionalism? We're hoping this will do the trick.

Several months ago, we were contacted via Twitter by Island Lion Herbals, an online company that markets kratom and a lesser known herbal "supplement." The online store presents a limited inventory with enticingly low prices (~$10/oz. of kratom) and an affiliate marketing program that offers 10% commission on purchases through an affiliate link.

Now, we here at Herbal Headventures are open to trying new companies and products, and when offered samples for the testing, we were down for it. Generally speaking, we keep comprehensive research into the companies for when we are writing the review, so we admittedly had not spent a lot of time reviewing the credentials of this company prior to accepting a shipment. Therefore, we simply discussed the arrival of product to our doorstep via private messages.

After a couple days, we were asked if we had received the product. We had not. Usually, we get these shipments rather quickly, so for the sake of safety, we asked for the shipping tracking number. This was where the first questionable event occurred.
Due to either an inappropriate shipping procedure, or perhaps an oversight on the part of the company, the product we were sent was not sent in secure packaging, nor was it labeled for tracking purposes. We found this kind of odd, as a professional company shipping "not for human consumption" edibles would surely have, at very least, padded envelopes and a shipping label printer for the USPS. Instead, ILH opted to send unsecured packets of kratom in a standard business envelope with a couple stamps on it.

Since it was shipped in this manner, it was the first time ever that any of us have received a letter that was mangled by the USPS mail sorting machines. We received the product about a week and a half after the anticipated arrival, in a plastic bag from the USPS, and the envelop was ripped to pieces. Theoretically, this occurred due to the fact that the envelop was uneven and fatter on one side, due to placing the packets in there. A padded envelope would surely have prevented this occurrence.

Upton inspection, the packets seemed to be well-secured and reasonably sealed, and the product appeared to be devoid of tampering.
The packets themselves were rather difficult to open, both because of the material they were made of, but also because they were rather dusty and the product was easily caught up in parts of the packet itself. Master Flash had some reservations about the quality of the product based on the experience thus far, but being the guinea pig, she prepared and parachuted the kratom with our new favorite method, wrapping portions of the dose in fruit roll-ups.

All was well at first. Master Flash opted to try the Red Vein Borneo 5g that was sent to us. It began to kick in and the experience was kratom-expected, with relaxation and a decent chill factor. That is, until she got sick.

Now, for the record, we have tried numerous strains and suppliers of kratom. During the course of our trials, we have experienced mild vertigo and nausea that was easily remedied by drinking extra water; potent strains have a tendency of requiring more water, after all. However, this was different. The Red Vein Borneo kratom caused an intense level of nausea, vomiting, and reactionary muscle spasms, that led to the triggering of a major fibromyalgia pain episode that lasted for weeks.

In short, Island Lion Herbals wins the first place award for being the first company to ever successfully make our reviewer thoroughly, physically ill.

After receiving the product, ILH has not attempted any further interaction or follow up on the product review, nor have they seemed particularly interested in interfacing with our team, even after we announced that a recent sample caused some serious physical illness.

So, at this point we will say this... For this company, we would say it is buy at your own risk. The pricing is almost suspiciously low, especially considering the product and the offering of an affiliate program. In fact, we suspect that it's far more about an affiliate marketing platform than it is pure products and assistance. The pricing, low normally, is actually *discounted* right now, across the board. We see this a lot from companies that are more focused on profits than quality products and transparency.
Regarding the packaging, it's hard to know what the actual customer experience would be, because of the choices made for shipping.
The company does not offer capsule machines, nor do they have capsule options. It's powder or nothing, and we always have a bit of an issue with that.
There is also nowhere on their site where you can learn about their source growers, their importing practices (if they have any), who quality checks their product, or any of the people that work for the company. The best you can get is that they are located in New York, NY, which suggests that they are not the original growers of the plants they sell... So the question becomes, who are you getting this from, and how did you choose that person over someone else?

Lastly, when attempting to find more information about this company, utilizing WhoIs Lookup for their website domain, we find that they opted to pay for protected registration. For a registered, trademarked company, we find this suspect. If we are not able to call, email or contact anyone directly, we will not do business with a company.

All this being said, we have another packet of supposed kratom that was sent to us, that we will NOT be using.

We do not recommend that any reader or potential kratom user do business with Island Lion Herbals at this time. Do so at your own risk.

We regretfully share this information, simply because we prefer to discuss successes over failures... But whatever the reason may be, the product from this company instigated illness rather than relief, and we felt it best to share our experiences.

P.S. Funny enough, the company has "custom" strain combinations, but didn't send ANY of those custom offerings for review. We always ask for companies to send their signature strain or blend, and IHL opted to send us run of the mill strains (by name) that ultimately under-performed compared to every kratom experience we've had to date.

Herbals: BonaFide Kratom and Their Red Vein Thai Kratom Caps

Hello Friends!

We're back, and we're ready to share our new experiences. Over the last couple of weeks, we here at HH have made some new friends and have come to the point of reviewing the products provided. One of the awesome things we've been witnessing is the increase of availability regarding options for kratom and other ethno-products, vapes and more... So our goal is to try to and keep up, so to provide current and new customers with good information and quality reviews.

First up is a product from BonaFide Kratom.

The year they established is unknown to HH, but they are new to our circles of retailers. That being said, we're happy to say that the company has a rather engaged social media team, providing content and responses in a timely manner, and not balking at inquisitions.
It should be noted that while the company reports to import the product throughout their website, they do not specify the region of origin any closer than "Southeast Asia." As many of us know, kratom originated in this part of the world, but is both imported and locally grown. For the kratom aficionado, it may be frustrating to have this lack of specificity. Personally, we don't find this an automatic reason to avoid products, so much as a reason to either inquire about the region of origin (meaning even moreso than simply "Thailand"... What part of Thailand?) or to anticipate possible variation until experience says otherwise.

When looking through the website, comparing the pricing to other retailers and distributors currently on the market, BonaFide Kratom carries comparable-sized products at about the standard market price, if not under. They are a smidge cheaper for some strains, but not enough to indicate that they are lower quality... Our guess is that they operate with lower overhead, or are still working on their customer base. If these prices stay, and all strains hold up, they just might win us over!
Another big plus in our book is that you checkout through Amazon Payments, rather than a 3rd party unknown credit card company or PayPal. We like working with Amazon Payments for a variety of reasons, and seeing companies utilizing the pay services offered by Amazon as opposed to other options is great. BFK also appears to support payment via BitCoin for those individuals that have taken the time to go that route.

One of the downsides with BFK is that they do not clearly offer capsule options, and do not have capsule machines available for purchase. This means that if you want to try their kratom, you have to be prepared for powder. If you like making teas and smoothies with kratom, this is no issue, but for those of us that prefer to just eat the kratom, it can be very hard to eat a full and accurate dose of kratom when getting powder. Granted, buying capsule form is typically a little more expensive *but* the convenience is nice. It should be noted that we did receive a packet that had capsules, so the company may actually have this option, but it is not clearly designated for order on the site and may not be a regular offering.

We originally contacted them to ask which of their strain offerings they would consider the "flagship" of their company (that is, the strain or product that they felt sets them above the other options currently on the market). They suggested Red Vein Thai, so we thought, what better way to start things?
Along with our delivery of Red Vein Thai, we got a powder sampler pack. This sampler pack provides an ample sample of each strain they offer so that new customers can try before they buy a large order. This sample pack is an exceptional value price-wise, and provides a generous amount of kratom on the whole, particularly in comparison to other companies providing samplers.

Anyway, Red Vein Thai is the company's best seller, as well as their "flagship" strain. Our sample size was 3.5g, or a total of 7 .55g capsules. Now, for those that follow us, you may recognize that this is less than our typical dosing with Master Flash at the helm, but we are only able to utilize what we have on hand, right?
Inspection of the product before use was encouraging. The caps appear to be manufactured with care and using quality components. There is very little dust, and they were safely packed and shipped in a cushioned envelop as well. This level of care does come with a vote of confidence for the pride the company takes in providing quality options.

Even though the dosing with these caps was lower than the typical Master Flash dosage, she went on to toss the caps back and wait.
After about fifteen minutes, it became apparent that the caps had started to break down. A slight belch brought the unmistakable sense of kratom, and almost caused the product to kick up. Despite the suggestion to take on an empty stomach, the Flash opted to have a small snack and a lot of water to help move the kratom down into the belly.
In about 30-40 minutes, a certain sense of relaxation started to creep in. Not a significant, sedated relaxation, but more of a soothed muscle type of relaxation. There was a flowing sensation of mild pain relief and tranquility, and honestly, with the dosing, we thought that's where it would stay. We were wrong.

It took a little while longer than expected, but with patience, a more profound sense of pain relief and calm began to permeate the body. Back pain eased, and a sense of energy was to be had despite the chill out factor. Opting to engage in mild physical activity, it was noted that there was a distinct lack of muscle ache and fatigue, supporting the idea that this strain could provide reasonable relief of nerve pain issues that would otherwise discourage an individual from being active. A big bonus. ***Please note that kratom requires an increase of hydration, and adding physical activity may not be recommended for individuals prone to dehydration. Always drink ample water while partaking of kratom therapy***

After approximately 3 hours since the onset of effect, the benefits were still active and engaged in the system. Body pain and tension was significantly reduced, and a general improved sense of well-being successfully and significantly present. The sensation of warmth was not profound, but was present, as is common with many stronger strains, thus increasing the desire for water. No body temperature was taken however, as the increase seemed rather minimal.

When Master Flash eventually made it to bed, relaxation into the bed was quick, and sleep was easy.

When the effects had worn off approximately 6-7 hours after onset, a fairly noticeable headache settled in. This is not uncommon for kratom use, especially higher/complex alkaloid combinations, so it was not alarming or disappointing per se. We suspect that this strain may induce more dehydration than others we have tried, as water seemed to alleviate at least some of this headache. Even after acute effects dissipated, a lingering headache persisted, but so did a dulling of body pain and nerve damage discomfort, which is a rather pleasant surprise.

Overall, we conclude that this was a relative success regarding potency, experience and quality. A huge plus when starting off with a new company, for sure! We can absolutely understand why this kratom is a top seller for the peeps at BonaFide Kratom. Due to the potency of the 3.5g dose, we recommend that this strain be taken by individuals who are already familiar with kratom and how it may affect them in general, and who have taken some of the milder strains. We will be reviewing some of BFK's milder options in later postings.

Pros:
Potent at standard dose
Clean, neat packaging
Effective pain relief and nerve calming
May be effective to treat anxiety/induce relaxation
Did not cause drowsiness, but seems to improve sleep

Cons:
Region of origin relatively unclear
Dehydration seems more significant
Rebound headache

We're going to give this strain a rather solid 8 out of 10 nods. At this time, we would encourage readers to check out the availability from BonaFide Kratom to see if the options are right for you, as well as check them out on Twitter @bonafidekratom 

You can follow Herbal Headventures on Facebook or on Twitter @QuasitaLynn
Have a product you'd like us to review before you buy? Let us know in the comments, or by sending us a message, and we'll do our best to make it happen!

Coming Back to the Light

Hello to all our readers!

It has been a while, and for this we apologize. We're back, and ready to share more fantastic ethno-knowledge with you all. In case you are wondering, we figured we'd provide a bit of an explanation for the hiatus.

As some of you may know, our head writer, the Master Flash, suffered a catastrophic illness during the latter half of 2013. It had been a long and arduous year, and she found herself facing mortality straight on almost exactly a year ago. We decided to pool our focus and our time on making sure that she came through her hospitalizations and subsequent surgeries as healthy and happy as possible... Which meant that contacting new suppliers, obtaining samples and writing reviews all took a major backseat.

We're happy to say that the Flash has made a full recovery, and then some! The only recovery left now is the financial recovery, as long hospitalizations and life-saving surgeries do not come cheap when you do not have insurance to cover you.

Right now, we're looking at getting our feet back on the ground, to make some new connections in the ethno-world and bring you more detailed reviews of products you are considering. We will review suppliers as well as products, so if you have any place that you are considering purchasing from but would like our input on, just let us know!

You can follow our reviews, updates and more by following Master Flash on Twitter, under the handle @QuasitaLynn.

If you are interested in donating to support the financial recovery and receiving updates regarding the progress of this effort, please visit: http://www.gofundme.com/dkeoz4
We're just sharing the information, there is no pressure. If you choose to help, share or otherwise support, it is most appreciated!

Here's to a new era of ethno-goodness! Headventures await :)
HH

Herbals: Extreme Thai Kratom

Hello friends!

Yes, another review this weekend. Our friends at Best Kratom USA graced us with several products, and we have chosen to spend this weekend enjoying them and letting you know how they handle.

Today's review is of Extreme Thai Kratom, a new product from BKU. Hopefully a successful addition to the growing selection offered by this provider... and a possible alternative to other Kratoms that are provided, since different types and strains affect different people... differently!

Anyway, we were provided with only 2g of product, so just one person could try it. I had my reservations as to whether it would even be enough to notice any effects. Usually, I take 4-7g of product, because my focus is mostly on pain relief and getting a bit of a heady experience out of the deal, so 2g seemed like a minor dose. However, I went forward with the experience because I figured it would be good to learn if such a small dose would help with general anxiety, energy boosts, and taking the edge off of pain.

For such a small dose, it still took a good 40 minutes to kick in. I'm learning that this just might be the standard for these plant powders. Makes some sense, since you still have to break down the plant components to get to the good stuff inside. Can't really complain though, because when a product works, it works. This one did.
The effects of this Thai variety seemed to be subtle, yet enduring. Over the course of several hours, I felt various effects. At first, it was just a general muscle relaxation and mood enhancement, which was pleasant and enjoyable. It slowly began to work on my body pain after that. It did not wipe it out completely, but its effects on the pain plus the mood enhancement made it so that by this point, I didn't care much that I was still sore.
A little while longer, and I felt particularly limber and energized. I found myself working on a project that I have had a hard time motivating myself to concentrate on with decent ease. Stretching was gratifying, and my legs felt loose and like I could go for a run if I wanted to. All these feelings were very welcome and easily enjoyed, and I would suspect most people would embrace them much like I did.
After several hours, I felt the body temperature rise that I'm used to feeling with most Kratom strains. It was not as intense or hot as I have experienced in the past, so it was not entirely unpleasant. I did feel the effects of not drinking enough water though, and struggled to balance between enjoyment and a headache. I had forgotten one of the cardinal rules of using Kratom. DRINK LOTS OF WATER!
Overall, it was a good experience.

One downside that I have found after this weekend is that I had a backlash type of response from my muscles. After all the effects have worn off, I find myself with worse tension and pain in my shoulder than I did when I started. It could be unrelated, but I would think that if you're going to take this for the relaxation and pain relief properties, you would want to have more than just one or two doses on hand. I know I wish I did!

Anyway, I enjoyed this kratom, and was impressed at its performance with only 2g. I will give it 7.5 out of 10 nods.

Pros:
Gently increasing, solid effects
Sense of well-being and flexibility
Easily enjoyed
Small amount needed to enjoy

Cons:
Strain of plant is unknown

Visit Best Kratom USA for this product and more at www.bestkratomusa.com and let them know you read this review!

Interact with the writers of this blog at www.facebook.com/herbalheadventures

Herbals: Kava and Golden Reserve Kratom

Hello friends!

It's been a while again, and we are so happy that you are still here with us to share in our experiences.

Today we are reviewing another set of products from our friends at Best Kratom USA. This time around, they have supplied us, generously, with several samples of products. They have recently added to their product line and are continuing to work on expanding their availability and operations while striving to provide good prices and great deals for their loyal customers. We are happy to be in contact with them.

After some quick conversations, they dropped these samples in the mail and they got to us quickly. They have confirmed that they find shipping to be a priority for their customers, and we're here to say that our experiences support this fact.

Anyway, on to the products. First up, Kava and Golden Reserve Kratom. Downside? I cannot tell you what strains their products are, which is something that I struggle with. However, this doesn't mean that one cannot enjoy the product.
After some consideration, I started off with the Kava leaf. Known to be a milder supplement, Kava is a relaxation enhancer. Since it has a milder effect, I started with it on an empty stomach and with no other substances active in my system. To be honest, I didn't have many expectations... I didn't even really think I would notice any effect, because I only had 2g of herb to work with. As you may know from previous posts, I'm a bigger person, and often need larger doses. However, the hope was that the Kava would have at least a mild calming effect. The point was to take the edge off the work week and start a good relaxation for the evening.
After about 20 minutes, I re-evaluated the way that I felt. The biggest difference with this product over others, such as Kratom, is that it does not have a significant impact. That is, there is no real moment where you notice the "profound" effects. Rather, it is a gentler, smoother transition to an enhanced tranquility. It does not erase all anxiety or pain, but it does take the edge off. I would say that the supplement would probably do well for people with lower tolerances or those that need a little help relaxing for bedtime. This would not be my first choice for a regular anxiety supplement or recreational relaxation.
One thing that is very common with Kava is that it is often combined with other leafs and plant parts in products, most likely because it does provide this gentle relaxation. The state it creates paves a way for the better enjoyment of other items.
It is this enhancement that led me to add Golden Reserve Kratom.
The strain of Kratom in this product is not known at this time, so it could be a blend or a pure strain. What I can say is that it was an effective and enjoyable Kratom experience. After sitting on the Kava experience for about an hour and a half, I took 2g of Golden Reserve. After about 40 minutes, I felt the Kratom kicking in, and pleasantly so. The combination of the two products definitely seemed to be a good combination, and made it so that the smaller dosage of Kratom worked quite well for me.
This Golden Reserve did a decent job relaxing me and resolving the majority of my chronic pain. It did not give me the expected increase to my body temperature, nor did it mess with my ability to keep my thoughts focused, which are both things that can happen when taking Kratom.

Overall, I would say that this was a good experience. I would recommend trying Kava and seeing how it works for you. Since it is a cheaper supplement, it could be a better alternative for people looking for help with relaxation and aren't looking for a heady experience. Golden Reserve from Best Kratom USA is a decent product, and pairs very well with Kava. I suspect that it would also pair well with other Kratom products and other relaxation products. I would guess that if one were to combine this with Couchlock, it would be one fantastically "melty" evening.

I give this experience 7 out of 10 nods. A solid performance.

Pros:
Quick release and noticeable relaxation
Timely delivery from supplier
Pain relief
Anxiety calming

Cons:
Kava may be a little too mild for experienced users
Strains of plants are not known.

You can purchase these products and more by visiting Best Kratom USA at www.bestkratomusa.com
Let them know you read this review!
You can also connect with with both our writers and BKU on Facebook.
www.facebook.com/herbalheadventures

Herbals: Extreme UEI Kratom Capsules and Extreme Platinum Liquid Full Spectrum Kratom (Indo Bali)

Hello Friends!

It's been a while since we have had a review, and for that we apologize! As some of you may know, our main supplier of well priced and high quality products was unjustly raided at the end of June, and that paired with our limited funds has made it difficult to obtain product for review.

So, you may wonder, how have we come to have something to review now? Well, our new friends at BestKratom USA have generously provided us with free samples. As a new to the online market provider, they are currently trying to generate relationships with customers by providing samples on occasion, so that potential customers can try before they buy. It seemed a great time to try product from a new provider. Since this is a retail operation, I'm not 100% sure as to where they are getting the product. That is, I am not sure as to whether they are getting it through a wholesaler, or raising the product and deriving the tinctures themselves, but the important part is to know the quality and efficacy.

At first glance, the sample package looked like any other piece of mail, which in itself was nice. Sometimes it is nice to know that there are real people working to give you real products. I was a little skeptical because the sample was not large. I was pleasantly surprised to find a tincture as well as pills though. Seeing as I've never tried a tincture of Kratom, I was instantly looking forward to seeing how well it worked in comparison to pills.

This free sample included 4 .5g pills and one vial with approximately the same amount of liquid kratom (that is, the equivalent of 4/.5g pills). Based on my previous experience with Kratom, I decided to take all of the provided sample. Starting off with the pills, I took all 4 on a pretty full stomach. Since there has been a chunk of time since the last time I had enjoyed Kratom, it seemed to start kicking a little within 30 minutes. I had taken a couple droppers worth of liquid by this time, because I was pretty sure that it was not going to be enough on just the pills alone.

During the time that I was processing and digesting the Kratom into my system, I was in direct contact with the moderator of the Facebook page of BestKratom USA. I find this pretty cool, that they are willing to have direct conversations with consumers and answer questions. There was some difficulty in actually getting the information but after a few tries, I got the information I was looking for. What was I looking for? I was wondering what the actual strain of Kratom was. It was finally established that this product was Indonesian Bali. I have not tried an enhanced Indo blend before, so I was even more looking forward to the experience.

After about 40 minutes, a noticeable relaxation effect was established. Using a specific spot in my back for pain management impact, I began flexing and moving my muscles to gauge the effect. My pain levels have been pretty escalated over the last couple of days, so I was really hoping for a good amount of relief, if not complete relief.
While the owner insisted that only one pill was needed for a successful dose, I will say that one should continue to dose as personally needed. As is pretty well established in the Kratom industry, 2g is considered the active dosage level. This is why I started with all 4 pills instead of taking just one, and by my experience, these pills are not much more potent than others that I have tried. There's no doubt in my mind that a .5g dose of this product would not have had much, if any, positive effect. That's not to say that it's a crappy product. It's more to say that it's completely adequate, and one should have discretion when dosing in order to have a positive experience.
I added the tincture because while the 2g worth of pills I took were having a calming effect, they were having little to no effect on the pain points in my body. At most, this amount was maybe soothing the outer edge of some of the sharper pains. This, I will say, is a good thing, as most Kratom (for me) needs significantly more product in order to really touch my body pain.
The addition of the tincture was a huge plus though. The flavor was a very strong grape-like flavor, rather tart and definitely in need of dilution. This was easily accomplished with water and soda, so I would not be concerned over the flavor impact. When the liquid made contact with my tongue, it did numb it, much like the gel used by a dentist prior to a novacaine shot, so that was a bit pleasant, and showed me that it had some concentrated numbing properties. I imbibed the entirety of the vial provided, and settled in to monitor the effects as they came.

I am happy to say that this product did pretty well. After about an hour and a half, the full effect had settled in. While I still had a modicum of body discomfort, the main pain point that I was gauging by was significantly relieved. Compared to other strains, this was definitely a bonus, as it took 2-3g less than what I generally take to achieve this effect.
My mood was noticeably elevated, and my body felt pretty good. I was able to stretch, twist, and was almost annoyingly bouncing around a bit. Ultimately, I have decided that this was definitely a decent product, and worth the experience.
After a while, the typical body heat increase happened, so I felt warm for a while. This is usually a good thing for me because it makes my body relax even more.

The only particular downside to this product, as far as I have seen, is the price. Compared to other suppliers of infused Indo, it does seem a little expensive. I'm not sure if my experience warrants the price of $5 a pill. Granted, it is cheaper as you increase the amount you purchase, and this supplier does provide the option of buying in bulk to their regular customers (up to a kilo), so for people who want to buy in bulk, it could be a good option. The other bonus of purchasing from this supplier is that they are freely offering customers to buy in bulk and then create their own "brand" so they can sell under the name of their choosing, instead of being a distributor of their brand. So, one can take from it what they will when making a decision to buy. Personally, I would not be able to buy from them at an amount that would make it financially beneficial at this time, so I cannot definitively say that I would choose them for purchasing.

It has been several hours since I took the product, and I'm still feeling the beneficial effects. Pain relief, anxiety relief, and general relaxation are all still pretty well established, and I expect to get a good night of sleep once I finally go to bed.

All in all, I would rate this as a positive experience, and if given the opportunity to experience more of their product, I would be happy to do so. Again, I encourage those reading this to investigate their options, possibly obtain a free sample, and decide for yourself if the cost is reasonable. You can connect with this supplier by contacting them on Facebook here http://www.facebook.com/best.kratom?fref=ts or visit their website at http://bestkratomusa.com/.

If you choose to purchase from them, please be sure to let us know about your experiences!

Overall, I give this product 8 out of 10 nods

Pros:
Effective anxiety and pain relief
Easy to swallow/taste is manageable
Long lasting
Personalized experience with supplier

Cons:
Price
Not necessarily more intense or potent than other suppliers
Origins of products are not clearly stated