If you have found your perfect kratom strain and invested in a large stash of products, it’s time that you consider how you’re storing the kratom. Buying a large supply of kratom products is a great idea as you’ll always have different strains in hand so you can easily diversify your daily kratom intake.
However, you need to learn the bits and bobs of storing kratom properly. Just like other botanicals, kratom requires certain conditions to preserve its freshness and potency.
Why Is Kratom Storage Important?
Kratom is derived from the leaves of the tropical tree Mitragyna Speciosa which is native to Southeast Asia. The leaves are harvested, dried, and grounded into a fine powder. Kratom is then packed as a powder or encapsulated.
Kratom is best to use within three months of the leaves’ harvesting. During these three months, the alkaloid-concentration is the highest. Kratom is a condition-sensitive supplement and over time, the quality of the plant will decay. During this period mitragynine turns into mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, causing significant differences in potency, freshness, and taste which would be the most notable pon consumption.
To prolong its shelf life and prevent it from degrading quickly, you need to learn how to store it properly.
What Impacts Kratom’s Shelf Life?
As we said, kratom’s shelf life is largely impacted by outside conditions. To learn how to properly store it, you first need to understand what to avoid
UV Light
Prolonged exposure to UV light will affect the alkaloid profile of the plant, thus weakening its effect. Light is one of the main factors for degrading kratom potency. The more UV light exposure, the weaker the effects.
Temperature Changes
Kratom is best kept in a cool place. Keeping the powder in heat will also cause the alkaloids to degrade. An even worse thing is to expose your supplement to extreme temperature changes. This will be highly detrimental to kratom.
Oxygen Exposure
Like many other organic compounds, kratom too reacts with oxygen. Oxygen exposure will cause kratom to oxidize. This process will turn mitragynine into mitragynine pseudoindoxyl which substantially decreases kratom’s potency.
Kratom Storage Do’s and Dont’s
Let’s take a look at some tips regarding kratom storage. Find out what you should and shouldn’t do when storing kratom.
DO: Keep Kratom in An Airtight Bag
As we already mentioned, oxygen is kratom’s biggest enemy. Oxygen speeds the process of oxidation, causing a change in the alkaloid composition. After a prolonged oxygen exposure, mitragynine will start to decompose and turn into mitragynine pseudoindoxil. This is an entirely different compound and while it’s not poisonous, it significantly changes the plant’s effects.
Keep your powdered kratom in an airtight bag to avoid oxygen exposure. This is especially great if you’re having a larger amount of kratom. Besides Ziplock bags, consider using mason jars, medicine bottles, or even vacuum sealing.
DO: Keep Kratom Dry
Moisture is another enemy of kratom. Not only it can affect the plant’s potency and consistency but prolonged exposure to moisture can cause the appearance of mold. Mold will ruin kratom and add damaging properties which can be hazardous when intaken. So you want to avoid even the littlest moisture exposure. Once you put your kratom in an airtight container, make sure to place it in a dry area with low humidity.
DO: Keep Kratom Away From the Sun
UV light poses danger to your kratom powder. Over time, it will decompose and lose its potency. Keep your kratom away from direct sunlight, preferably somewhere dark. Consider kitchen cabinets or drawers.
DO: Prevent Drastic Temperature Changes
Extreme temperature fluctuation can affect kratom’s potency and longevity. Make sure to avoid keeping it in the kitchen cupboards if, throughout the day, the place is exposed to temperature changes ranging from very cold to very hot. In that case, you should consider a place in the house where it’s cool and the temperature is consistent.
DON’T: Keep Your Loosely Closed
When stashing your kratom in containers double-check if they are airtight. Even the slightest exposure to oxygen poses a potential threat of contamination and oxidation. Once kratom oxidates, the plant’s potency and freshness will gradually decay.
DON’T: Keep Unsealed Kratom in the Fridge
While it’s beneficial to keep kratom in a cool and dark place, you should always keep the containers sealed. The fridge can be your place of choice to store kratom. Multiple anecdotal pieces of evidence point out that fridge will keep the kratom fresh. But, if not properly sealed, the fridge can be a moist environment that will have adverse effects on your supplement.
DON’T: Keep Kratom in a Humid Area
In line with the previous said, keeping kratom in humid areas is a no-go. People, especially those that use kratom as a beauty supplement, tend to keep it in the bathroom. This practice should absolutely be avoided (even if you keep the powder in sealed containers) as humidity will quicken the decay rate of kratom.
DON’T: Keep Kratom Exposed to Strong Odors
Storing kratom powder next to products with a strong odor isn’t advisable. Like other botanicals, kratom tends to pick up aromas from the surrounding so it’s best if you avoid keeping it near chemicals, damp places, or products like garlic.
Tips for Long-Term Kratom Storage
If you tend to keep stashes of various strains or buy kratom in batches, you need a plan for storing kratom-long term. Keep in mind that kratom is generally fresh within the first three months so you should calculate how much to buy with that in mind.
Once you figure that out, separate kratom into 2-4 days supply bags. The smaller the bags, the easier will be to keep kratom fresh. You can even divide and mix the kratom strains to your preference so you can ease the preparation. Also, you should divide kratom in the bags according to the dosage you take to further ease the preparations and maximize kratom’s freshness.
Needless to say, you need to use airtight bags. Whenever you’re doing this, make sure that there’s no air whatsoever. Once sorted, put the small bags in a dark, cool place. Consider drawers, cupboards, and even the fridge.
Storing Kratom For Daily Use
Storing kratom for daily use is simpler. You just need to make sure to keep it in an airtight container, away from humidity and direct sunlight. As we mentioned, it’s best if you leave a small portion of the kratom for daily use. You can divide your kratom to last for several days or a week. Any kratom you don’t plan to use within this period, store it away.
How to Store Kratom Tea
If you don’t want to prepare kratom tea every day, you can make it in bulk. But it’s important to store the tea properly so you can maximize its freshness and be able to consume it for several days. Prepared kratom rea is best kept in the fridge in a sealed container. It remains best-for-use within 5-7 days of preparation. After a week, kratom tea will lose its potency and it will probably have a more unpleasant aroma.
How To Check If Your Kratom Is Good
When you’re using previously-stored kratom make sure to check for signs of decay. Look for faded color, mold, and loss of its characteristic smell. These are the main indicators that kratom isn’t fresh.
Kratom Storage Best Practices
Before you buy your kratom make sure to make the best conditions. Otherwise, you might come to learn that you’ve wasted your money as your kratom will quickly lose its potency and deliver disappointing effects. Here’s the ultimate checklist so you can easily follow the best kratom storage practices.
Vacuum-Sealed Containers
To avoid any oxidation-related issues with your kratom, it’s paramount that you invest in good, vacuum-sealed containers. You can use a Ziplock bag or mason jar — whatever it’s more convenient for you.
Freeze the Kratom
Although there isn’t evidence that keeping kratom in the fridge is more beneficial than other methods, you can store the sealed bags there to increase the protection against humidity and mold. Even when kept in the freezer, the containers need to be vacuum-sealed to avoid humidity but also to protect the kratom from other aromas.
Find a Reputable Source
Not only you as a consumer but the suppliers too need to be aware of how long the kratom has been stored before use. The moment kratom is harvested is the moment when the clock starts ticking. You need to find a reputable vendor that can provide you the information about when was the plant harvested and processed so you can subtract that time from your storage timeline.
For How Long Can You Store Kratom
Properly stored kratom can be good for use for about a year. However, it’s best if you purchase smaller kratom supplies as kratom has its maximum freshness for about three months after harvesting. When you’re buying kratom for the first time, purchase small amounts and then gauge how much it will last. The next time you’re buying, you’ll have a better idea about how much kratom to buy.
Where to Buy Kratom Online
The first and most important step is to obtain high-quality kratom from a trusted vendor. When buying at JustKratom Store you can rest assured you’re getting pure, fully-natural kratom tested in third-party labs. The experienced team behind JustKratom guarantees the effectiveness, quality, and safety of kratom products.