11 Kratom Potentiators: Take It To The Next Level

In my opinion it’s perfectly okay to increase your dosage to obtain your desired results. However, once you get to the point where you’re about to double your original dose, it may be a good idea to either take a tolerance break or use a kratom potentiator, as constantly increasing your dosage can not only get costly, but also be detrimental to your long-term health. 

Fortunately, there are many natural and safe substances you can combine with kratom to produce stronger results. Kratom leaves contain alkaloids that bind to the same receptors in our brain as opioids. A faster absorption or higher concentration of these alkaloids will produce more potent results. A kratom potentiator is a substance that increases the potency of kratom’s results. They range from herbs to spices and even caffeine.

However, not all potentiators work the same. Some increase kratom’s potency by increasing the rate at which your digestive system absorbs the alkaloids, others reduce your tolerance, and some simply contain alkaloids of their own which produce similar results to kratom. 

Furthermore, not every potentiator is used exactly the same. In order to get the most out of each potentiator, you must learn how to use them correctly.

Just in case you're wondering, the answer is yes, you can combine two or more of these potentiators if you wish to do so. However, keep in mind stronger kratom results will significantly increase your chances of experiencing side effects.  

Cayenne pepper is known for increasing saliva production and improving digestion. Thus, allowing you to get the most out of your dose. It’s also known for preventing stomach infections and supporting cardiovascular health.

Thanks to its help in digestion, cayenne pepper can also be used to potentiate kratom, as the enzymes in your increased saliva helps to break down plant material and absorb more alkaloids. Cayenne pepper can be easily mixed with kratom powder via the toss and wash, just brace yourself for the extra spicy kick along with the powder’s bitterness.

Another option is to mix the cayenne pepper inside the kratom powder bag and store it that way. If you’re not a fan of the taste, you can always package your own capsule containing both cayenne pepper and kratom powder. 

You’ve probably heard of this common spice. In fact, it’s most likely in your kitchen right now.

Black pepper is one of the most common spices used for cooking, and offers a wide range of benefits, such as:

• Antioxidants
• Anti-inflammatory
• Supports brain function
• Improved sugar control
• May lower cholesterol

However, black pepper can be used for more than just cooking. It can be used to boost kratom’s many amazing results.

Black pepper contains an alkaloid called piperine, which prevents the premature metabolism of kratom alkaloids, and thus, produces stronger results. In order for black pepper to work as a potentiator, however, you must use it correctly. Like turmeric, black pepper must be taken at least one hour before using kratom.

Using black pepper along with kratom will make little to no difference. This Reddit user took ¼ tsp of black pepper an hour before taking two grams of kratom, and they experienced amazing results.

Additionally, black pepper works very well to potentiate kratom when it is combined with turmeric. 

Turmeric is another popular cooking spice that offers a myriad of benefits including:

• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti-oxidants
• Boost brain neurotrophic properties
• Delay aging

Turmeric contains a unique active compound called curcumin which is responsible for many of turmeric’s benefits, but it also helps to potentiate kratom. After you consume kratom, the acid in your stomach breaks down the plant material to facilitate the absorption of the alkaloids and prepare them for the next stage in the digestive process, the liver.

Once in the liver, an enzyme by the name of cytochrome P450 begins metabolizing the alkaloids as they are absorbed into the bloodstream. During this process, some of the alkaloids become inactive, and thus, kratom’s potency is not as potent as it could be.

Curcumin is known to inhibit cytochrome P450. Therefore, ingesting it roughly one hour before using kratom will help to slow down the metabolism of the liver, resulting in a longer lasting and more powerful kratom experience. Additionally, using kratom along with turmeric helps to decrease the chances of experiencing negative side effects. 

Caffeine is the potentiator that I use most frequently with kratom, as it tends to be the most effective, at least in my experience. If used in the form of coffee, many health benefits, such as boosted energy levels and antioxidants, can be obtained.

Interestingly enough, coffee and kratom come from the same family of plants, known as the Rubiaceae plants. Therefore, caffeine is best used when combined with white and green strains. Feel free to use any type of caffeine like energy drinks or coffee. I like to sip on my caffeinated beverage before, during, and after using kratom, as that seems to work the best for me.

However, you can also steep both kratom and coffee bean powder at the same time, then filter out the plant material. If you choose to steep both plant powders, a sweetener is highly encouraged. Since caffeine works so well to potentiate kratom, the odds of experiencing side effects will also increase, especially for those who are new to kratom. 

Magnesium is unique among its potentiating counterparts in that it works to reduce your tolerance rather than increase absorption rate.

However, in order for magnesium to be effective it must be used on a daily basis for extended periods. Therefore, you should consider using a magnesium supplement for best results. You also have to use the right type of magnesium. The most common type of magnesium sold in most stores is mostly useless, and contains citrate, which is highly laxative.

Instead, you’ll want to use Magnesium Glycinate or Magnesium L-Threonate, which are highly bioavailable and very nootropic. The latter tends to work better with white and green strains while the former is best used with red strains. You don’t have to take magnesium right before or along with kratom. So as long as you take it on a daily basis, it will work just fine.

Using it as a daily supplement can also offer additional benefits. For example, magnesium glycinate is known to help with premenstrual syndrome and promote bone health. Magnesium L-threonate can improve cognitive function.

Citrus juices, such as orange and grapefruit juice, contain a wide range of healthy nutrients like:

• Vitamin C
• Flavonoids
• Fiber

These nutrients play vital roles in the preservation of our gastrointestinal function and health. However, citrus juice offers an additional benefit, potentiating kratom. The most common type of juice used to potentiate kratom seems to be grapefruit, as its enzymes help to enhance the bioavailability of kratom alkaloids. In other words, it increases the absorption of alkaloids, resulting in more alkaloids in your bloodstream and binding to the receptors in your brain.

However, grapefruit is not the only juice that potentiates kratom. Lime, orange, and lemon juice can also offer the same boosting properties. Additionally, all of these types of citrus juices help mask the bitter taste of kratom. To effectively potentiate kratom with citrus juice via the toss and wash, use the juice as a chaser for the kratom powder.

If you’re preparing a tea, add the citrus juice to your tea during the steeping process. Some people suggest adding a slice of a citrus fruit to your tea as you’re drinking the beverage, but from my experience, that is not enough to make a difference. 

You may want to add apple cider vinegar to your kratom regimen, but only if you can tolerate its intense flavor. Consider yourself warned, this is not for the faint of heart. ACV’s bitterness is so strong it makes kratom’s bitter flavor seem like a walk through the park.

However, if you can tolerate ACV’s harsh flavor, it can be effectively used with the toss and wash or kratom tea. I have personally used ACV while preparing kratom tea. I believe I only added about a tablespoon during the steeping process, but that was enough to trigger my gag reflexes. I vowed to never use it again. Yea, it was that bad.

Apple cider vinegar helps break down plant cell walls, which means additional alkaloids are released. Thus, producing stronger results. If the toss and wash is your preferred method of ingestion, feel free to use ACV as a chaser, just remember to brace yourself for the taste.

In my opinion, ACV does not work as well with the toss and wash like it does with kratom tea. With regard to tea, ACV has more time to release kratom’s alkaloids, and the hot water also helps with the breaking down process. You may want to consider using a sweetener when preparing kratom tea, especially if ACV was used.

Additionally, frequently using ACV can offer a wide range of benefits such as managing your blood sugar and improving digestion. To learn how to make kratom tea, check out this post I wrote titled, “How To Make Kratom Tea: My 3 Favorite Recipes.”  

Chamomile is a flower that has been used for thousands of years. Today, however, it is frequently prepared as a tea to promote relaxation, peace, and sleep. Therefore, when combined with a red strain, chamomile can enhance the overall kratom experience.

Chamomile is also known to help with digestion, thus aiding in the metabolizing and absorbing of kratom’s alkaloids. To use chamomile with kratom, steep both powders together for roughly fifteen minutes, then filter out the plant material. Feel free to add citrus juice during the steeping process for an even stronger experience.This beverage is more than ideal when used before your bedtime. Avoid mixing white kratom strains with chamomile. 

Cat’s claw, also known as Uncaria tomentosa, is a vine which can grow up to 98ft and is part of the larger family of Rubiaceae plants along with coffee and kratom.

Cat’s claw has been used for thousands of years, and has been especially important to the Ashaninka people of the Peruvian rainforest, but it’s also found in the tropical regions of Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America. This herb contains powerful compounds that can improve your well-being, such as:

• Flavonoids
• Alkaloids
• Phenolic acids

The alkaloids in Cat’s claw are similar to those found in kratom. Therefore, when both plants are combined, the outcome is much more potent.

Cat’s claw can be purchased in powdered form, which means you can steep both powders at once and filter out the plant material. The result is a powerful tea. Like with chamomile, feel free to add citrus juice during the steeping process.

If teas aren’t your thing, take both powders via the toss and wash and chase it with water or citrus juice. Lastly, if time is not of the essence, mix both powders in a container and manually encapsulate them. 

Watercress is a green leaf vegetable which is rich in nutrients and helps with absorption, digestion, and supporting both the immune and cardiovascular system. Unbeknown to most, watercress contains more vitamin C than oranges and more iron than spinach.

Although it’s commonly sold in capsule form, the more ideal way to use it as a potentiator is to mix watercress salad with kratom powder. Feel free to add a dresser. Similar to curcumin, watercress is also known to inhibit the enzyme CYP450, which is responsible for metabolizing kratom’s alkaloids. 

Thus, more alkaloids make it into the bloodstream and are carried to the brain where they bind to various receptors, potentiating your kratom results.

Black seed oil, also known as black cumin seed, is a popular spice in Indian cuisine that contains multiple beneficial bioactive compounds such as antioxidants, which help reduce inflammation and improve skin and hair. The seeds, as the name implies, are black and derive from the plant known as Nigella sativa, which is native to Eastern Europe and Western Asia.

Interestingly enough, black seed oil can also potentiate kratom. It does so by inhibiting numerous CYP enzymes, specifically CYP1A2, CYP3A4, CYP2D6, which are responsible for metabolizing kratom alkaloids.

According to this Reddit user, he’s seen best results when taking two capsules of black seed oil roughly 30 minutes before using kratom, and in capsule form. He is a thirty year old man and weighs about 140 pounds. There you have it. All eleven potentiators have the ability to increase kratom’s outcome, albeit to a different degree. Fortunately, you can combine two or more potentiators for maximum results.

Thus, allowing you to use less kratom, and saving you money, especially in the long run.