Kratom is more widely available than ever before. Depending on where you live, you can find kratom products in your local nutrition shop or your corner smoke shop. You can even order kratom online.
Wherever you’re getting your kratom, it’s vital to make sure you’re getting the freshest, safest, and most effective product. To get the most out of your kratom experience, it’s important to know how long you can keep kratom on your shelf.
Read on below to learn about kratom shelf life, how to keep your kratom fresh, and what you can expect from kratom past its sell-by date.
How Long Does Kratom Last?
Kratom does not last forever. Depending upon the type of kratom product, it can start to degrade after just a few months or last upwards of a year.
Technically, the alkaloids in kratom that give it its positive effects start to degrade from the moment the leaves are plucked. However, you can still get a proper kratom experience so long as too much time has not passed and the kratom has not been exposed to too much moisture.
In general, if stored properly, kratom products are good for the following time periods:
- Raw kratom leaves typically stay fresh for 1-3 months.
- Kratom powder kept in an air-tight environment stays fresh for 3-6 months.
- Kratom pills can stay fresh for around 1 year.
The specific shelf life of your kratom may vary. Check the expiration date on your kratom package to ensure you have the most accurate data on kratom products before you buy and before you dose.
Kratom Gets Less Potent, But Typically Not Dangerous
Fresh kratom is essential to get the most out of your kratom experience. It’s best to take your kratom before it expires because, after expiration, it will likely lose its potency.
Once it passes the sell-by date, kratom may become dry, clumpy, and mild. Expired kratom will turn pale, lose its taste, and lose its aroma.
Assuming your kratom has not been adulterated by unsafe additives, however, there is no documented health risk directly connected to expired kratom. Kratom is not like fruit or milk, which rots and becomes unsafe to eat. So long as your kratom has not been contaminated, once it expires, it simply loses its effectiveness.
The most significant risk tied to expired kratom is the possibility of bacterial development. If kratom is improperly sealed or improperly stored, especially if it is left in a moist or humid environment, it can develop mold. Consuming mold is never a wise idea.
Ways to Keep Your Kratom Fresh
The key to keeping your kratom fresh and potent is proper storage. Kratom loses its freshness because of exposure to adverse environmental conditions.
Kratom will expire much sooner if it is exposed directly to sunlight, if it’s exposed to water or condensation or if it’s left out in the open and exposed to oxygen for a prolonged period of time.
How you store your kratom and how you treat the kratom once you open it for use will directly affect how long you can expect your kratom to last.
To extend kratom shelf life, follow these tips:
- Buy fresh, high-quality kratom. If you buy an old product, you are already losing several months of potency. Check the expiration date, and make sure you trust your kratom provider. Consumer reviews are a great way to see if a company consistently sells high-quality, fresh products.
- Avoid contaminants. Additives and other contaminants can affect the freshness of the kratom and create other health risks. It’s important to buy pure, unadulterated kratom products. We recommend buying kratom that satisfies the American Kratom Association’s standards for Good Manufacturing Practices.
- Get the right type of kratom. As we discussed above, different types of kratom have a different shelf life. You may prefer raw leaves, but they do expire more quickly.
- Watch out for other ingredients. Some people prefer to buy kratom products mixed with other ingredients, such as kratom gummies. The added ingredients (such as fruit extract) may expire before the actual kratom, making the whole product unsafe for consumption.
- Make sure the packaging is secure. Manufacturing and storage are key to long-lasting, high-quality kratom. Make sure you’re buying kratom that is packaged and sealed for longevity and freshness. Do not break the seal of the original packaging until you’re ready to use the product.
- Use proper storage equipment. Often, the original packaging is the best place for storage. However, you can utilize your own airtight containers or vacuum-sealed bags for maximum preservation.
- Store your kratom in a cool, dry place, away from sunlight. Proper storage conditions will keep your kratom effective for much longer. Exposure to sunlight, moisture, or oxygen will date your kratom much more quickly. If you live in a humid environment, keep your kratom in the coolest room in the house.
- Use dry serving utensils. While it’s great to use freshly washed spoons and measuring tools, make sure they are fully dry before you stick them in your kratom bottle or bag. Even just a few droplets of water can affect the longevity of the entire batch.
- Don’t freeze. Unlike many food products, freezing kratom is not the optimal method for preservation. Freezing kratom is more likely to introduce moisture to the product, which can ruin the product.
- Don’t overbuy. It can be tempting to buy in bulk, but kratom does expire over time. Don’t buy more kratom than you intend to use over the next year.
Get the Freshest Kratom from the Mitra Bros
Preserving kratom shelf life is an art, not a science. As long as you’re mindful about where and how you store your kratom and you’re buying the highest-quality kratom products, you should be able to enjoy your kratom well before expiration. To pick up some fresh, high-quality, and potent kratom products, check out Mitra Bros’ online shop.
