Doses: Typical Kratom doses vary widely depending on such factors as potency and tolerance of the user. Strong Kratom has been marketed as "premium Kratom" and it is often effective at a range of 3 to 5 grams of leaf material. Some new users can notice the effects with as little as 2 grams while experienced users might feel comfortable taking up to 10 grams of potent Kratom. Weaker Kratom has been sold under such titles as extra strength and commercial grade Kratom. Less potent commercial Kratom might require doses of 20 grams to achieve effects, sometimes even more. Since Kratom potency can vary so widely, it is recommended that new users take smaller doses and work up to decrease the risk of nausea. Large amount of commercial Kratom is known for giving powerful hangovers if large doses are attempted.

Kratom is sometimes extracted and sold as well. Crude extracts can be effective at small doses such as 1 gram. Some users even claim some extract is effective at doses under a gram. Like Kratom itself, extracts can also vary widely in potency depending on methods of extracting and potency of Kratom used. Some cheaper extracts have been found to be effective around the 12 gram range.

How to use Kratom: There are many ways of consuming Kratom, but the most common method outside Asia is by boiling dried Kratom, straining, and drinking the tea. The resulting liquid can be boiled down to produce extract, which can be stored for longer periods of time. Extract can also be reboiled or consumed by swallowing. Though eaten extract takes longer to take effect, and is not as powerful, the effects can be noticed for a longer time.

In South-East Asia, Kratom is most often chewed fresh in whole leaf form. Since Kratom grows in South-East Asia, it can be picked and sold in a relatively quick time, without fear of rotting. Many claim that fresh Kratom has a much less bitter taste than dried material. Kratom in South-East Asia is often times used as a tea or extract as well.

Recreational
Though Kratom is not a well known substance outside South-East Asia; it has been sold for its narcotic effects around the world, mainly via internet vendors. By affecting the Delta opiod receptors much like opiates do, Kratom provides a calm and relaxing euphoria mirroring that of opiates. Kratom appears to affect the brain in much the same way opiates do, but yet it does not cause the retched dependence caused by regular opiate use. A tolerance is built, however, requiring more material to achieve the same effects. It is recommended that users do not use Kratom more than twice a week, so a tolerance is not built. Cross-tolerance has also been noted. This means that a user can consume Kratom and build a tolerance for both Kratom and opiates. This could pose a problem for doctors prescribing pain medication to someone after regular Kratom use.

Medicinal
Kratom has been used in South-East Asia for conditions such as diarrhea. Due to its pain killing properties, Kratom has also been used by some to treat pain. Some research has been done with regards to painkilling potential, but neither Kratom nor its alkaloids have been utilized in modern medicine. Mitragynine has less analgesic effects than morphine, but it does not cause significant dependence, making it potentially useful in treating minor to moderate pain. Generally there is a high amount of mitragynine in the Kratom plant, making it practical to extract. 7-hydrohydroxymitragynine has been shown to have much stronger analgesic effects than morphine, but it is less abundant in the Kratom plant. It might not be practical to extract this alkaloid from the Kratom plant, but if mitragynine can be converted into 7-hydrohydroxymitragynine, it might emerge as a replacement for modern opiate medication.

Opiate detox
Kratom can lessen the severity of opiate withdrawals with causing little addiction itself. This gives it a huge advantage over modern treatment methods involving such drugs as methadone. Though it is not fully known as to how Kratom eases opiate withdrawals, there are some likely reasons. Opiates tend to bind to mu and delta opiod receptors in the brain. This is the reason that opiate users experience the powerful euphoric effects. The addiction, however, is a result of the binding that occurs with the mu opiod receptors. Kratom's active alkaloids tend to bind only with the delta opiod receptors, and this binding action causes little, if any, addiction. It is possible that a small amount of binding occurs with the mu receptors, but this would be at a level to low to cause moderate addiction. Some claim that the mu binding action can increase if large amounts of mitragynine are consumed, but this is not clear.

Opiate substitute
Since Kratom affects the brain much like opiates; Kratom has been a popular opiate substitute in some parts of South-East Asia. Many opium addicts in Thailand are reported to chew Kratom leaves if opium is not available. In most cases, Kratom is just used as a substitute until more opium can be acquired, though some opiate users do combine the two drugs.

Sex enhancer
Some users claim that Kratom allows them to perform sexually for a much longer period of time than normal. For many people, Kratom reduces the sensitivity in the sexual organs, thus requiring more time to reach an orgasm. Kratom seems to have a negative effect on sexual performance though. Many report that Kratom causes temporary erectile problems.

Cancer prevention
There have been some claims that Kratom can reduce the chances of getting some forms of cancer. There is no scientific research to back these claims up. Hopefully, someday, there will be some research available on this subject.