As kratom becomes more mainstream, many wonder if it makes sense to combine coffee and kratom for even more of an energy boost than either can deliver on its own. Yes, you can do this, but you need to be careful about each ingredient’s timing and serving size so you don’t overdo it. And there may be a better approach to optimize your energy level, focus, and well-being over the long run.
I recently wrote a blog post about what it’s like to switch out your daily coffee for kratom, but there’s more to discuss, including popular brewing methods and DIY recipes when combining the two.
Kratom and coffee are relatives
Kratom and coffee belong to the same plant family (Rubiaceae) and order (Gentianales). The order contains a wide variety of flowering plants. Kratom and coffee are distinct plants with different active compounds and uses, but both have a history of traditional use by humans for energizing effects. Both have been brewed for centuries in a steeped liquid format for human enjoyment and benefits.
Botanists may be able to identify these leaves, but most folks can’t tell the difference between these coffea robusta leaves and kratom.
Why combine kratom and coffee?
Because coffee and kratom have energizing properties, combining them may enhance that effect, potentially giving you an even more uplifting energy boost that may last longer. With kratom’s mitragynine content and coffee’s caffeine, combining the two can potentially lead to more focus. While coffee’s effects are known for peaking relatively quickly and then bringing a crash, some kratom strains may have a longer-lasting impact on your energy. So combining them may lead to a more extended period of alertness and energy.
Alternating between kratom and coffee
Some people want a second cup of coffee in the afternoon but also don’t, especially if they drink hot/drip coffee. An iced latte may be a good afternoon pick-me-up, but I know that I personally have trouble sleeping if I drink too much coffee after 2 p.m. I suggest substituting kratom for that afternoon coffee or even subbing some in for a portion of the volume of your coffee drink. Either way, you can enjoy a beverage if you’d like—there are many formats of kratom consumption, but brewing it as a tea or consuming a liquid shot are both great options.
Coffee tolerance reduction
The more coffee you drink, the more you may need to consume over time to experience the effects you used to enjoy from a single cup. Subbing kratom in for one of your daily coffees is a great idea for helping reduce your tolerance to coffee.
Exercise
I often alternate between a pre-workout supplement and coffee before an afternoon workout. Kratom continues to gain momentum in the fitness industry, with many personal experiences attesting that it helps individuals take their workouts to the next level. Some users have reported that taking kratom before a workout makes their workout more productive and gives them more energy, so they can accomplish more in a single session than usual. Many of the world’s top athletes also use kratom to help their training regimen.
Store-bought vs DIY drinks
There are some great prepackaged kratom + caffeine drinks on the market. MIT45 BOOST contains kratom and plant-based caffeine for a wonderful combined energy boost, though the caffeine source doesn’t come directly from coffee (so it won’t taste like coffee).
Alternatively, you can add some kratom to your coffee as mentioned above. Some like to add raw powder to their coffee made with naturally extracted caffeine or a little kratom extract. If you’re a more experienced kratom user—extract is usually much stronger than raw powder. The options for creating your own coffee/kratom blend are endless. Tinker with what works and tastes best for you—this is the fun part! Before you do, however, check out our kratom extract and tincture guide to get even more information!
Choose your own adventure
I love adding honey and milk to my hot coffee, or some dairy-based, lightly-sweetened creamer to my iced lattes. If you’d like to try combining kratom and coffee but aren’t keen on the bitter taste of kratom, you may want to add more sweetener than you usually would to coffee alone. I’m not a big fan of chains that treat their coffee drinks as coffee-flavored sugar milk, so I wouldn’t go overboard, but you may want a little extra sweetener because coffee and kratom can both be quite bitter.
Experimentation, trial, and error are the fun parts of mixing up my daily coffee (or two or three), and I encourage you to create your own brews to try, whether you’re sticking to coffee, trying kratom on its own, or combining them.
Conclusion
Coffee and kratom are related botanicals with great properties and benefits, and they’ve found their way into many daily routines over the centuries. As kratom continues to grow in popularity and coffee remains ever-popular, combining them might be a great way to get even more of an energy boost. Happy brewing!
References
Staff Writer. “Kratom and Coffee – the Complete Guide + Drink Combinations.” Momma Cuisine. Accessed October 2023.
“6 Ways Kratom Can Impact Your Fitness Activities.” Holy City Sinner. Published December 2022.
Staff Writer. “Kratom Is Gaining Momentum in the Fitness Industry.” Muscle & Fitness. Published October 2022.
Paul, Wade. “Learn How People Are Using Kratom as a Pre-Workout Supplement.” Kratom.org. Accessed October 2023.
Zulkhurnain Utar, et al., “Mitragynine Inhibits the COX-2 MRNA Expression and Prostaglandin E2 Production Induced by Lipopolysaccharide in RAW264.7 Macrophage Cells,” Journal of Ethnopharmacology, vol. 136, no. 1, June 2011, pp. 75–82, Accessed September 2022.
