Dark Elephant kratom is a special red strain known for its potential to provide strong relaxing and calming effects. It gets its name from the dark color it acquires due to the fermentation process it undergoes, and “elephant” because of its floppy leaves that resemble an elephant’s ears.
We’ll give you the full information about the Dark Elephant to help you decide if it’s something that fits your wellness needs.
Dark Elephant kratom is slightly different from the regular kratom you know due how it’s processed. It grows predominantly in Kalimantan, the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo.
It is harvested at peak maturity and undergoes fermentation, making it a potent red strain available in the marketplace. Fermentation and prolonged sun-drying may alter kratom’s alkaloid balance through natural oxidation, potentially increasing minor alkaloids like 7-hydroxymitragynine in trace amounts.
The process of making Dark Elephant starts by harvesting the leaves. If you are a kratom enthusiast, you should know that the veins are determined by their maturity. For example, white veins are the least mature, green veins are somewhat mature but not fully, and red veins are fully mature and exposed to the most sunlight. Dark Elephant falls under the last stage, with the additional step of fermentation.
Next, after harvesting, the leaves are loaded into permeable fermentation bags and left for 48 to 72 hours. Some conversions happen during this stage, whereby some amount of mitragynine is converted into 7-hydroxymitragynine.
Mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine are the two major alkaloids of kratom, but there’s a huge difference in their concentrations. Mitragynine makes up about 60%–66% of the total alkaloids, while 7-hydroxymitragynine makes up just about 1% or less.
But 7-hydroxymitragynine has tenfold higher potency than mitragynine, which means the higher the concentration of 7-hydroxymitragynine, the more potent the product is. This explains why fermented kratom is usually stronger.
After fermentation, the leaves are taken outside for direct sunlight for about an hour or more depending on the vendor. It is then ground into powder and sold in either powder or capsule form.
Since Dark Elephant kratom is red vein kratom, its effects are similar to most red veins but often in a more potent way.
Dark Elephant kratom has the potential to temporarily reduce stressful thoughts, leaving you in a peaceful state of mind needed for deep relaxation.
Many users report a settled state of well-being after using Dark Elephant. It can make you feel good temporarily.
By easing worries and stressful thoughts, Dark Elephant may help you see the bright side of life. This can boost your mental clarity and temporarily improve productivity.
Note: From most indications and user reports, the Dark Elephant strain is most suited for unwinding and providing ease. While effects may vary between users, it is typically best suited to the evening hours after their day’s work or before sleep.
To give you a feel of the effect of Dark Elephant, let’s compare it to other similar strains.
If you’ve ever taken red Maeng Da, red Bali, or red Borneo, you should know that these strains are potent for relaxation and calming effects. They are similar to Dark Elephant, but the fermentation process of Dark Elephant increases the concentration of 7-hydroxymitragynine, often making it slightly more potent.
Chocolate kratom is the closest to Dark Elephant in terms of potency because both are fermented reds closely related to the Bentuangie family. They share many similar effects such as calmness, feeling of well-being, and positivity. The only slight difference is that chocolate kratom often offers smoother relaxation while that of Dark Elephant is frequently heavier feeling.
With the number of adulterated kratom products in the marketplace, it’s easy to come across vendors giving false claims. Some may claim they are carrying Dark Elephant, whereas they are selling different products to you. To help avoid these pitfalls, we always advise kratom users to buy from vendors who are members of the American Kratom Association and part of the cGMP program.
Working with these requirements, Kats Botanical is our recommended vendor for Dark Elephant and you can buy it in either powder or capsule form.
Below are the available options for Kats Botanical’s Dark Elephant kratom powder:
The options for capsules are:
They remain one of the trusted kratom vendors with high customer satisfaction. They’ve built a good reputation over the years, so you can rest assured when you buy from them.
Dark Elephant kratom is a unique and rare strain of kratom known for its high potency. It undergoes a fermentation process that increases its amount of 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), and that’s the secret to its potency. 7-OH is more potent than mitragynine, but because of its low concentration in kratom, its effects are not well felt in regular kratom strains.
If you want something similar to Dark Elephant, your best option is chocolate kratom because both are fermented kratom and belong to the Bentuangie family. Though chocolate kratom may be smoother and Dark Elephant heavier feeling.
Always order from reputable vendors. Since we don’t currently carry Dark Elephant, our top recommendation is Kats Botanicals. You can trust their products because they are lab tested for quality and purity. Stay responsible and enjoy all the potential benefits that come with kratom.
CONTENT DISCLAIMER: The content on this page is strictly for entertainment purposes only. The content below has not been medically reviewed and is not intended to offer advice for use or intended use. For more information about kratom and its potential dangers, please visit the fda.gov site.