What is kanna and what are its effects and ideal dose?

Should you have any curiosity in our smartshop have browsed around, then you must have been cinnamon powder come across. Have no idea what this is? We’d love to tell you more about it, because this is pretty magical stuff! Thus, it is capable of both energizing and calming you. And the cool thing is: you can swallow it, smoke it, drink it and snort it! What exactly is kanna? And how best to take this?

We sell it as a powder, but the original form of kanna is a succulent. This plant, with the official name Sceletium Tortuosum, is originally found in South Africa. There it is also called kougoed and channa. In this region, locals have been using it for a while because of its various short- and long-term benefits. What do we say, “a while”; the custom goes back as far as the Stone Age. The effects of kanna they were mainly going for: fighting fatigue and hunger. Because, of course, those were awkward conditions for the hunters and gatherers of the time. Nowadays, people also use this succulent for the stress-reducing and calming effects it can have, as well as for partying. So a versatile natural drug.

What we know thanks to scientific research is that kanna can have the following effects (depending mainly on the dose):

• improve mood
• reduce stress and tension
• works as an antidepressant
• anxiety-inhibiting
• analgesic
• anti-inflammatory
• sleep enhancing
• improved cognition

Furthermore, it is full of healthy substances such as antioxidants and alkaloids (which include caffeine, nicotine and morphine). More research is currently being conducted on the potential effects and therapeutic purposes of the drug. Thus, it seems to be able to protect you from Alzheimer’s.

You can take Kanna in several ways, but the effects and dose differ quite a bit between these forms of administration. These are your options:

• chew on the leaves; if you want to do this, grow them yourself with these kanna seeds ! After a while, spit out the leaves – so you don’t swallow them.
• chewing powder with gum for flavor
• vaping or smoking
• snorting (only the powder form, of course); this works the fastest.
• as a tea; the effects then occur after at least 1 hour and last for hours.
• put under the tongue; it also works fairly quickly this way.

The ideal dose

Dosing is pretty easy, at least when you have a scale. Of the regular variety, you can put 25mg under the tongue or chew on 50mg or more. Want to sniff it? Then 50-100 mg should be enough. If you are going to draw a tea from it, 0.2-1 or more grams would produce the necessary effects. Enhance the flavor with a sweetener, sugar or agave syrup, for example.

Good to know: the more you take, the stronger the euphoric and energizing effect.

Kanna extract: adjust your dose

Want to buy kanna and try it for yourself? In our shop you will find different types of extract, which differ mainly in terms of strength. For example, we have kanna extract from 10x , 20x and 40x . As you probably understand, these increase in strength, from 10 times stronger than the normal variant to as much as 40 times stronger. If you go for one of these stronger options, adjust your dosage accordingly! These super-strong varieties are especially suitable for:

• those who like to make tea from it, since you need more powder for cinnamon tea than if you swallow or snort it.
• those who have a high tolerance and thus take larger doses than an average person.
• those who like to stock up big and thus have many portions behind them.

What are the risks and potentially harmful effects of kanna?

Very good to know before trying this: it works as an SSRI, short for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor). In layman’s terms, this means that it inhibits the reuptake of serotonin. Serotonin is the so-called happy chemical, the same thing that makes you so happy and cuddly after taking a pill or MDMA. So Kanna can have the same effects in your body and brain as these drugs. Very nice for most people, but a risk for those taking antidepressants that work on the same system. Prozac and Seroxat are examples. The painkiller tramadol also affects your serotonin levels. And of course the combo of XTC and kanna is also tricky to say the least. However, supplements such as 5HTP and tryptophan should also not be combined with this. So be careful if any of these drugs are in your blood before using this.

In addition, we do not recommend this drug if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, as it may harm your (unborn and born) child. It can also raise your blood pressure. So beware if you have a condition and/or are taking medication for it.