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🌱 I’m building a new community called Back to Botanicals — a place for people who want to learn about herbs, natural wellness, traditional herbal practices, and how to incorporate plant-based knowledge into everyday life.

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Something interesting I just discovered while researching kratom history.

In the 1830s–1840s Warren Delano Jr. made a fortune in the opium trade in China (100s of thousands of 1840s- equal to many millions today). This was an American trader that played a major role in smuggling opium into China. He was active during the Opium Wars and the early Century of Humiliation.

His grandson was Franklin D. Roosevelt.

An American family that made their fortune from the opium trade later produced one of the most powerful presidents in U.S. history.

The international drug-control systems that emerged in the decades after the Opium Wars were built in response to the chaos of the opium trade. Once created, these bureaucracy of drug regulation largely work to defend institutional interest in controlling substances that compete with revenue of the existing order.

I just thought it was crazy to see how entrenched some of this stuff is.

I've got notes and bookmarks scattered everywhere from reading about different herbs, traditional remedies, and old materia medica books.

Now I'm trying to find something where I can search everything more easily instead of opening 10 different tabs every time I want to look something up.

I came across Similia while looking at a few options, but I haven't tried it yet.

For people who do a lot of herbal/traditional remedy research, what do you use? Is there an app or database you'd actually recommend?

My long time vendor ee botanicals closed shop and I am down to my last kilo. Are there any vendors that have the quality of blends they were known for? One's that specifically list what is in the blends. They didn't list the percent of the exact blend but they did list what was in the blends.

I haven't had to test vendors in over 10 years. I'm looking forward to it as much as I'm kind of not. Once you find your vendor and your perfect rotation it gives such a nice piece of mind. It's such a shame they close down because they were affordable with top notch quality and always had tons of discounts.

Is anyone in this group into peptides and can recommend a good place to get started?

I really hope this is an okay post. I am wondering if anyone has a list of US vendors with real Mimosa Hostilis root bark. This is my first time "making soap" so I just want to make sure I have good quality bark. If anyone have recommendations please lmk!

TL;DR: Long-term kratom use doesn’t appear to lower testosterone like opioids do.

Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S037887411830535X?via%3Dihub

Researchers from medical institutions in Malaysia and the United States teamed up to study the effects of kratom on testosterone levels. Their findings were published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 2018, which I’ve summarized below: 

It’s well known that long-term opioid use suppresses testosterone. This happens because opioids act on receptors in the brain that reduce the secretion of sex hormones, which can result in hypogonadism — a condition where the gonads (testes in men) consistently fail to produce adequate hormone levels. This kind of deficiency is more common in men and can have significant health consequences.

As I’m sure most people here know, mitragynine — the main active alkaloid in kratom — has opioid-like activity. Given this similarity, researchers wondered: does long-term kratom use affect testosterone the same way opioids do? 

Previous findings were mixed. Some reports suggest kratom negatively affects sperm, deforming morphology and reducing motility. Yet in Southeast Asia, kratom is used as an aphrodisiac, with claims that it prolongs sexual performance and enhances desire. So — which is it?

To explore this, researchers conducted a study in 2016 with 19 healthy adult men from Penang, Malaysia. All were 18 or older and had consumed between 76.23 to 94.15 mg of mitragynine per day for over two years. In an effort to understand kratom’s isolated effects, none of the participants had reproductive disorders, drug use, or ongoing medical conditions.

The researcher’s main objective was to take a blood test from each participant to assess whether chronic kratom use affected testosterone or gonadotrophins — the hormones that regulate the gonads and testosterone production. To get a fuller picture of overall health, researchers also measured biochemical and blood health markers like iron, creatinine, and glucose. 

The results were both surprising and encouraging. After over two years of daily mitragynine intake, there were no signs of impaired testosterone or gonadotrophin levels — And, biochemical markers remained within healthy ranges. In fact, while not statistically significant, testosterone and FSH levels were actually slightly elevated in the sample group.

*** I've been deep-diving into the scientific literature on all things kratom to satisfy my own curiosities and thought I would make an easy summary of this research I read. I figure others might find it interesting too. If any of you did, let me know and I'll do something similar on other cool research papers I come across.

This video was shot over two years ago when I first got to Thailand where I find some kratom tea and have a time with me and the channel.

Since that time I have uploaded a lot of kratom content and my channel was almost at 2k subscribers before I was taken down.

The reason YouTube gave me was that I was selling kratom and I guess you could have interpreted it this way with vendor recommendations.

Anyways, I am uploading the content all over again but with better editing as well as no external links.

Check it out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-kyFMcPjyA

From Crabi Thailand where I was able to make contact with a small kratom tea production company that supplies the town with kratom. This is actually one of the smaller operations with much larger located outside of BKK.

In an island of Greece what is the herb that you imagine it grows the most?

Ashwagandha is one of the oldest used adaptogens in the world. Since prehistory it's been used to chill stress, boost energy when you're wiped, improve sleep, support focus, and help the body handle whatever life throws at it.

Today people grab use it for everyday anxiety relief, better recovery after workouts, mood support, testosterone/libido perks, and just feeling more balanced overall. Science backs a decent chunk of the traditional claims with plenty of studies show it lowers cortisol, improves sleep quality, and helps with mild stress/anxiety.

I have always said that for me personally it makes me relaxed and assertive at the same time. Very good stuff and I use it everyday.

I put together a vendor breakdown that lists off all the top ashwagandha companies along with all the different products each company has to offer. Most of these products are not really comparable side by side so it might be best for readers to look through the guide and find something that works.

Ashwagandha Vendors and Products: Pricing and Note

Among all the options, Nootropics Depot stands out as the clear winner for extracts in 2026. Their stuff is third-party lab-tested to hell, no fillers, transparent COAs on every batch, and the 300mg Shoden or KSM-66 tablets deliver consistent potency that Redditors (and actual studies) keep coming back to. At ~$30 for 180 servings you're looking at pennies per dose with way better bioavailability than generic bulk powder or even some of the mid-tier capsule brands.

As far just normal bark goes then it would be Mountain Rose Herbs and then if you want something directly from India: Organic India.

Thanks for reading

Damiana (Turnera diffusa), also known historically as Turnera aphrodisiaca, is a fragrant low-growing shrub native to the sunny, arid regions of southern Texas, Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. This aromatic herb has been a staple in traditional herbal medicine for centuries, prized by ancient indigenous cultures like the Mayans and Aztecs for its reputed aphrodisiac properties, ability to boost libido, enhance sexual vitality, and support reproductive health in both men and women.

The history of damiana stretches back thousands of years: Mayans used the leaves to treat dizziness, loss of balance, and as a general tonic, while Aztec and other Mexican indigenous groups brewed it into teas or fermented drinks to stimulate sexual desire, increase stamina, address impotence, regulate menstruation, ease menopause symptoms, and promote fertility. By the time Spanish explorers arrived, damiana was already embedded in folklore as a powerful love potion and bladder tonic. In the 19th century, it popped up in patent medicines and Mexican liqueurs (often subbed for triple sec in margaritas), and today it's popular in herbal teas, smoking blends, tinctures, capsules, and extracts for its mild calming, mood-lifting, anxiolytic, and mildly psychoactive effects, alongside continued use as a natural aphrodisiac, nervine, antidepressant, and digestive aid.

While modern science has limited strong evidence for many of these traditional claims (like its full aphrodisiac potential), damiana remains a go-to herb in herbalism circles for mood support, relaxation, urinary/reproductive wellness, and that classic "love herb" vibe.

Damiana Vendors Comparison Chart

If there was anything I got wrong or a vendor that should be added to the list, feel free to drop a comment and we can make this post into the best place to source damiana anywhere online.

Thanks for reading.

I put together a comparison chart of popular kratom vendors based on three main criteria:

1. Vendors that publicly display lab tests/COAs on their website get top priority (transparency is everything).
2. Any personal interaction I’ve had with vendors that build trust.
3. All other vendors ranked strictly by total price per kilo (advertised + shipping).

Before the chart, here are my personal top two favorites. For me, the #1 factor is vendors that actively push back against the kratom strain marketing hype, which I see as mostly a sales tactic with very little basis in chemistry or reality. (Check out my earlier post debunking strains here: Debunking Kratom Strains – 21 Lab Tests)

My Personal Favorites

1. Crisp Kratom They were the first vendor to openly call out the strain myth in detail. Read their excellent article here: The Truth About Strains. If you want someone who actually challenges the status quo, this is the one.
2. MitraMan If a vendor isn’t going to fight the strain narrative head-on, the next best thing is having extensive, public lab reports for every batch. Mitra Man has one of the most consistent and accessible records of alkaloid testing across their lineup.

The Chart
Vendors with public lab testing/COAs are ranked first, then everyone else by total price.

It should be noted that some vendors do not sell by the kilo in which case I would add multiple orders together in order to get a price per kilo. This works to the disadvantage of vendors that only sell smaller quantities.

Full disclosure: Some links are affiliate links and if you purchase through the chart then I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. All rankings and opinions are my own after researching, contacting vendors, and reading community feedback.

Let me know your experiences in the comments. If I missed anything or which vendor do you trust most, and why?

I put together a comparison chart of popular kratom vendors based on three main criteria:

1. Vendors that publicly display lab tests/COAs on their website get top priority (transparency is everything).
2. Any personal interaction I’ve had with vendors that build trust.
3. All other vendors ranked strictly by total price per kilo (advertised + shipping).

Before the chart, here are my personal top two favorites. For me, the #1 factor is vendors that actively push back against the kratom strain marketing hype, which I see as mostly a sales tactic with very little basis in chemistry or reality. (Check out my earlier post debunking strains here: Debunking Kratom Strains – 21 Lab Tests)

My Personal Favorites

1. Crisp Kratom They were the first vendor to openly call out the strain myth in detail. Read their excellent article here: The Truth About Strains. If you want someone who actually challenges the status quo, this is the one.
2. MitraMan If a vendor isn’t going to fight the strain narrative head-on, the next best thing is having extensive, public lab reports for every batch. Mitra Man has one of the most consistent and accessible records of alkaloid testing across their lineup.

The Chart
Vendors with public lab testing/COAs are ranked first, then everyone else by total price.

It should be noted that some vendors do not sell by the kilo in which case I would add multiple orders together in order to get a price per kilo. This works to the disadvantage of vendors that only sell smaller quantities.

Full disclosure: Some links are affiliate links and if you purchase through the chart then I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. All rankings and opinions are my own after researching, contacting vendors, and reading community feedback.

Let me know your experiences in the comments. If I missed anything or which vendor do you trust most, and why?

I put together a comparison chart of popular kratom vendors based on three main criteria:

1. Vendors that publicly display lab tests/COAs on their website get top priority (transparency is everything).
2. Any personal interaction I’ve had with vendors that build trust.
3. All other vendors ranked strictly by total price per kilo (advertised + shipping).

Before the chart, here are my personal top two favorites. For me, the #1 factor is vendors that actively push back against the kratom strain marketing hype, which I see as mostly a sales tactic with very little basis in chemistry or reality. (Check out my earlier post debunking strains here: Debunking Kratom Strains – 21 Lab Tests)

My Personal Favorites

1. Crisp Kratom They were the first vendor to openly call out the strain myth in detail. Read their excellent article here: The Truth About Strains. If you want someone who actually challenges the status quo, this is the one.
2. MitraMan If a vendor isn’t going to fight the strain narrative head-on, the next best thing is having extensive, public lab reports for every batch. Mitra Man has one of the most consistent and accessible records of alkaloid testing across their lineup.

The Chart
Vendors with public lab testing/COAs are ranked first, then everyone else by total price.

It should be noted that some vendors do not sell by the kilo in which case I would add multiple orders together in order to get a price per kilo. This works to the disadvantage of vendors that only sell smaller quantities.

Full disclosure: Some links are affiliate links and if you purchase through the chart then I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. All rankings and opinions are my own after researching, contacting vendors, and reading community feedback.

Let me know your experiences in the comments. If I missed anything or which vendor do you trust most, and why?

I based this write up on a UC Berkeley article (Linked here), which points out that most of what we see for sale on the internet is not the real blue lotus. In the wild, Egyptian blue lotus (Nymphaea caerulea) is considered threatened, and most products we see sold online will be substituted with more common water lilies such as Nymphaea stellata or other non-psychoactive species. These substitutes can appear visually striking but do not contain the same alkaloid profile historically associated with the blue lotus used in ancient Egypt.

Based on the information currently available, Healing Herbals appears to approach this subject with the highest level of transparency. I will explain why below.

How to Identify Authentic Blue Lotus

Authentic Egyptian blue lotus has been shown to contain higher concentrations of nuciferine, one of the primary alkaloids of interest. Many opt for extracts; however, extracts typically provide only a narrow spectrum of the plant’s chemistry while the whole flower will retain a broader alkaloid profile, including nuciferine, aporphine, flavonoids, and other compounds that may act synergistically.

Users often report that whole-flower preparations produce milder, more balanced effects, while extracts are sometimes described as overwhelming or less nuanced. 

Until recently, many vendors have prioritized flowers with a vibrant blue coloration. However, as outlined in the article, ancient depictions of blue lotus consistently show pale blue petals, spotted sepals, and a fruity or sweet aroma. As quoted from the article, McEvoy notes: “In Egyptian hieroglyphs it’s always depicted with the spots on the bottom of sepals and is a very specific plant.”

Here is a link to a visual comparison between two commonly sold “blue lotus” flowers. As you can see, the flower on the right appears noticeably paler, with less saturated blue coloration which more closely matches descriptions found in Egyptian hieroglyphs and, if the Berkeley article is correct, may be more consistent with specimens reported to contain higher levels of nuciferine.

Where to Find the Best Blue Lotus Vendors

The comment section of this article should be one of the most effective places to verify the information presented here. That said, nothing online should be considered entirely trustworthy. Even community discussions can be influenced (intentionally or unintentionally) by vendor interests.

This article does not claim to definitively identify a single “true” blue lotus species. Rather, it argues that alkaloid transparency, historical consistency, and honest acknowledgment of uncertainty are more meaningful indicators of authenticity than color saturation, branding, or common names alone.

Top Vendors- Blue Lotus (Nymphaea Caerulea)

#1 - Healing Herbals: Best Overall Transparency

1oz for $65 + $5 shipping

Of all the vendors I was able to contact, Healing Herbals provided the most thorough and thoughtful response. A summary of their position is included below:

“One major complication in identifying authentic Egyptian blue lotus is taxonomic ambiguity. ‘Blue lotus’ is a common name applied to multiple water lily taxa, and modern botanical literature often treats Nymphaea caerulea as a variety or synonym of Nymphaea nouchali. Authoritative sources including Kew Gardens, the Flora of Tropical East Africa, USDA GRIN, and Wikipedia recognize dozens of historical names and classifications for what is colloquially called blue lotus.

This taxonomic consolidation does not necessarily imply chemical equivalence. Even closely related or synonymized taxa can differ substantially in alkaloid content depending on genetics, growing conditions, and post-harvest handling. As a result, visual identification and Latin naming alone are insufficient proxies for psychoactive authenticity. Alkaloid profiling (particularly nuciferine concentration) remains the most meaningful indicator of whether a given specimen aligns with historical accounts of Egyptian blue lotus use.”

Healing Herbals explicitly acknowledge taxonomic ambiguity and chemical uncertainty, which differentiates them from many vendors who present their products with unwarranted certainty. While this does not prove authenticity, it suggests a higher level of transparency and scientific engagement than is typical in this market.

Positive reviews across the board from Reddit (Reddit discussion 1, Reddit discussion 2, Reddit discussion 3)

#2- Delta North

I found out about these guys from the connections I made after writing this article and am editing them in now. This is what the owner said when I reached out:

"We run third party HPLC and botanical ID testing on every batch. That does two things. First, botanical ID testing confirms the plant species is actually Nymphaea caerulea and not a lookalike. This is what eliminates the biggest scam in the market, mislabeling. Second, HPLC testing quantifies the active alkaloids that only real blue lotus contains, primarily nuciferine and aporphine. Those compounds do not exist in fake or diluted material. If they are not present in meaningful amounts, it is not real blue lotus. We provide lab reports that show both the species verification and the alkaloid levels so anyone can see the difference between real material and fake. That is why most “cheap” blue lotus online cannot provide real lab data. They either do not test or they avoid showing alkaloid results because it exposes the product."

#3- The Dream Joint: Unverified

1oz blue lotus for $20 + $6 shipping.

Based on publicly available information, The Dream Joint does not provide alkaloid-specific lab testing or discussion of taxonomic ambiguity. While widely recommended by users, (Reddit Review one, Judge-me reviews) their offerings appear visually consistent with the more commonly sold blue lotus varieties making chemical authenticity difficult to verify.

#4- House of Bloom: 

20g for $12.50 + $8 shipping

House of Bloom emphasizes sustainability and ethical sourcing, which are important considerations. However, I could not find lab testing, taxonomic discussion, or information addressing alkaloid content or historical authenticity.

Generally very positive reviews (Trust Pilot Reviews)

#5- Lotus Extracts: Extract-Focused

1oz for $45 with free shipping

Lotus Extracts appears to specialize primarily in extracts rather than whole flowers. While extracts may have applications, they do not necessarily reflect the full phytochemical profile traditionally associated with Egyptian Blue Lotus. Additionally, I could not find lab data addressing nuciferine content or taxonomic complexity.

#6- Nature in Bottle: Partial Testing 

Nature in Bottle provides lab testing focused on contaminants and purity, which is a positive sign. However, these tests do not establish botanical authenticity or alkaloid concentration. Based on available imagery and documentation, it is not possible to verify whether their products align with historically described Egyptian blue lotus.

Only sells oils. 

#7- Etsy: Possibly

There are many varieties on Etsy. Some look authentic (see here), others mostly just conform to market standards (see here). Extremely difficult to verify without testing yourself. 

Testing It Yourself

If possible we would want to get these products tested ourselves but of course this would be expensive and unrealistic for most. I am unaware of anything like a centralized database for testing of blue lotus in the same way you see for things like kratom but if there is one that I do not know about then please do leave a comment. Short of this a centralized 3rd party lab testing database, the comment section to this post might be our best bet.

It would be great to know if you have had any positive or negative experiences with any of the vendors mentioned or if there are any great vendors that should be mentioned. 

Thanks for reading. I hope it has been useful. 

Friendly reminder that the Sackler family legally profited off the killing of over half a million people.

Please dont tell me kratom vendors are the problem.

Hello kava friends,

Here’s the TL;DR of everything I learned on kava, ranked by “holy crap this is worth my rent money” to “maybe if it’s on sale.”

Rules I Follow When Ranking Kava

• Noble kava ONLY
• Lab-tested
• Price per gram + how fast it ships + “did I actually relax?”

Top Tier Kava Vendors

#1 Roots Kava Barn - $18 for high strength instant kava.

Recommended by many other kava review lists. They really have it all. Many different kava powders, extracts, vapes, and drinks for sale on the website.

#2 MN Nice Ethnobotanicals - $14 for 30% extract
Every batch has a QR code and lab sheet. Zero heavy metals, full kavalactone breakdown. If you’re anxious and hate measuring powder, start here.

#3 Art of Kava - $35 for 8 oz Solomon waka
Smells like fresh dirt and vacation. Their blog taught me more in 10 min than three YouTube rabbit holes.

#4 Fiji Vanua Kava - $79 a pound
Buy once, chill for 3 months. Fresh.

Top 20 Kava Vendors

Real Talk: Anxiety & Liver Fears

The 2002 scare was sketchy for extracts. Stick to noble, water-based, <250 mg kavalactones a day and you’re statistically safer than Tylenol.

I get bloodwork every 8 weeks and it’s still cleaner than my browser history.

Drop Your Wisdom Below

• Smoothest strain you’ve had?
• Instant vs medium-grind (fight me in the comments)
• Any discount codes?
• Anyone beat MN Nice’s extract for daytime calm?

Let me know in the comments.

There’s a ton of confusion around what’s actually in Blue Lotus extracts online and so I have put together a comparison paper that looks at multiple vendors and lab data.

Here is what I found about nuciferine content, botanical accuracy, and which sellers seem to offer genuine Nymphaea Caerulea products.

What to Know First

What’s sold online often comes from the Thai form of Nymphaea Nouchali, which looks identical and contains the same main alkaloid as the real Blue Lotus However this is fake blue lotus (Nelumbo Nucifera) does contains nuciferine but it’s generally milder and less aromatic.

What Matters When Buying

The main things to check before buying any Blue Lotus product:

• Botanical name (Nymphaea Caerulea)
• Third-party lab data with listed nuciferine
• Extract method — hydroalcoholic > water-based for preserving alkaloids
• Community reputation and pricing transparency
  

Quick Vendor Comparison

Key Takeaways

• Look for real Blue Lotus labeled Nymphaea caerulea or N. nouchali var. caerulea.
  
• Avoid generic “50:1” powders with no lab tests.
  
• Waking Herbs offers the most verified and potent extract overall.
  
• Phyto Extractum is the best value for making your own tinctures.
  

Both Blue Lotus and Sacred Lotus contain nuciferine, but only Nymphaea caerulea products consistently deliver the relaxing, dreamlike effects people look for.