This content is for educational purposes and describes traditional and reported use of Sceletium tortuosum (Kanna). It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always start with the lowest suggested serving and consult a healthcare provider if you're pregnant, nursing, taking medication (especially SSRIs/MAOIs), or managing a health condition.
A few years ago, if you wanted to try Kanna, you had one real option: a jar of powder and a milligram scale — which, honestly, isn't the easiest place for most people to start a new supplement. Powder is still one of the most affordable and flexible options available, but it may be less familiar to newcomers than a capsule or a gummy.
Powder is also a great way to get the purest form of a supplement, without additives, fillers, excipients, or even the Pullulan Veggie capsules we use. While powder remains the common format across nearly all of our catalog, it's not the only option anymore for our top-selling Kanna.
Today, our Kanna lineup includes extract powders, capsules, gum, elixirs, a drink mix, and even a tea blend. For some, that presents a new question — a great problem to have, but a question nonetheless: which one should I actually buy? Which one is best for me?
There's no single right answer to either question. Choosing the best option really depends on why you're reaching for Kanna in the first place, and how you like to fit it into your daily routine. Here's what we'd suggest you consider as you shop our Kanna options.
New to Kanna itself?
Our complete guide to Sceletium tortuosum blog article covers the plant, its alkaloids, and the traditional backstory of this ancient supplement. This article assumes you already know the basics about Kanna and just need help deciding which format to pick.
Read the complete Kanna guideNot All Kanna Extracts Are the Same Kanna
This is the part most guides skip: our three core extract powders aren't just different strengths of the same thing. They're standardized to different alkaloid profiles, which changes the character of the experience — not just the intensity.
MT165 "3x"
A 15%+ alkaloid powdered resin extract — meaningfully more concentrated than MT55, which is where the "3x" name comes from. It's our current bestseller, largely because regular users like being able to hit their preferred serving with less powder.
XK6
The opposite approach: standardized toward a higher proportion of Mesembrenone, alongside Mesembrine, Mesembrenol, and delta-7-Mesembrenone. Based on our own product notes and available research, the result is a "warmer, cozier, more tranquil and relaxing" feel — a gentler, more balanced experience than the more energizing, Mesembrine-dominant extracts, which some people find edgier at higher servings, especially early on.
If you're someone who likes to weigh out your own servings, adjust in small increments, or fold Kanna into a personal stack alongside other ingredients, powder is still the most flexible and cost-efficient way to go — and knowing the MT55 / MT165 / XK6 difference means you can target the feel you want, not just the price per gram.
Best for: precise dosers, stackers, and anyone who wants to intentionally choose and target their own alkaloid profile.
Capsules: The Ever-Ready, No-Fuss Option
Our MesemBright and Kanna Extract 50mg capsules exist for one reason: some people just want to take a supplement, not prepare one. No taste, no scale, no measuring spoon, no chance of getting a serving wrong because you eyeballed it. You know exactly how many milligrams are in each capsule, every time.
This is also the easiest format to travel with or take at your desk without anyone asking what you're doing.
Best for: convenience-first users, travel, and anyone who'd rather swallow a capsule than deal with powder.
Gum: The Traditional Way, Made Portable
Long before extracts and capsules, Kanna was chewed. The plant's traditional Afrikaans name, Kougoed, literally means "something good to chew." While the word itself is Afrikaans, the traditional practice of processing and using the plant originates with the indigenous Khoisan (San and Khoikhoi) peoples of South Africa, who have used it this way for over 5,000 years. Our Kanna Gum (50mg, cinnamon) and Kanna Energy+ Gum (extra strength) are our nod to that history, in a format you can carry in a bag or pocket.
Chewing also gives you a kind of built-in pacing of absorption that other formats don't: you control how long you chew, which means you have some control over how the serving is delivered, rather than swallowing it all at once.
Gum won't be the best fit for everyone — some people simply don't want to chew a supplement for several minutes — but if you've tried powder or capsules and want a more deliberate, ritual-like way to take Kanna, it's worth trying.
Best for: on-the-go use, discretion, and people who like a slower, more intentional dosing ritual.
Elixirs and Drink Mix: Kanna as an Occasion, Not Just a Supplement
Our Elixirs (Peach Iced Tea, Mountain Maple, Citrus Sunshine, Marshmallow, and Natural flavors) and Kanna Drink Mix take a different approach entirely. Each dropper serving delivers 30mg of our MT55 extract, standardized to at least 1.2mg Mesembrine, 0.6mg Mesembrenone, and 2mg total alkaloids — a gentler serving than most of our powders or capsules, with no artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners. The glycerine base makes each flavor naturally sweet, with distinct flavor options to choose from.
That lower starting serving makes this a genuinely good entry point if you're Kanna-curious and don't want to commit to a stronger single-ingredient product on day one. It's also simply more fun to use socially — drop it into a cold drink, take it straight, or use it in place of bitters in a mocktail. We built these with parties, work breaks, and get-togethers in mind.
Best for: first-timers easing in, social settings, and anyone who wants Kanna to feel like a shared ritual rather than a routine.
A Shared Safety and Serving Note, Whatever Format You Choose
Across our Kanna line, the guidance is consistent: start at the lowest suggested serving, wait to see how you respond, and don't exceed the labeled maximum (generally 1–2 servings up to twice daily, and no more than roughly 12 servings a week). That's true whether you're chewing gum, dropping elixir into a glass, or measuring powder on a scale — more concentrated extracts like MT165 just mean it takes less material to get there. Always start with the lowest suggested serving and consult a healthcare provider, especially if you're pregnant, nursing, taking medication (especially SSRIs/MAOIs), or managing a health condition.
As always, every batch we sell is independently lab-tested for identity and purity before it reaches you — one of the reasons we're comfortable being this specific about what's actually in each product.
Not Sure Where to Start? Consider the Mood Stack
If you're drawn to Kanna for its traditional mood- and stress-support reputation, it's worth knowing it doesn't have to work alone. Our Mood Stack combines Kanna extract with fifteen other mood- and resilience-focused ingredients in one bundle — a good next step once you know which Kanna format and serving works best for you.
What LiftMode Customers Are Asking FAQ
Most first-timers do best starting with either the Elixir/Drink Mix (lowest, most controlled serving) or the MT55 capsules (no measuring required). Powder is great once you know how you respond and want to fine-tune your serving.
This varies by person and by format — capsules and powder are absorbed a bit differently than gum or an elixir taken sublingually/with a drink. Starting at the lowest suggested serving and giving it a full session before judging the effect is the most common approach.
Many customers do use different formats for different situations (an elixir socially, capsules at the office, gum on the go). Just keep total weekly servings within the labeled maximum across whatever combination you're using.
That's a personal choice — some customers use it situationally, others as part of a daily routine. If you're combining it with other mood-support ingredients (like in our Mood Stack), consistency tends to matter more.
REFERENCES:
- 1. Krstenansky JL. Mesembrine alkaloids: Review of their occurrence, chemistry, and pharmacology. J Ethnopharmacol. 2017. PMID: 27939420
- 2. Olatunji TL, et al. Sceletium tortuosum: A review on its phytochemistry, pharmacokinetics, biological and clinical activities. J Ethnopharmacol. 2021. PMID: 34333104
This content is for educational purposes and describes traditional and reported use of Sceletium tortuosum (Kanna). It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always start with the lowest suggested serving and consult a healthcare provider if you're pregnant, nursing, taking medication (especially SSRIs/MAOIs), or managing a health condition.
