Kratom effects vary from strain to strain and from one person to another. There are many Kratom strains from varied geographical locations, for example, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.

Kratom is used as an herbal medicinal around the world. Kratom can: naturally lift your energy, make you achieve a state of euphoria and optimism, calm the nerves, help with focusing and concentration, relieve pain and body aches, lower blood pressure, increase libido, ease symptoms of depression and enhance mental ability.

Kratom has been gaining popularity for over a decade and only now are people starting to understand some of the many benefits this South East Asian tree provides. What makes Kratom interesting is that many people find it has multiple uses depending upon dose, personal tolerance, person's weight, and metabolism. Using a small dose of Kratom (1-2g) tends to be more stimulating with mild pain relief even when using a premium Bali red.

Each Kratom is exceptional, however, there are many varieties and each one has its own unique effects. A lot of it largely applies to the color of the vein of the leaf. Let's take a look into the different types of Kratom available and how to choose the best strain for you!

Red Vein Kratom

Let's start with the Bali Kratom or Thai that are very popular types of Kratom. These are largely sold without their vein classification but generally, these strains come from red vein trees. Red Vein Kratom is the most commercially available Kratom on the market. Why is Red Vein Kratom so popular?

There are a lot of areas around South East Asia where Red Vein Kratom grows naturally. Studies suggest that Red Vein Kratom seeds and cuttings are far more viable than that of green and white veins. 

Premium Ved Vein Bali Kratom is highly sought after for its strong analgesic effects, promoting deep euphoria and relaxation. Many people are using Kratom as an alternative to opiate-based pharmaceutical medicines. Kratom is being used to provide relief of opiate withdrawal, whether from prescription medication or recreational use. For those of us that have to manage pain daily, Kratom is 100% natural and isn’t going to leave you with a foggy mind on a day-to-day basis.

Kratom can have varied effects depending on the dose and the strain you choose. An example would be helping to control anxiety and stress, especially in smaller 1-2g doses. All Kratom can help you relax, feel calm, and be contented.

Thai Maeng Da
Thai Maeng Da is an extremely popular product with a slightly different alkaloid profile to that of the Bali Kratom. While Maeng Da is used by many for pain relief, it’s a clear leader for use during the day, providing energy and stimulation.

White Vein Kratom

White Vein Kratom is increasing in popularity as consumers realize the many benefits of its use. White Vein Kratom is well documented to have more energetic effects than the Red Bali Kratom. While red veins are very popular, many people also prefer Kratom that can be used during the day without being too relaxed. For example, some people use White Vein Kratom as their morning tea to promote energy and concentration.

White Vein Kratom comes from many areas of South East Asia but the most prominent comes from Indonesia. Some people may find White Vein Kratom mildly effective. This can be the case if the user is used to the effects of the Red Vein Kratom.

White Vein Kratom is known to have profoundly relaxing effects when using a higher dose of 8-10g. This can have advantages. Using 1-2g of Kratom in the morning as a "wake me up", and then increasing the dose late in the afternoon is a popular way to help you relax after a hard day of work. All Kratom has pain-killing properties - some more than others, so it’s up to you to find which Kratom works best for your needs and in what dose.

Green Vein Kratom

Green Vein Kratom is probably the most underestimated Kratom of all three strains. The best way to think about this strain is to imagine its effects are somewhere between the Red and White Vein Kratom. Green Vein Kratom is harvested from Indonesia and Thailand but the most potent one is Green Malay Kratom. Many people prefer the stimulation from it but also benefit from its pain-killing effects. Green Malay Kratom is a good all-rounder; it offers energy, is great for motivation and increasing of libido, and it also has calming and strong pain-killing qualities.

Is Kratom addictive?

Kratom can be habit-forming, meaning, if you were to use it every day or you have an opiate tolerance, you would need to take a higher dose to get the same effects. Depending on what you want to use Kratom for, it's best to alternate your strains. For example, you could use a Red Vein for one week, and a Green Vein for the next week.

Kratom is not considered addictive (compared to opiates). It’s no harder to stop using Kratom than stopping to take your morning coffee. Using Kratom daily is not recommended. To get the best Kratom effects, avoid over-using it and building up a tolerance. Like any other natural herbal product, you have to use Kratom responsibly. You need to find what your preferred strain and dosages are.

Usage

Drinking
Kratom comes in many forms - from dried & crushed leaves and powders to tinctures and extracts. The most popular method is to make tea from loose powder or a leaf. Another way is the ”toss and wash” method, where Kratom powder is mixed with a drink of your choice, such as orange juice. The powder and liquid are drank as quickly as possible. Kratom can have a bitter taste with some strains being a bit more bitter than others as you will learn. You can add honey or sugar to sweeten your drink if you can't stand the bitter taste.

Capsules
If you don’t want the hassle of making tea or coping with the bitter powders, a good alternative is to take Kratom capsules. 

Dosage

To keep things simple, you should always follow these rules: To start, take up to 2 capsules (1g of powder) on an empty stomach followed by a hot drink to help the capsules dissolve quickly. Monitor your experience and see if the Kratom effects are giving any relief. You can repeat the same dose in 1 hour when you have evaluated the effects. Remember, when using powder, the Kratom effects are stronger than that of a tea where the leaf is not consumed. After the first evaluation of your Kratom effects, you can decide whether you need a larger dose. It is strongly recommended that you keep your dose to the bare minimum when you decide your threshold for the best results.

A high dose for one person is not a high dose for another. We are all different and therefore the kratom affects us all differently. This can be down to many factors: your weight (the bigger the body weight, the more Kratom you are likely to need); Metabolism (how quickly you can process the Kratom), whether you have eaten beforehand, and, of course, your tolerance. Kratom tolerance is likely to be high if you are using opiate-based prescription medicines. Always start with a small dose and find the correct dose for you as you slowly build it up.