What are the effects of Kratom?
Kratom has a range of effects that vary depending on dosage, tolerance and vein colour. Pain relief is the primary effect of kratom. A low dose of kratom will relieve pain, but also give a boost of energy. A higher dose will relieve pain and also relax you. What exactly constitutes a high dose or low dose is described in our kratom dosage guide.
Some vein colors are more likely to give energising kratom effects, which can help with focus, motivation or performance. Others are more likely to give relaxing effects, which can lift mood and ease depression or anxiety. The differences between the vein colors are described below.
What is White Vein Kratom?
White vein kratom is made from mature kratom leaves and is said to be the most energy boosting variety of kratom. It is popular with people seeking increased motivation, energy, or an edge in performance.
White vein kratom is very beneficial to people suffering from conditions like chronic fatigue, depression and degenerative disease.
It is also popular with IBS sufferers as an alternative to coffee, as kratom has a soothing effect on inflamed stomach lining.
White Sunda Kratom or Indo Maeng Da are examples of popular white veins.
What is Red Vein Kratom?
Red vein kratom is the most common variety of kratom and is easily found in the wild. Red vein kratom offers excellent pain relief and relaxation effects.
It is popular with people who want to unwind and destress in the evenings, to help encourage sleep or as an alternative to alcohol.
Red vein kratom can be very helpful for people suffering from chronic pain, insomnia and bone or muscle injury.
Red Bali Kratom is the most well known red vein kratom and perhaps the most popular kratom on the market.
Vietnam Kratom or Red Maeng Da are other examples of popular red veins.
What is Green Vein Kratom?
Green vein kratom is harvested from young kratom plants. Its effects are somewhere between energizing and relaxing.
It is perfect for people looking for a daytime kratom that isn’t going to over stimulate.
Green vein kratom is very popular with those who have anxiety, who find the balance between relaxing and energizing creates the perfect climate for tackling anxiousness.
Green Malay Kratom is the most sought after green vein. Cambodian Kratom is another example of a popular green vein.
What is Maeng Da Kratom?
Maeng Da kratom is a slight variant of regular kratom that has horned leaves. Maeng Da kratom is made from a blend of all 3 horned vein colors.
It has a different alkaloid profile to other veins, giving it increased pain relief effects and making it more appropriate for daytime use.
Those dealing with serious pain or debilitation prefer Maeng Da kratom due to its enhanced pain relief effects.
The blend of vein colors means that the energy boosting and relaxing effects even out, making it possible to go about your daily life even if your condition would normally leave you immobile.
For a more extensive look at the kratom effects, see the product descriptions
Why is Kratom Sometimes Energizing and Sometimes Relaxing?
How does kratom work in the brain? Kratom alkaloids are classed as opioids because they bind with opioid receptors in the brain. However, unlike synthetic opioids, kratom preferentially binds with delta opioid receptors, rather than mu and kappa receptors.
Opioids binding with the delta receptors is what creates a boost of energy at low doses of kratom. At higher doses, kratom alkaloids will begin to bind with mu opioid receptors.
At this point, a higher level of pain relief is experienced, as well as relaxation and a mild euphoria. This is how many drug addicts have successfully used kratom to get off opiates.
How Long Does Kratom Take to Kick in?
When taken on an empty stomach, the kratom effects can usually be felt within 30 to 45 minutes. If the stomach is full, it could take between 60 and 90 minutes. It is recommended that you wait at least 90 minutes before increasing your dosage when you’re trying to find a dosage that works.
How Long Does Kratom Last?
Kratom effects usually last between 5 and 6 hours.
What Does Kratom Feel Like?
The experience of kratom effects is similar to that of a mild opiate. About 10-20 minutes after ingestion, you will feel waves of sensation.
You might feel slightly nauseous at this point, but chewing gum can help relieve that. If you’ve taken a high dose, you may feel the urge to lay on your back and close your eyes, which you can feel free to do.
If you’re experiencing any pain, that will quickly melt away. You’ll be left with a feeling of contentment and peace, like being wrapped in a comfortable blanket. You’ll experience a mild euphoria, which can make you more cheerful and more productive.
Kratom effects are subtle, especially at lower doses. Kratom is not high inducing or intoxicating.
What are the Negative Effects of Kratom? What are the Side Effects of Kratom?
As with anything, kratom carries certain risks. However, responsible use of kratom can mitigate much of the danger. It is important to understand that kratom can be habit forming. Therefore it is not recommended to take kratom for more than a few days in a row consecutively.
Try to avoid taking kratom every day unless you have a very serious condition. The most common negative side effect of kratom is nausea. This usually caused by starting with a too high dosage. For your first time, take less kratom than you think you’ll need.
Nausea can also be mitigated by chewing gum or eating something light after taking kratom. At high doses, your pupils may restrict (miosis), which might make it difficult to focus your vision. Therefore, it is not recommended that you drive or operate heavy machinery on large doses of kratom.
How Safe is Kratom?
There has been a lot of negative press surrounding kratom, but the truth is that there are no deaths attributed solely to kratom use.1
Kratom also has no known LD50 (lethal dose 50% of the time)2.
This means it is not possible to overdose on kratom, or if it is, it would require a dosage several times your own bodyweight.
What Should I Avoid When Taking Kratom?
Driving and operating heavy machinery should be avoided if you’re taking a high dose of kratom.
If using the toss and wash method to swallow kratom, avoid inhaling when the powder is on your tongue.
Accidentally inhaling kratom is extremely unpleasant. See our dosage guide for more information on the correct way to take kratom.
Drinking alcohol when taking kratom isn’t recommended.
The combination of alcohol and opiates is known to cause respiratory depression 3. Whether this applies to kratom too is unclear, but caution is advised.
You also shouldn’t mix kratom with synthetic opiates, as the cumulative effect could be dangerous.
What Conditions Can Kratom Treat?
Kratom is a versatile medicine with many applications. It can help with any condition that involves pain, stress, fatigue or low mood.
Kratom has been used with great success by people with conditions like; chronic pain (long term and short term), injury, depression, anxiety, RSS, chronic fatigue, Crohn’s disease, diabetes, drug addiction, ADHD, IBS, GERD, colitis and many more!
Kratom is proving to be a powerful medicine in the fight against the worldwide opiate epidemic. Using kratom to get off opiates is becoming the most useful application for this natural remedy. Replacing pain killers with kratom reduces withdrawal symptoms allowing you to taper off of your medication.
1. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00414-015-1279-y
2. http://irep.iium.edu.my/340/1/In_utero_effect_of_MS_on_Neural_Tube_Formation_in_Rats.pdf
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4057040/