Kratom Strains And Effects
Updated Nov 11, 2021
Written By: Mark Andrews
Countless people across the world are learning about kratom in 2020. With so many strains, its important to understand which strain is right for you. Unlike synthetic opioids, kratom’s chemical composition is complex, and the effects of this composition are dynamic.
Its main alkaloids are mitragynine, paynanthine, speciociliatine, and the more minor 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-HMG). Kratom’s neurochemical complexity is echoed in its physiological effects.
It is generally understood that at low doses (< 1 gram), kratom “can boost energy and enhance mood,” whereas at higher doses kratom is sedating, and may have anxiolytic qualities.
The following table serves as a comparative base for some of the most popular strains of kratom on the market.
Click on any strain below to find more information:
Ground Leaf Strains
| Strains | Effects | Dosage |
|---|---|---|
| Bali | An ideal balance of pain relief and energy boost. Bali works somewhat differently than a traditional red kratom. Bali helps achieve a gentle energy boost while maintaining the pain relief expected of a red. Euphoric and the most classic opiate like among the strains of kratom. | 1/2 – 3 teaspoons |
| Maeng Da | Energizing and stimulating with pain killing effects. Maeng Da takes the normal pain relieving properties of a red strain and adds a nice energetic kick because of it’s specific alkaloid properties. | 1/2 – 3 teaspoons |
| Red Bali | Similar to Bali with some red characteristics. This is a known as a versatile strain. | 1/2 – 3 teaspoons |
| Red Vein Thai | Similar to Bali with a more classic red strain effects. | 1/2 – 3 teaspoons |
| Red Vein Kali | Sedating and more classically opiate like. Red Kali is a more traditional red kratom offering pain relief & relaxation. | 1/2 – 3 teaspoons |
| Red Indo | Similar to Red Kali and many other traditional strains. Red Indo is a more tame red vein strain and is often touted as ideal for mild pain relief and relaxation. | 1/2 – 3 teaspoons |
| Green Indo | Balances pain relief and energy boosting qualities. The combination of alkaloids in Green Indo creates a longer lasting milder effect although there is not as high of a concentration of alkaloids as SGM. | 1/2 – 3 teaspoons |
| Green Malay | This original variety of Malaysian Kratom is well known for its mood-lifting, energizing effects. | 1/2 – 3 teaspoons |
| Green Vein Kali | A stimulating strain which also has painkilling attributes. Green Kali delivers a strong boost of energy without sacrificing any of the sought after pain relief effects. It is know for have a higher potency than Green Indo. | 1/2 – 3 teaspoons |
| White Vein Kali | More euphoric or dissociating. White Vein Kali is a milder white strain known for its energizing qualities – when compared to Red Vein Kali – while still containing notable pain relief qualities. . | 1/2 – 3 teaspoons |
| White Vein Thai | White Thai may be the most stimulating of all white strains. There are however less pain relieving attributes than a red vein strain or a strain similar to Bali as a trade off. | 1/2 – 3 teaspoons |
| White Vein Indo | Similar to Red Indo which is best known for its pain relief attributes. However White Vein Indo differs from the calming Red Indo by bringing a euphoric dissociative kick with it. | 1/2 – 3 teaspoons |
| White Borneo | Known as a uniquely high quality white strain of kratom. It has known for its long lasting, energizing effect. | 1/2 – 3 teaspoons |
| Super Green Malaysian | Known for its unique ability to combine the characteristic pain relieving properties of a red strain with the energy and euphoria boost of a white strain. SGM also has some of the longest lasting effects of any kratom with smooth delivery due to the high concentration of alkaloids. | 1/2 – 3 teaspoons |
Kratom Extracts
| Strains | Effects | Dosage |
|---|---|---|
| Ultra Enhanced Indo | Most euphoric of the extracts and works well for reducing social anxiety. UEI manages to contain a full range of effects including pain relief & relaxation with a slight energy and mood boost. | 1 gram or less (if mixed with powdered leaf) |
| Gold Reserve Extract | Powerful extract made by applying highly concentrated kratom alkaloids back to natural kratom leaf. Gold Reserve is a highly potent extract providing a blend of stimulation and pain relief while providing full body relaxation with a notable energy boost. | 1 gram or less (if mixed with powdered leaf) |
| ISOL-8 Extract | ISOL-8 is an outlier and has caffeine like stimulation. ISOL-8 uniquely focuses in on the energy and stimulating effects of kratom while other extracts generally bring out a broader range of effects. | 1 gram or less (if mixed with powdered leaf) |
| Ultra Enhanced Red Kali | This extract is made by blending pure alkaloids from Red Vein Kalimantan leaf with high quality Red Kali leaf. This is not made with semi-synthetic chemicals but only all natural kratom leaf alkaloidal extract. | 1 gram or less (if mixed with powdered leaf) |
| Natural Enhanced True Thai | Made from taking a 90% pure alkaloid extraction of Thai Kratom and reapplied to a Green Vein Thai leaf. This extract is a high potency version of classic Thai kratom strains notable for a mild energy boost with significant pain relief & relaxation effects. | 1 gram or less (if mixed with powdered leaf) |
| Natural Enhanced White Sumatra | Created by taking a 90% pure alkaloid extraction from white vein kratom and mixing it with White vein leaf. This reformulation results in a more potent version of white vein kratom with significant pain relief and relaxation effects. | 1 gram or less (if mixed with powdered leaf) |
Well Mary Elizabeth aren’t you lucky, now you should work on being so judgmental and self righteous. Your situation is not everyone else’s situation. You sound rude, arrogant and ignorant in my opinion for someone who claims to so know so much about subject. Pray and meditate for more compassion. Focus on having gratitude you didn’t experience addiction or where able to get past it instead of spouting out your opinions as if they where facts regarding other people’s experience with pain, pain medication and addiction. Yes other people have opinions as well.
Also the subjects kratom and how it helps different people for different reasons not your opinion on if addiction is real and those who being weak in your opinion. Think you got off track here.
You don’t like this, start your own blog.
I just got switched to a pain medication that does not work by my pain management. They gave me a line of carp about regs, blah, blah, blah.
I had some Maeng Da Red vein I had gotten last year. So I made up some capsules of about .40 grams each. I took 2, my pain level within an hour was a 6, 2 more got me to a functional 4 pain level. I did 2 more before bed and slept all night. I’m somewhere at the bottom of the dosage scale at about .5 tsp. But it works and I will be buying more soon.
Was the red vein the closest feeling to oxycodone? I have herniated discs in my back and drs refuse to write anymore for relief. I tried some today but got no relief, it was red borneo. Wasn’t impressed at all.
Super Red Maeng Da is awesome for back pain, also the super green Maeng Da
I bought a sample pack and have used the Red Vein Maeng Da and it works well on my herniated disc pain. It tends to wire me. I have yet to try the Green Vein Malay and the White Vein Bali I got. I am trying to figure out if one of them is more sedating cause I need help sleeping.
You may be an opposite because red is the more sedating, white is most energizing and green is in the middle. With kratom, less is more, meaning less is stimulating and more is sedating (as a rule of thumb). All of the MD strains have the highest alkaloid and flavonoid contents out of all strains; they sometimes refer MD as the pimp of kratoms lol.
Try taking higher dose of your red and if it still keeps you wired then youre probably an opposite, where the whites will be your sedating strains and reds stimulating.
I have found that red Bali is the best for my pain management and its effects are stimulating while energetic. I have to take 4-5 grams to be at a pain free or close to it level and be able to carry on with my day without feeling too sleepy which is very unlike any opiate I have ever been prescribed. I was taking pain meds for over 3 years and decided to go the natural way to find remedies to help me cope with my day to day life as a mom and the recovery was terribly hard. Then I found kratom and I can live life again and be the mom I want to be for my kids. I have tried red mengda, red hulu, gold bali and trainwreck and non of those top 4 grams of red Bali. Wish you all the best of luck!
I take this plant on a daily basis. It helps with pain & my sometimes depression. I am so thankful that I found this product.
There are different benefits of Kratom such as It is Anti-Depressant, Anti-leukemic, Anti-malarial, Anti-inflammatory etc. I have been using it for past two years and have not experienced any severe side effects, just mild headaches.
Would u say it would be unsafe to take kratom along with an occasional hydrocodone 7.5 ml?
They woulf be pretty much offset each other.
That’s not true I’ve taken a small amount of methadone with Kratom and absolutely no offset
You have to wean you can’t just go from taking a large amount of opiates and then just rely on kratom
Oh yes you can
Yes you. Im living proof of that
I also am proof that you absolutely CAN just quit and use kratom with zero withdrawal symptoms.. I had been opiate dependent for about 13 years and on suboxone for 7 of those years. I had tried to quit many times but failed before finding the kratom plant!!! I was taking 8 mg a day of suboxone and was able to finally succeed in my quest to stop taking it… KRATOM saved my life and allowed me to find my soul and have a relationship with my father once again.
You’re wrong..I was on Norcos for close to 5 years at a 150 mgs a day..I had a problem I became addicted to them..I quit Norcos cold turkey by starting the kratom..it worked for me…I had very mild withdrawals at the beginning..but after 2-3 days I was fine..I’ve been clean now for 5 months.
What kind of Kratom did you use? Trying to get an idea of what might be best for my situation. Unfortunately I have chronic pain and I hate taking medicine but it’s caught up with me. Any advice would be helpful! Congratulations btw, I’m sure you feel amazing it’s a big accomplishment!
I was on morphine and hydro’s.. Couldn’t fill my script in another state. My son had some Kratom. NO withdrawals at all!
So… Yes you can cold turkey and enjoy your vacation!
This comes from a person who’s been addicted for years… Thanks to Kratom.. Opiate free
I was on morphine and hydro’s.. Couldn’t fill my script in another state. My son had some Kratom. NO withdrawals at all!
So… Yes you can cold turkey and enjoy your vacation!
This comes from a person who’s been addicted for years… Thanks to Kratom.. Opiate free
Yes, this was the comment I was looking for. Trying to supplement methadone w kratom, like I wish I could do both, while slowly getting off the M.
It’s been 3 weeks since my last methadone dose. I’ve had great luck with white Bali; that said I had tapered from 90 mg to 24 mg before jumping off. Kratom made it the easiest methadone detox I’ve ever experienced- & I’ve done it about 5 times bc I’m hard headed. You cam do it!
You can do both at the same time but its not necessary with kratom you CAN quit cold Turkey with no withdrawal
Yes you can for sure !!! It is a life saver
Yes you can. I went from 5 percocet today cold Turkey to Kratom.
So Always remember it’s your opinion and it does not Work the same way for everybody
Why? Your brain believes them to be the same exact thing. Stop the addictive pain meds immediately and rely simply on Red Bali
Stupid question because your brain believes them to act exactly the same. Oxy is chemicals while Red Bali are leaves from a tree.
You have no idea what you are talking about. Kratom targets the exact same opioid receptors in the brain as narcotic pain meds. Oxy is NOT chemicals man. Opiates are processed from a plant too man. Ever heard of the poppy plant dude? The opium poppy plant is the plant that ALL narcotic pain meds are made from. Kratom is a different plant but provides the same effects because it acts on the same receptors in the brain so technically the brain does not know the difference. When I take 7 grams of Kratom it makes me feel exactly the same as if I had taken 20 milligrams of Percocet.
What is the best way to take the powder? I am new and just had the terrible experience of just taking a spoonfull…YUK!! And almost choked to death…but the effect is awesome..I am a nurse and do not want Opiates at all!!
Debbie, you might try the toss n wash method. Take a teaspoon full into your mouth (just let it sit on the tongue), then take a swig of coffee (not too hot, but still quite warm), swish it all around in your mouth like mouthwash until all of the kratom is completely wet(it will not dissolve but won’t clump as bad with something semi-hot as opposed to cold), then swallow. You can repeat this if necessary, then swish just the liquid around in your mouth to get all of the remnants. Another method is to take an empty prescription bottle (with lid), put teaspoon of kratom in the cup then some semi-hot coffee, put lid on, shake up well, then take the shot. Kratom still won’t dissolve but won’t clump as bad as it would with cold liquid. I’ve never tried the second method, but I’ve spoken with many who have. Also, take a drink of water prior to either method so your throats won’t be so dry. It helps to hold your breath and focus on something like a looking at a magazine or reading an article. As someone who gags easily at different tastes and textures, especially kratom lol, I promise the more you do either method, the easier it gets. You might also join a kratom group on Facebook (NACU kratom, New and Current Users Kratom is a large one) and ask for other suggestions.
I keep a little bottle of juice to shake it in, like you get at convenience store. Orange juice seems to work best.
You can mix it in applesauce or there are recipes for like smoothies.
Reddit has a lot of good info.
Go to a health food store and buy the 00 size empty capsules and put the kratom in a bowl to make it easy to manually fill. You can also buy the small machines that the capsules fit in to easily fill. I take 8 of them for my dose a morning. My wife takes 6 to start her day.
I mix it with my hot coffee it completely dissolves and then i add cpl spoonfuls of sugar makes the taste way better then add some cold water and chug it works great
What I do is put desired amount and type in a very small jar with small amount of water and shake it up. Plus it doesn’t get on my teeth as bad:)
My method is super easy: get your dose ready; I use a 1/2 teaspoon measure because any more than that is harder to swallow, and the very rounded shape means it doesn’t spill out like a standard spoon would.
So, you get your dose ready, take a little sip of whatever liquid you prefer, tip your head back and dump the whole teaspoon in onto the liquid you are holding in your mouth, and then take a nice swig of liquid to wash it all down like you would a pill.
It took me a few tries to get this right, but now it’s just instinct practically. The powder never touches your tongue or the roof of your mouth or anything, all you taste is the liquid you swallowed. 🙂 I think it works because the little clump of powder floats on top of the first sip of liquid, so it gets washed away effortlessly.
Since I like sour things I’ve found a teaspoon of kratom in a plastic cup with about a tablespoon of frozen lemonade, mix with a fork and maybe another tablespoon or so of water after the kratom and lemonade are mixed good and doesn’t taste bad at all! Been doing it that way for a couple of years!
Dr. Feelgood,
you are incorrect. Oxycodone, Oxycontin, Hydrocodone, Dilaudid, etc… are all synthetic versions of opium, either stronger or weaker. Synthetic meaning, they are not natural but created in a lab. Poppy plants are not used in the making of these painkillers.
Partially correct, andy. The painkillers you mentioned are semi-synthetic but they also include an ingredient that comes from the poppy plant & is an opiod. So they contain opiates as the basis for the synthetic manipulation that gives the opiate a stronger effect while using less of the opiate componant. So still an opiate. You’ll commonly see the words semi-synthetic in marketing materials.
Sorry, but that is not true. Semi-synthetic indicates that they are created by using specific ingredients derived from the poppy plant and then chemically altered, usually quite simply to achieve a new drug. Poppies contain more than just morphine to include thebaine, and other psychoactive substances. Fentanyl and its analogue are totally man made and infinitely more dangerous.
Opiates have been made chemically for years… Dude. Morphine and heroin… Laudinam too were made from poppy’s. The white opium poppy is illegal in the u. S. And all opiate pain meds are a chemical copy… Dude
What kratom are you using?
Dr feel good- what type do you use? And what brand or site? Would love your input on best strains and product! Thanks!!!
I get so much relief from Kratom. several strains..Now I find out the FEDS are looking to ban it completely! What BS, sure it helps people,keeps it’s users out of the doctor offices..it must be stopped. Yes, I’m more than a little upset. It’s been approved because of users writing about how great it is, but I’ve heard now that the FEDS are on it, it will be taken away, within a year. Has anyone else heard that? I’m in Cincinnati, OH and that’s what I hear at the smoke shop I go to, and it sucks.
Angela, I’m with you on that. I just discovered kratom in feb of this year. It has helped my Fibromyalgia symptoms better than any medication doctors have given me over the past 7 years. If the FDA really cared about our safety and wellbeing, they would run tests to prove or disprove the claims. Not simply say the claims are false and work to ban it. It just doesn’t fit their agenda. That’s sad.
Actually the Feds issued a letter of intent back in 2016 to make Kratom a schedule 1 substance but due to an overwhelming response from the public they withdrew the letter of intent last year. They are now in the process of laboratory testing Kratom to determine if it is dangerous or not. As far as I know it’s going to take a couple of years for them to draw their conclusions. If they were fixated on banning it they would have done so by now so don’t worry about it right now and go burn a few grams 🙂 Cheers!!
Yes. Illegal now in 4 States
My husband has back pain and has been on oxycodone for a while and would like to get off of it. What strain would be good for pain relief?
Red strains will be what you are looking for
Only if your also looking for a more sedative feel. Green or white maeng de is the best for a switch from opiates and pain.
In your opinion maybe but reds are the ones that are usually for pain. Always end with your opinion only otherwise it’s like you’re giving medical advice.
Red Sumatra 650 mg from Garner’s. Works wonders for me, but I need to take like 2-3 of them. Everyone is different though.
Hi Donna 🙂 For me anyway Green Maeng Da feels almost exactly like I’ve taken Percocet. When I first started taking Kratom a couple of months ago 5 grams felt like 20mg of Percocet. Now it takes about 7 grams but I have been taking it almost every day since I started. Find a local smoke shop and try purchasing a small amount to try. The local shop near me charges $20 for a 1oz bag of capsules that are 1\2 gram each. 10 caps would be 5 grams and that would likely be a good first dose to try. Dosage amount varies from person to person so you’ll have to experiment to find his sweet spot dose.
Opiates have been made chemically for years… Dude. Morphine and heroin… Laudinam too were made from poppy’s. The white opium poppy is illegal in the u. S. And all opiate pain meds are a chemical copy… Dude
Red Bali is what I use and I take 8g per dose I mix in the bottom of a coffee cup with a little HOT water and make a paste so it doesn’t sit on the juice..then pour in about 3 oz of grapefruit juice I read mixing with grapefruit juice is the best catalyst for pain relief ..I was on norcos for years and quit taking and using Kratom with better results than the norco also absolutely no withdrawal from the opiates ..I order the powder from top extracts
Andy, you took the words out of my mouth. That is why say I am allergic to Tylenol 3 but can take Vicodin. One is synthetic and the other is derived from the poppy. Years ago before the synthetics all opiates were derived from Opium/Poppies but nowadays most are cooked up in a lab.
Which strain is better for weight loss and pain?
Hoping someone can guide me a little bit. Quick scope of my general problems: fatigue, lack of motivation, neck and back pain, short attention span, small bouts of depression, insomnia, low appetite, low sex drive.
I’m afraid to try kratom for a couple reasons. One being what I’ve heard about a “hangover” effect after using. I don’t want to feel like shit on days I don’t take it. Additionally, I don’t want to NEED to take it every day just to avoid that, as I build a tolerance to things quickly, and have an addictive personality. Also as I mentioned, my appetite is rather low, and I’m worried taking an energetic kratom strain will make me not eat at all.
However, I need some help, some relief. I’ve done a lot over the past 8 years to help my symptoms and I’ve made a lot of progress, but there are just some things that are tricky. It also doesn’t help that my current insurance doesn’t cover mental health costs if I so chose to return to therapy or medication. Nor does it cover physical therapy which was going to be my plan to help my neck and back.
I guess what I’m asking is, how risky is it to take kratom and what strain would be best for my issues?
Energetic really is not energenetic. It’s just a little picker upper. Remember to start small doses.
what site is good to order from
Green Maeng DA is the strain I like best. I find it the most similar feeling to traditional pain meds. It helps with my back pain tremendously. I have to take it on an empty stomach for best results but once it kicks in I have no problem with appetite an hour or so later. At first, eating something did make me a little nauseous but I quickly got used to it but now I can scarf a pizza once it kicks in. Pepto tablets helped immensely in the beginning if I took a little to much and started feeling a little queezy. As far as addiction goes I am a recovering addict and I have had no problems with craving it when I don’t need it whatsoever. I was actually surprised at this because it does feel great when I take it but for some reason I just don’t feel compelled to take it more than I need to. It also seems to have antidepressant properties as well. I have found that my overall mood has elevated even when I am not taking it that day. Kratom really has changed my life for the better. I can’t say enough good things about it..
I am a recovering ov heroine addict what strain what kratam specialist recommend I use to simulate the effects of opiates. I say that bc I know myself and if it doesn’t feel like opiates I will relapse And I really don’t want to. Do I guess what strain feels the most like opiates until I can get my life under control.
Try red Bali my freind I was on Suboxone along with many other things and all I use now is kratom red Bali really helpd alot
Oh my goodness!! I’m trying to get OFF of the evil suboxone!! This is GREAT to hear!! So Red Bali. What about Ultra Enhanced Indo and Red Vein Thai??
Red Bali is the most like opiates
Cheers!
Not necessarily. I have tried the reds and the greens and so far the Green Maeng DA is my favourite and feels the most like Percocet IMO. Many places will sell a sampler kit for you to try different kinds. I have talked to many people who tried different strains and opinions definitely vary. Red strains will be more sedating if you like the nods but for the overall euphoric effect that is most similar to heroin or Suboxone I saw grab some Green Maeng DA and scarf about 5-7 grams…
Get either red vein or red horn.
Those are what work for me.
Best wishes on recovery!!
Ashleigh Anne Weaver it may sound like a lot to go through but if you’re in pain it would be well worth it to drive to either of the bordering states of Louisiana or Missouri as kratom is legal in both those states.
What’s the best type Kratomis best for coming of methadone
Red Bali kratom is most similar to opiates;
witch site is best to order from
Hi there, thank you for the great information. I did
have a question though I think you might be able to help me with.
I was wondering, What are less known alternative treatments for breast cancer (aside from the standard treatment procedures)?
If you could provide a little insight I would greatly appreciate it!
hi. settling in for subutex withdrawals after long 1 and a half year opiate addiction from doing everything i could get my hands on just to keep from getting sick.(opiate addiction started from lower back injury from work and started using to be able to function at my job better(requires heavy percise lifting everyday)) been struggling to sober up now for 6 months and becomming desperate. i refuse to look for more opiates im done. have had nothing for 36 hours now and had a long night last night not being able to sleep and kicking hard even after taking 8-500mg capsules of red vein maeng da blend. could not sleep all night but was not in pain like normal. any suggestions? was jittery all night and felt enormous amounts of energy in chest while trying to sleep. should i try a different strand? i have always had anxiety and trouble sleeping and while withdrawing i have always too much energy and am unable to sleep.any strains/dosages that are able to combat the inability to fall asleep/calm down/stop the hot flashes and heavy kicking when ready to go to bed?
I’m so sorry to hear this!! I’m about to be in the boat right next to you. I’m preparing for Suboxone detox. I’m almost positive I’ll get Red Bali…my research shows that is THE BEST for our situations. However, I am also curious about Red Vein Thai and Ultra Enhanced Indo.
Waiting for answers with you my friend.
Oh wait, lol, just saw date you posted! What did you try?
Partially correct, andy. The painkillers you mentioned are semi-synthetic but they also include an ingredient that comes from the poppy plant & is an opiod. So they contain opiates as the basis for the synthetic manipulation that gives the opiate a stronger effect while using less of the opiate componant. So still an opiate. You’ll commonly see the words semi-synthetic in marketing materials.