The herb is popular for its psychotropic effects, though it’s also commonly used to treat common conditions, ease depression, and alleviate opium withdrawal symptoms. Interestingly, it can even work as a stimulant, being part of the coffee family.
Again, like coffee, kratom can be consumed as a beverage (in tea form). Aside from that though, you could take it as is (chewing the leaves raw), in pill form, and as vapor (usually done with vaping equipment).
Health Effects of Kratom
Kratom leaves mostly have mild stimulant-like effects when taken in small doses—and unlike caffeine, it won’t give you the jitters. It’s definitely of great help to people who always find themselves tired from their day-to-day activities.
When taken in moderate doses, kratom begins to work like an opioid, helping manage anxiety, diarrhea, and pain, all while having euphoric effects. Also, given how it interacts with the body’s opioid receptors, it can be used to reduce the severity of opiate withdrawal symptoms.
You’re probably wondering what the herb can do if taken at very large doses. Well, it can induce sedation and stupor, which may prove to be dangerous—and this is why even enthusiasts typically avoid taking too much of the herb.
Here are a few other side effects associated with taking excessive (or unnecessarily high) amounts of the kratom plant: itching, nausea, dry mouth, sweating, increased urination, seizure, constipation, hallucination, loss of appetite.
The Power of Alkaloids
How does kratom provide the benefits that made it so popular around the world? The answer lies in its alkaloid content—and while there are several dozens of those compounds present in each leaf, the most important ones are as follows:
7-hydroxymitragynine: considered more potent than mitragynine and even morphine when it comes to inducing opioid effects.
Paynantheine and Speciociliatine: these inhibit the function of certain muscle receptors, particularly those of the ileal smooth muscle.
Kratom Strains and Varieties
Kratom is available in different varieties, but it’s often classified into three main groups: Red Kratom strains, Green Kratom strains, and White Kratom strains. Next, we’re going to talk about the key characteristics of these major types of Kratom.
Towards the end of this article, you can also find a detailed table of all the different Kratom varieties and their effects depending on their vein color and location.
Red kratom, as you can tell from its name, is characterized by its red-colored veins and stem. Out of all the Kratom strains, it’s the most accessible on the market—and it’s also outselling both white and green vein varieties combined.
There’s belief that the reddish pigment found in red kratom improves their resistance to various environmental conditions. And that makes a lot of sense considering that the leaves are usually located on the topmost part of the tree.
The red strain is typically recommended for beginners. It gives a pleasant calming effect, relaxes the muscles, and relieves pain—making it a good choice for anyone who needs to rely on synthetic painkillers for prolonged periods.
There’s also the psychological effect of increased optimism and enhanced sense of wellbeing. Insomniacs may find it to be a worthwhile alternative to their sleep medication.
Green kratom comes from leaves found in the middle part of the kratom tree. It shares a lot of traits with white kratom, but some enthusiasts consider as something in between red and white vein varieties.
One of the main characteristics of the green kratom strain is its capacity to provide energy and a clear head. People who prefer this kind of kratom would surely agree that it helps enhance their alertness and improve their focus.
Of course, it can be taken as a pain reliever, like most other varieties of the herb. It’s the preferred choice of those who wish to feel relief from common body aches but cannot afford to feel drowsy.
As for green kratom’s psychological perks, it can be used to inhibit (or alleviate) social fears. Some note that they became less afraid and had less regard for the opinion of others simply by taking their usual dose.
Green kratom likewise gives a boost to sociability. You’re likely to become more carefree, cheerful, friendly, and talkative with this herb.
While green strains excel in providing a broad spectrum of effects, they’re generally less potent than their red and white counterparts. This isn’t necessarily bad, as they’re most suited for people who prefer a balance between the anesthetic effect of reds and the energizing nature of whites.
If you’re specifically looking for a potent stimulant, white kratom might just be the ideal choice. There are those who’ve completely replaced their morning coffee with this herb—after all, it works well in enhancing productivity, focus, alertness, stamina, and mood.
With that in mind, it should be obvious that white kratom is something that should only be taken at the day’s start. If taken at night, it may cause restlessness, which in turn could develop into insomnia.
Ways of Taking Kratom
Kratom leaves are usually sold as crushed dried leaves, and this confuses many first-timers. Well, there are actually three popular ways of taking the herb:
Direct Intake
This is done by ingesting the recommended dosage of kratom using a spoon and drinking enough water afterwards.
However, as simple as it may sound, this may be a bit difficult for some. Kratom powder is really dry and has the tendency to stick and may cause gagging.
In extreme cases, you could end up coughing out the powder. So, it’s recommended that the powder is taken little by little, coupled with a few gulps of water.
There’s also the option of preparing your own kratom capsules from either crushed leaves or kratom powder. This makes it easier to track your dosages, although it might become a bit of a hassle once you need to take relatively high amounts.
Despite these challenges, many claim that direct intake is the best option if potency is the priority.
Used as a Cooking Ingredient
Obviously, this is the tastiest way to take Kratom, especially given the herb’s rather unpleasant flavor. You’ll just have to mix the herb into food, though it’s arguably best to go for sweets like ice cream, pie, and sauce.
Consumed as Kratom Tea
Out of all the preparation methods, this seems to be the crowd favorite. The process isn’t that different from making other kinds of tea.
Simply boil the kratom in water, mixing occasionally to keep the leaves from clumping together. Let the drink cool for a few minutes—this also allows the leaves to settle at the bottom of the cup.
Sugar and other sweeteners can be used to improve the taste of the drink. Some people choose to combine their preferred tea with kratom for improved taste.
Note that only kratom leaves can be taken as tea. Kratom extract cannot be prepared using this method.
The alkaloids in the kratom extract are more prone to being broken down when prepared through this method. This, in turn, would lessen the potency of the herb.
Consider Nature’s Remedy
Humanity has long been turning to Mother Nature to cure sickness and attain well-being. And as it seems, kratom is among the Earth’s most potent solutions to various conditions.
Having the capacity to ease pain and lessen the impact of stress, aside from improving both energy and mood, kratom indeed proves that relief can be found in a leaf. Besides, there are so many kratom strains to choose from, making it easy to find one that’s ideal for the problems you’re having.
Below is a detailed table of all the different kinds of Kratom and their characteristics depending on vein color and location grown: