Kratom Guide: What is the Difference Between White, Red, Green, Yellow and Gold ?

I have been taking kratom for about 5 years. I worked in and partnered with an herb store that carried over a hundred organic herbs, and I have a BS in Biology/Chem. This is my experience and the experience of friends, this is not medical advice. I will reiterate several times: when trying any new herb always take a very small amount to see how it affects you. Dosages I’ve seen in chat rooms are often high, everyone is different, but even after years of use I still only take 2-4 caps. Kratom has been ingested for a VERY long time by humans and there have been no known cases of overdose from kratom alone, but it can make you feel kind of nauseous if you overdo it, so I just take the least amount needed to get the desired effect. This is good advice for anything from coffee, to sugar to alcohol. We need to talking about this. Creating a culture of healthy, honest conversations about how substances affect us is sorely needed in our society.

White Kratom : These are typically the most stimulating, although some golds and higher end greens may be close. I have found whites very useful with ADD and ADHD. Kratom is related to the coffee plant; it makes sense that the stimulating affect is helpful, since we medically treat ADD/ADHD with amphetamines. For me personally, prescriptions were too strong and affected my ability to think properly (after two weeks on Ritalin I was having a disconnect between words and the meanings. Scary stuff which I will elaborate on elsewhere) and long-term use of these prescriptions can have very severe effects both while on them or when you try and stop taking them. Whites also tend to have a mood boosting or mild euphoric effect. This is helpful for short term depression boost. I’m not sure the long term effects of kratom on depression, but long term use of stimulating substances usually adds to depression. I will dive into in another article on depression. People who suffer from chronic pain, or opiate addiction will often fare better with Red or Yellow strains, but whites have their place in these treatments also. Chronic pain is very wearing and finding a feeling of joy is rare. Also, pain meds often don’t really eliminate the pain, they sort of dull it and provide a good feeling to help you carry the pain more easily. In the long tunnel of chronic pain, feeling good for a few hours can be a very powerful respite. As with anything, overuse of kratom dulls the effect. Keeping your tolerance low by rotating strains and rotating in days with very low or no use, helps you to get the most days of relief in the long run. As for people with anxiety, they should try these sparingly until they know how they react, as certain types of anxiety are exacerbated by anything stimulating. I wouldn’t rule them out, because they are not quite the same feel as straight stimulants, but I would try smaller amounts or even mix with a red to get desired effect. White Indo and White Mang Da are two of the most stimulating. White Vietnam is really well-balanced feel good/energy. White Bali slightly less energy but still very happy feeling.

Golds : These are very similar to the whites, and I am only familiar with Gold Bali. It is slightly less stimulating than White Indo or White Mang Da, but a touch more so than White Vietnam. A very nice addition to the above. Another way kratom has positively affected my life was in helping my boyfriend cut back his drinking drastically. He had undiagnosed ADD, pretty severe socially anxiety and back pain from a past surgery. He drank to feel good in his body both physically and mentally, and to allow him to relax enough to talk with other people when he was out. The golds and whites helped us tremendously, as we both Dj so going out events meant going to bars and clubs and being surround by alcohol. The white and gold strains helped with his pain and were stimulating enough to allow him to feel sociable without having to drink. I will do a more in-depth article about that journey, but it is worth a mention for those struggling as he was.

Greens: These are the in-betweeners , and can vary from quite stimulating (Green Mang Da) to very mellowing (Green Malaysian). These are great not only for the connoisseur but to help someone who takes kratom more regularly rotate strains and maintain desired effects. Most greens have a subtle well-balanced feel, while still providing the focusing qualities of a white. People who find reds too heavy or whites too stimulating often find a favorite green strain. Since there are so many green “strains’, this will be the most nuanced category. Green hulu and green plantation are very mellow, and great for people who find the stronger strains nauseating.

Reds : These are the strains that have been garnering the most attention and debate. Red kratom has a very powerful pain-relieving effect. It is also very calming and can provide relief for people with both acute and chronic anxiety. For an acute panic attack, adding a little blue lotus or kava can be fast way to help stop the runaway train and give you some relief. Although related to the coffee plant and containing NO opiates, people have found that they can rotate kratom in to help manage their pain and keep their opiate use down, or to help stop opiate use completely if that’s where they’re at. The amount of kratom needed will vary by person, and those who have been taking opiates for a while will find that their tolerance to kratom is similarly high. The biggest upside to using kratom instead of opiates is that kratom is a stimulating herb, this means the slowing down of the respiratory system that is the cause of opiate overdoses is not possible with kratom. That also means that there is no ‘nodding out’ while taking kratom, which means you are better able to function daily. Anyone who has experienced first or second hand the effects of opiate addiction, or any addiction for that matter, knows it is impossible to take steps to change your life and when you are not present. Even though kratom is calming, it is not a heavy sedative like Xanax or opiate pain meds, and this is a huge plus. I have found that people who have depression do better with white or green strains, as these are more uplifting, but since many people with chronic pain suffer from depression, I would recommend trying the reds for pain relief and adding some whites once and a while to give a mood boost.

Yellows: Yellow kratom strains share properties most similar to red strains and have really balanced feel to them. Yellow Sumatra is in fact just the Mang Da leaf that uses a more labor intensive drying method. This gives it a distinct subtleness that kratom connoisseurs love. Yellows are not quite as ‘heavy’ as some of the reds, without being too stimulating like some whites and greens. This is nice strain to find relief from chronic anxiety, or to relax after a long day. I’ve found kratom is an excellent substitute to using alcohol to unwind, providing a feel-good option that doesn’t have the behavior or personality changes associated with alcohol.

I am a HUGE advocate for kratom, and I want people to feel as good as they can in their bodies. I will be having more candid discussions about this and many other herbs. I hope you join me! – Kilbride