Kratom is an incredibly versatile plant. The reasons for supplementing with kratom are as varied and diverse as the consumers. The kratom tree’s leaves have been a staple of Southeast Asian folk medicine in regions like Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia for centuries.
Traditionally it has been used for pain relief but also as a means to stay energized for long, arduous work days. As a result, some varieties of kratom have become a popular productivity supplement.
One thing you will learn about kratom, however, is due to the fact that it is so diverse there is quite a range of possible benefits and effects that are related to the strain, region and vein color.
In this article, we will be covering five kratom strains for energy, motivation and productivity that are suited for use at work.
Many people who use kratom for pain, anxiety or help with sleep will opt for more sedating strains from regions like Bali and Borneo for instance.
Red veins are most suited to these needs, whereas if you’re on the job and looking for focus, motivation and stimulation you would want to go in another direction.
Luckily, kratom has a whole host of alkaloids responsible for its effects. There are between 40 and 80 active compounds, primarily alkaloids but also flavonoids and terpenes that have some sort of effect.
Not all kratom specimens will have the same ratio of active constituents, however, so depending on the ratio there can be a significant degree of variety in the subjective experience and benefits that various types of kratom have to offer.
How To Choose The Right Kratom Strain
With any supplement, it’s good to get to know how it affects you personally, as every supplement or medicine may have slightly different effects for different people for reasons related to genetics, lifestyle and other factors.
Part of the trick is learning what supplement (or in the case of kratom, which strain, region and vein color) will be the best option for what you’re trying to achieve at the moment.
There’s an old saying that “to a hammer, everything looks like a nail”, but once you get to know the different varieties of kratom and how they affect you, you’ll know which option to pull out of your personal plant medicine toolkit.
Even if you’re simply looking for a productivity strain, there are different things you might want to consider for different sorts of tasks.
In this article, we will sort five top kratom strains for productivity and compare how they affect various aspects that suit work such as energy and stimulation, mood-boosting potential, focus and motivation.
Factors to consider when choosing a strain to go beyond these above factors. Different types of kratom have different duration as well.
Not to mention kratom is dose dependent so, selecting the strain and vein color are just part of the equation. You should also make sure that you dose accordingly as kratom is highly dose-dependent, meaning it has different effects depending on the dosage taken.
For instance, as a general rule, smaller doses of kratom are more energizing and stimulating while larger doses tend to be more sedating and painkilling.
That said, all kratom varieties are not created equal so with certain highly stimulating white veins you might not end up with any major sedation at moderate or even some large dosage portions.
Kratom Dosage Suggestions
If you are new to kratom or sensitive to supplements and plant medicines, it is a good idea to start with a small to medium sized dosage. A low to medium dose could be anywhere between a gram to five grams depending on the quality of your kratom leaf powder, its freshness and your sensitivity.
Don’t forget, kratom is related to the coffee plant and, like the coffee plant’s popular alkaloid caffeine, can result in tolerance buildup when it is regularly used.
Your body seeks homeostasis, a sort of balance, so you may want to shift out the strains you use to prevent what some call “stale strain syndrome” which results in a diminishing effect with regular kratom intake of the same strain.
To enhance the effect of kratom you can take it on an empty stomach, but this may increase the potential for stomach upset which some people experience if they take excessive amounts.
Minimum effective dosing is a great trick to save on your expenses, prevent tolerance from building as fast and just as a general rule for any supplement or plant medicine. If you do plan on eating before, it is a clever idea to wait a 2 to 3 hours before you consume your kratom dose.
Kratom Strain And Vein Types For Energy, Motivation and Productivity
White vein strains are some of the most energizing, stimulating and mood-boosting kratom strains generally. Some green veins, depending on the region may also provide a great deal of energy, mood boost and help to fight the boredom of arduous and repetitive tasks.
Horned leaf varieties are also generally more energizing and mood-lifting in general. Thai strains are alkaloid rich and tend to be very mood lifting and energizing.
Maeng Da, also technically a Thai variety, happens to be a horned leaf. It is a favorite variety for several purposes including mood, energy, focus, motivation and analgesia (pain-killing). Sumatran region kratom is also known to be one of the most energizing kratom strains.
Kratom Productivity Effects
Kratom has many effects that benefit someone attempting to amp up their energy and productivity levels. Anecdotally it is said certain Indonesians and other Southeast Asians would chew fresh kratom leaves to deal with long days doing hard, physical labour.
Kratom can undoubtedly wake you up even more than a cup of coffee (its botanical cousin from the Rubiaceae family) if you have the right variety.
Kratom is also said to increase focus. Many have argued that it can improve concentration in a way similar to nootropics. The same has been said about its ability to develop motivation.
The pro-social enhancing benefits can be helpful if you are doing work that involves staying perky and in a positive mood. Some people, including some artists and writers, use kratom to improve their creativity as well.
Now we will discuss the effects of five of the top, most popular strains of kratom for getting a hard day’s work done with the maximum output.
Green Maeng Da Kratom
- One of the most popular strains, extremely potent
- Highly mood lifting, motivating, energizing and improves focus
- Equally suited to hard, physical labor, creative tasks or jobs that require deep thought and intellect.
Green Malay Kratom
- One of the longest lasting of all the kratom varieties. Effects may last up to five to 7 hours.
- Mild, but very mood boosting.
- Great for social tasks like sales, waiting tables, customer service or other jobs that require a perky mood and pleasant disposition.
- Not overly stimulating so an excellent choice for people who are excessively stimulant sensitive.
White Indo (Indonesian)
- Generally more sedating in the red and green vein.
- Very mood boosting, great for pain.
- A good choice for people who have mild to moderate pain issues that affect them during work.
- Stimulating and energizing without creating the jittery feeling that caffeine can cause.
Sumatran (White or Green Vein)
- Sumatran strains hail from the western region of the island of Sumatra.
- One of the most energizing of all regions.
- Choice between green or white vein will depend on how much stimulation you feel you need. Green veins offer a more balanced effect, less energizing, but all Sumatran strains are speedy.
- Long lasting so great for long work days.
- Mood lifting and motivating so equally good for hard labor or work that requires heavy social interaction.
Thai Horned Leaf (Green or White)
- One of the most stimulating and mood lifting kratom strains.
- Great for pain and also highly social enhancing.
- Horned leaf is even more energizing and mood lifting than the traditional Green or White Thai.
Some Final Tips On Using Kratom At Work For Focus, Motivation And Mood
Remember blending kratom strains is a terrific way to get more alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenes and other actives in the mix. If you find one of the strains on the list overly stimulating you might want to add a more sedating strain (like Borneo, Bali, Bentuangie or Hulu Kapuas) to mellow out the mix.
Kratom can also blend well with coffee or green tea for an added kick and a bit more focus. Unlike coffee, however, kratom tends to help with anxiety and offer energy and motivation without jangling the nerves like too much caffeine can.
Once again though, it is important to remember that different things will affect different people in different ways.
Always start small and work up when using a new vendor or strain until you know what you’re dealing with. It may take some experimenting to find out what works the best for you but if you stick with it, you may kiss unhealthy energy drinks goodbye forever.
