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5 Best Kratom Strains for ADHD

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5 Best Kratom Strains for ADHD

Because attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is becoming more common in American adults, many people are turning to kratom, an alternative, natural solution booming in popularity for numerous health conditions.

If you’re confused about where to start or about a variety of strains and products out there, you are in the right place!

In this review, I will share with you my five top kratom strains for ADHD, explain how and why kratom works, and compare it with more recognized ADHD treatments. 

1. Green Bali Kratom

Green strains balance out the energizing and calming effects of kratom beautifully.

This Indonesian gem works well at any time of day, promoting mental clarity and an underlying sense of calm – the perfect combo for tackling ADHD.

Green Bali produces milder stimulation than white leaf strains, preventing any overwhelming effects.

Its focus-enhancing effects are great for maintaining attention over several hours, boosting creativity, and improving overall productivity.

2. White Malay Kratom

White Malay rises to the task when you need that extra kick. A classic white kratom, this Malaysian strain boasts impressive energizing properties while offering some relaxation in larger doses.

White Malay is like a super-charged coffee, with more benefits for concentration than caffeine and fewer jittery side effects.

I suggest using White Malay in the first half of the day, as the stimulation lasts for several hours. Stick with green strains for late-in-the-day use.

3. White Horn Kratom

White Horn is another excellent white vein offering sure to give you control over your ADHD.

This kratom is all about elevating focus and sharpening mental clarity while keeping anxiety to a minimum.

Many also find White Horn boosts mood, making it an ideal strain if you are affected by depression.

If you find ADHD prevents you from studying or causes reduced productivity at work, White Horn could make the difference.

4. Red Sumatra Kratom

Red leaf kratom is associated more with relaxation and euphoria than heightened concentration and clarity. But trust me – Red Sumatra Kratom bucks the trend.

Sure, it’s still primarily about pain and anxiety relief, but Sumatra is more energizing than its red counterparts. But you can still confidently use this kratom toward the end of the day – the sedative properties will help nicely with relaxation in the evenings.

Red Sumatra is a perfect strain if you don’t have a highly physical lifestyle. Its relaxing properties give you peace of mind, while its stimulating effects help manage your ADHD.

5. Green Maeng Da Kratom

I just had to feature a Maeng Da strain in this list. ‘Maeng Da’ translates to ‘pimp-grade’ – Thai slang for super-strength – and that it certainly is!

Green Maeng Da still offers that delightful mix of energy and calm; it just takes things up a notch.

Much like the other strains, Green Maeng Da is brilliant at keeping you focused and in the zone for many hours. Some also find it helps relieve social anxiety, an ailment that often affects people with ADHD.

Green Maeng Da will make you more confident in social situations without making you tired, as some kratom strains do!

Benefits of Using Kratom for ADHD

Benefits of Using Kratom

Kratom helps with many of the symptoms that people with ADHD struggle with daily. These include

  • Carelessness
  • Poor organization skills
  • Lack of attention to detail
  • Moving to new tasks before finishing old ones

Such symptoms can be pinned on poor focus and concentration.

Clear-headedness and mental clarity are common reasons for turning to kratom, even among those without ADHD.

The powerful mental boost provided by white strains significantly increases focus for up to five hours.

But as we have seen, green and red strains also have their place. Quelling anxiety is a top priority for people with ADHD, whether it’s generalized or social.

Green and red kratom’s soothing effect on the brain helps dampen anxiety without seriously compromising stimulation.

Why Does Kratom Help With ADHD

Kratom Formula

Scientific research is sorely lacking on kratom in general, and no studies have focused specifically on kratom and ADHD. But I have dived into the existing literature, and it does give us a few clues.

Firstly, it appears that kratom does work for ADHD! In 2018, the Journal of Addiction Medicine published a study that looked at why people are using kratom.

The researchers used data from an online survey. Among those with mental health conditions, a remarkable 60.3% of people who found “significant improvements” from taking kratom were using it to treat ADHD!

The study also revealed that kratom was more useful for mental health conditions than somatic health conditions.

From this, they concluded that compounds within kratom act on the central nervous system, which explains why it helps with ADHD.

Alkaloids are the crucial compounds in kratom. The plant produces more than 40 unique alkaloids, but mitragynine and 7-hydroxy mitragynine are the most important and abundant.

Researchers have their theories as to how these alkaloids may help with ADHD. It’s not clear if kratom’s alkaloids act in the same way as current ADHD treatments.

Interestingly, the alkaloids may act via GABA mechanisms, which play a role in anxiety regulation.

I’m just speculating, but if kratom does combat ADHD in its special way, this may be why it doesn’t trigger anxiety as Adderall and Vyvanse do.

Alkaloids like mitragynine work similarly to opiates. Compounds that act in this way are associated with stimulation, so it’s no surprise that kratom has such stimulating effects!

Best Kratom Dose for ADHD

Kratom Strain

Let’s get down to business! You’re ready to try kratom but aren’t sure where to start. That perfect dosage is tricky to find at first and will take a little trial and error.

First off, you want to make sure your doses are accurate. I suggest kratom capsules or investing in a measuring spoon or scales if using powder.

Not all ADHD is the same, and everyone is affected by kratom differently anyway. Numerous factors influence kratom’s effect, such as weight, age, and overall health.

This is why there’s no one-size-fits-all dosage. But here are some pointers for each type of kratom.

White kratom: Just 2 grams is enough to benefit from kratom’s famed focus and mental clarity. Upping the dosage to 4 grams or more will produce some relaxation to taper the energizing effects.

But moderate to high doses are still powerful. If you experience anxiety, stick to lower doses with white kratom.

Green kratom: Again, 2 grams is a nice introductory dosage with green strains. Moderate to high doses (4 to 7 grams) still keep that pleasant balance; the effects are just stronger.

Higher amounts could make you more physically relaxed, though there is a downside if seeking increased productivity.

Red kratom: Stick with low doses if using a red strain to combat ADHD! Red kratom is much more relaxing and only stimulatory in small quantities.

This should put you on the right track, and from there, you can forge your path! It will probably take a few tries to find the perfect strain and dose for you.

Persist with it, and keep some detailed notes on each kratom dose. Once you have an idea of how kratom affects your ADHD, you’ll be able to make fine adjustments to get the maximum benefit!

Side Effects Of Using Kratom for ADHD

Side Effects Of Using Kratom

Kratom’s opiate-style effects do pose a risk of addiction and dependence. The body does acquire tolerance to kratom over time, a potential problem if you prefer higher dosages.

Setting a maximum dose limit will help you keep control over your kratom usage. Withdrawal symptoms include:

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Flu symptoms

Anxiety remains a risk, even though many find kratom helps with their anxiety. This seems to vary from person to person, although potent white strains are most likely to aggravate symptoms.

Anxiety is something you’re probably desperate to avoid if you have ADHD. I recommend being careful with the dosage until you get more familiar with kratom.

When consumed in excessive doses, kratom is associated with more severe side effects in rare cases, with reports of:

  • Seizures
  • Coma
  • Death

This highlights the risks of abuse and why you should always be sensible with your dosages when using kratom for ADHD.

Unfortunately, the lack of kratom research means we’re still somewhat in the dark about its side effects. We have a good idea of the main ones, but online anecdotes hint at less common ones, such as jaundice.

But posts on Reddit are no substitute for cold, hard evidence when dealing with serious matters.

Kratom Vs. Adderall 

Kratom Strains for ADHD
Kratom ProsAdderall ProsKratom ConsAdderall Cons
Faster EffectsFDA ApprovedPricyMore Harmful
Less HarmfulInsurance PaysLess PotentCauses Anxiety
Removes AnxietyStronger EffectsNot FDA ApprovedLongterm Side Effects
Public Can BuyAll AgesIllegal in Some StatesNeed a Prescription to Buy
Easy to Regulate Dose
Taken in Many Forms
Comparing Kratom & Adderall

Adderall is a prescription medication for ADHD that many are trying to get away from. The drug can cause all kinds of side effects, including:

  • Diarrhea
  • Loss of appetite
  • Stomach pain
  • Insomnia
  • Headaches

It’s no wonder that people are turning to kratom in their droves!

A complaint I hear time and time again about Adderall is that it makes the user irritable. Even though Adderall is otherwise pretty good at managing ADHD symptoms, this side effect is severe enough to put people off it altogether.

As I have shown, kratom is not without risk of side effects, but many are finding it an effective, natural therapeutic. If Adderall is not working out for you, then maybe it’s time for a change.

We saw earlier how kratom is quite different from traditional ADHD treatments, so it’s certainly worth a try. Although admittedly, those differences make it difficult to do a strict comparison of the two.

But used sensibly, kratom is great at stopping anxiety in its tracks.

Of course, Adderall has one benefit: it’s an officially approved treatment. You always know what you’re getting, whereas the kratom industry is unregulated.

Kratom vs Vyvanse 

Kratom Strains for ADHD

Vyvanse is another prescription drug that is supposed to help with ADHD. Vyvanse has its fans and its detractors, which speaks to ADHD being a complex condition that doesn’t affect all sufferers in the same way.

Vyvanse isn’t without its problems. While some tolerate it well, Vyvanse’s side effects include restlessness, irritability, loss of appetite, dizziness, weight loss, dry mouth, headache, nervousness, and insomnia. Vyvanse is apparently designed to prevent abuse, but overdoses are still possible and can even be fatal.

If Vyvanse is making you restless and irritable, it could be time to experiment with kratom, which is generally beneficial for these symptoms.

Redditors have commented that Vyvanse can even affect personality, triggering mood swings and angry outbursts. That’s not something I’d want to risk. Kratom is more likely to make you euphoric than angry!

In summary, Vyvanse and kratom are still difficult to compare. While both may help with ADHD, they tackle the condition in separate ways.

Final thoughts

ADHD is a complex condition, and researchers still don’t understand it fully. If they did, I wouldn’t be here discussing possible treatments, as there would already be a clear answer!

Kratom is changing the conversation. People with ADHD who have battled with unsatisfying prescription drugs for years are ready to try something new.

Early research shows that kratom is more likely to help with ADHD than other mental health conditions. And despite the scare stories, the truth is that the vast majority of kratom users never experience any issues.

I hope this post has been informative and given you some clarity on kratom’s potential for ADHD. A quick reminder of my top five strains for ADHD: 1) Green Bali, 2) White Malay, 3) White Horn, 4) Red Sumatra Kratom, 5) Green Maeng Da.

FAQ

Can you mix kratom and Adderall?

I have personally taken kratom and Adderall at the same time without experiencing negative side effects. However, I am not a doctor, so you should talk to your primary care physician before consuming kratom.

Can you mix kratom and vyvanse?

I have read on online forums about people who have mixed the 2 without experiencing negative side effects, such as in this Reddit Forum here. However, I nor any of the people in the forum are licensed practitioners, so you should talk to your doctor prior to consuming kratom.

Will kratom trigger anxiety in the same manner as Adderall?

Kratom actually eliminates anxiety, whether it’s mental or physical tension.

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