How Long Does Kratom Stay in Your System for and Can Kratom Cause You to Fail a Drug Test?

Kratom has long been used in Southeast Asia, where it originates from. The dried up leaves of a unique evergreen tree related to the coffee plant, kratom is filled with alkaloids that can offer all kinds of valuable properties, and it can be intoxicating. In fact, now that it’s making its way to the U.S. market, people are unsurprisingly wondering if it can cause a failed drug test result – especially since people do compare its effects to those of opiates quite frequently.

How Long Does Kratom Stay in the System?

Before discuss drug-testing, we have to talk about how long kratom actually stays in the system, in detectable amounts. Basically, in most cases, traces of kratom will be totally cleared by the system within no more than 9 days after your last dose, and that depends on a few factors, like the size of your last dosage, how frequently you were taking it before, and your tolerance to kratom.

Speaking of having a “tolerance to kratom”, this can develop when it's used regularly. Meaning, that over time, a person might need to consume larger doses to achieve the same effects that they initially experienced with smaller doses. Tolerance is a common phenomenon with a vast array of substances that affect the brain, particularly those acting on the body's opioid receptors.

If you do decide to stop taking it, instead of stopping abruptly, you might consider gradually reducing your Kratom intake. This can help minimize withdrawal symptoms.

Does Kratom Bioavailability Determine How Long It Stays in Your System For?

Kratom’s bioavailability, which refers to the extent and rate at which its active compounds are absorbed and become available in the bloodstream, can vary significantly.

This variation is due to several factors:

1. Form of Consumption: Kratom can be ingested in numerous product forms/delivery methods, i.e., capsules, powder, tea, gummies, etc. Each form/delivery method might have a different rate and extent of absorption in the body.
2. Alkaloid Content: Since kratom contains several alkaloids, with Mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine being the most prominent, the bioavailability of these alkaloids can differ, influencing the overall bioavailability of kratom.
3. Metabolism: Individual differences in metabolism can affect how kratom is processed in the body, thereby impacting its bioavailability.
4. Food and Drink Interactions: Consuming kratom with food or certain beverages may alter its absorption.
5. Dosage: The amount of kratom taken can also influence its bioavailability. Higher doses might not proportionally increase the concentration of active compounds in the bloodstream due to saturation of absorption mechanisms.
6. Quality and Strain of Kratom: The quality and specific strain of kratom can affect the concentration of active compounds, thus impacting bioavailability.
7. Route of Administration: Whether kratom is ingested orally, smoked, or used in some other way can significantly impact its bioavailability.

What Kinds of Drug Tests are Used in the United States for Substances?

Now, before we actually talk about whether or not a drug test can pick up kratom usage, let’s take a look at the most frequently used types of drug tests in the United States.

• Urine Test: Urine tests are by far the most common type of drug test in the United States, and almost all employers use this type of test when testing employees for drugs. Urine tests can show evidence of drug use roughly 2-60 days after the last dose, depending on the amount that’s in the body. They’re dependable, inexpensive, and have a fast turnaround time, making them a highly efficient means for drug-testing.
• Saliva Test: A saliva test can determine whether or not certain drugs were taken within the last 10 hours. And, they’re far more commonly used by law enforcement officers than anyone else, basically to inform them whether or not a person may be intoxicated at the time of the test.
• Hair Test: Hair tests usually show evidence of drug use within the last 90 days. However, hair tests aren’t a popular choice for employment, due to them being expensive and having a long turnaround time, not to mention somewhat unreliable, and negated if the person cuts or dyes their hair.
• Blood Test: A blood test only shows if someone is currently high on a substance, as for a person to be intoxicated, they must have the substance in their bloodstream.
• Sweat Test: A sweat test is rarely used for drug-testing, and more associated with clinical trials, because it’s quite invasive, involving a person attaching an adhesive patch to their skin for 2 weeks, which collects a sample of their perspiration.

Does Kratom Show Up on a Drug Test?

Interestingly, there is no drug test for kratom, as it’s simply so new to the market that drug test manufacturers haven’t developed a way to test for it. Standard drug tests are looking for the following:

• Cannabis
• Cocaine
• Opiates
• Amphetamines
• PCP

And, in some cases, more advanced tests, which are less common, also look for:

• Benzodiazepines
• MDMA
• Methadone
• Barbiturates
• Alcohol
• Propoxyphene
• Methaqualone

As you can see, drug tests do not look for kratom, so you don’t have to worry about that. However, kratom does work on opioid receptors in the brain, like opiate drugs, as we mentioned earlier. So, could that trigger a false positive? Luckily, the answer is no. While there may have been 1 or 2 cases of a false positive, it can’t even be proven that it was the fault of the kratom, as other substances and circumstances can cause someone to falsely test positive for opioids. Basically, what this means is, if you’re someone who is drug-tested regularly, then you’re in the clear.

Will There Be a Drug Test for Kratom in the Future?

So, here’s the thing: the more popular kratom becomes in the United States, the more likely it is that eventually, manufacturers of drug tests will find a way to detect kratom in the system – particularly through urine-testing, which is the most common method of drug-testing in the country. What this means is, if you’re a regular kratom user, you will need to stay on top of this, and also keep an eye out for changes in drug-testing protocol, especially as it pertains to your employment.

Other variables that could influence kratom drug testing in the future are:

1. Regulatory Changes: The legal status and regulatory approach to kratom vary by state, although kratom is federally legal and can change over time. For example, in a handful of states, is banned, while in a good majority of other states, it’s regulated (mildly or heavily). This all means that down the line, it could potentially lead to the development of more routine testing methods if the substance is deemed to be of significant concern.
2. Emerging Research: As research into kratom's potential side-effects continues, this could influence whether drug tests for kratom become more common. If kratom is linked to significant health risks or abuse potential, there may be more incentive to develop and implement testing.
3. Technological Advances: Advances in drug testing technology may make it easier and more cost-effective to test for a broader range of substances, including kratom.
4. Employer Policies: Individual employers have discretion in what substances they choose to test for, depending on the nature of the work and the employer's policies.
5. Legal Precedents: Legal cases involving kratom use and its implications (such as impairment at work or while driving) could set precedents that influence drug testing practices.

Good News: Kratom Won’t Get Picked Up on Drug Tests!

Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about failing a drug test as a kratom user – at least for now. And so, this applies to casual users as well as people who take kratom on a daily basis. You can go ahead then and keep on with your kratom routine, without worrying about getting any kind of harsh penalty should you get tested for drugs.