Month: January 2020

Will Kratom Cause a Positive Drug Test? Updated January 6, 2020 Your Guide Briana Michelle Currently, no standard drug test will detect kratom or its alkaloids, nor is there any significant risk that kratom will cause a false positive for opiates or other drugs. Further, kratom has a relatively short half-life, which means that abstaining even for a few days should be enough to avoid detection in the unlikely event standard drug tests begin to look for kratom. Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on pinterest Share on reddit Share on email Did you recently receive a new job offer and are now wondering if kratom might cause you to fail your mandatory drug screening? Or do you work in an industry like transportation or security and worry whether kratom might cause a positive result on your next random drug test?In short, you have very little to worry about. To understand why, read on!Is There Any Test for Kratom Specifically?With kratom becoming increasingly popular and used for everything from pain relief to a daily boost of energy (see this article on the best kratom for energy), many users are wondering if they may unwittingly fail a drug test.It is in theory possible to test for kratom (or more accurately, it’s alkaloids like mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine), but there is no commercially-available test that actually does. Kratom certainly will not appear on five panel tests like the SAMHSA-5 or NIDA 5, which test for cannabinoids, cocaine, amphetamines, opiates and PCP.Kratom also will not appear on any commonly-used nine or 10-panel tests, which in addition to the substances listed above, also test for things like barbiturates, benzodiazepines, buprenorphine, methadone and oxycodone – but not kratom or its alkaloids.Can Kratom Cause a False Positive for Opiates?It’s also clear that kratom will not cause a false positive for opiates. Though kratom acts on the same opioid receptors in the brain as traditional opiates, kratom has an entirely different chemical structure and will not be confused for an opiate.How Long Does Kratom Stay in Your SystemKratom is well known for its fast-acting – and relatively short-lived – effects. In fact, you will typically feel kratom’s effects within 15 minutes of taking it, and depending on the strain, it’s effects generally last only 2-8 hours. Kratom’s fleeting effects might lead you to believe that it will not stay in your system for very long, and you’d be right! Kratom’s primary alkaloids have a half-life of approximately 24 hours, meaning that within 24 hours of consuming kratom, 50% of it will be out of your system. Within another 24 hours, 50% of that amount will be out of your system, and so on. Ultimately, it will take approximately five days for kratom to be completely out of your system (trust us on the math).What Influences How Long Kratom Stays in Your SystemThere are a number of factors that influence how long kratom stays in your body, including:Age: In general, the older you are, the longer it will take your body to clear kratom and its alkaloids. This is primarily the result of decreased renal function, less physical activity and the likely presence of other medications.Body Fat: Kratom’s alkaloids are fat soluble, meaning that its metabolites are more likely to be stored and retained in people with higher body fat.Genetics: Much like metabolism, pure genetics will determine in part how fast your body gets rid of kratom.Food and Water Intake: Taking kratom with high-fat meals causes quicker absorption, and therefore (slightly) quicker elimination, all else being equal. And staying well hydrated can help you flush out kratom more quickly than if you were dehydrated.Other Drugs and Medications: The presence of other drugs and medications will tend to slow down elimination of kratom from your body because it is busy processing these other substances.