If youâre interested in whether or not Kratom might come up during your next drug screening, letâs start with a few clarifications. The phrase âKratom drug testâ is misleading to begin with because Kratom is not actually an artificial drug. Furthermore, Kratom is perfectly legal throughout most states in the US, so thereâs no reason for it to be included in a drug test.
However, the natural herb remains a controversial topic in some regions. For places around the world where Kratom is currently banned, tests were created to detect residues of it in human blood. In what follows, I go through everything you need to know about these tests and whether you should worry about them.
Kratom Drug Test: Does It Even Exist?
Kratom is not included in any of the standard 5-panel drug tests like SAMHSA-5 or NIDA-5, nor will it show up in any 10- or 20-panel test. If you live in a state where Kratom is legal, it is highly unlikely that it will come up during a drug screening simply because itâs not looked for.
However, some laboratories have developed tests that screen specifically for the most important alkaloid in Kratom, mitragynine, and its residues. If you are subjected to one of these tests, it is very likely that Kratom consumption will show.
In addition, you are not usually told what type of test is during a drug screening. As such, if you live and/or work in a region where Kratom is banned, you wonât know whether youâre subjected to a typical 5-panel test or to one designed specifically for the herb. So far, this is what you have to look out for:
- Blood Tests. A blood test has been developed to detect not only if you consumed Kratom, but also how much of it you took. However, most companies see blood tests as invasive, so the latter are rarely used to screen employees.
- Urine Tests. Mitragynine, the alkaloid found in Kratom that is responsible for its analgesic and mood-enhancing benefits, can be detected in a urine test specifically designed to screen for Kratom use.
- Saliva Tests. Theoretically, it is possible to detect Kratom metabolites (residues of Kratom use) through a saliva test. However, there is no evidence that such a test has been developed so far.
- Hair Tests. At present, there is no reason to believe that Kratom metabolites could be detected in hair follicles. While it is possible that a better hair test will be designed in the future, none has been developed thus far.
Things to consider: Although some specific Kratom âdrug testsâ are currently being sold by laboratories, no typical test can detect residues of the herb in your blood. However, some frequent consumers have reported that taking Kratom before a test resulted in a false positive for methadone. The latter can show up in any 10-panel drug test.
How Do You Pass a Kratom Drug Test?
Kratom drug tests are designed to look for the alkaloid mitragynine and any of its residues. The term âelimination half-lifeâ is used to describe the amount of time it takes for the plasma concentration of a certain substance to be reduced by half.
In the case of Kratom, some studies have shown the elimination half-life of mitragynine to be between 4 and 10 hours, with one study going as far as 24 hours. However, there is too little research to confirm these results at this point in time. In addition, several factors can lengthen the elimination half-life for Kratom. These include:
- Different Kratom Strains. Some varieties of Kratom are stronger than others, which means that their effects last longer and that they can be detected in a test for a longer period of time after use. The most potent strains include Maeng Da, Horn, Borneo, Vietnam, and Bali Kratom.
- The Method of Use. The way you take Kratom can influence how long mitragynine stays in your body. For example, chewing fresh leaves or drinking Kratom tea is likely to shorten the elimination half-life, while the toss-and-wash method will lengthen it.
- Individual Factors. Your health, age, and weight can all influence how quickly your body processes and eliminates Kratom. If you are lean and athletic, for instance, mitragynine will likely be eliminated faster.
- The Type of Test. Blood tests are more exact and, as such, more likely to detect Kratom metabolites for a longer period of time compared to urine tests.
At the end of the day, the one thing we know for sure is that more evidence is needed to determine exactly how long Kratom stays in the human body. Still, there are a few things you can do to reduce the likelihood that Kratom shows up on a specific test.
Pro Tip 1: Mixing Kratom with other substances is not only dangerous, but can influence the results of a drug test. Alcohol, for example, slows your bodyâs metabolism and allows mitragynine to stay in your system for a longer period of time.
Pro Tip 2: Drinking water is a good way to promote the elimination of all types of foreign substances from your body. This is especially the case with Kratom, which can cause dehydration and constipation if taken in large doses.
Pro Tip 3: The one way to make sure that you pass a drug test specifically designed for Kratom is to abstain from taking the herb for at least one week. If you donât know when you will be tested, it might be a good idea to quit altogether.
Only One Sure Way to Pass the Kratom Drug Test
If you live in a state where Kratom is legal, you donât have to worry about drug screening. It is extremely unlikely that you will be subjected to a Kratom drug test and all other 5-, 10-, or 20-panel tests will not detect this herb or any of its residues.
If, on the other hand, you live or work in a region where Kratom is banned, it is possible that you will be tested specifically for Kratom use and that the screening will pick up the mitragynine in your blood or urine. In this case, there is only one sure-fire way to pass the test and that is to avoid the herb altogether.
DISCLAIMER: The content on this page is for entertainment purposes only and is not intended to offer medical or professional advice. This content has not been reviewed by a medical professional. For more information about kratom, please visit the FDAâs website.
If taken within a few hours before a drug test, YES! Kratom will show up on an instant result drug test. Mine showed up as methadone 2 hours after last dose.
Wow! I had no idea Kratom could show up as Methadone on a drug test.
Thanks for sharing your experiences.
@Tyler was it a urine test?
Because I take a U/A 2 times a month and I have never had this happen.
Tyler is lieing
i had a false positive for propoxyphene (darvocet) but they knew it was a false positive because the fda banned darvocet at least 15 years ago
What does that have anything to do with Kratom??
I’ve had it give me false positives for both fentanyl and methadone several times. I was using a liquid extract when I tested for both. But I always get a false positive for fent on EIA’s
So far kratom has never caused a false positive that appears to be methadone. ( so far).
I don’t live where it is illegal, but, some pain management doctors don’t approve and do test for it.
I totally agree. Kratom was a miracle plant that I took daily and I got off pills. After making it illegal in some places I ended up taking opioids again, got addicted and now on Methadon. I wish it was legal! I NEVER had a problem with Kratom. Kratom improved my sense of well-being, made my life much better and productive. Government control is the Devil trying to look like they are doing us a favor! If they made it legal in all 50 states, our epidemic would drop! Many people such as myself would be doing well and off this liquid handcuff methadon!!
Actually Joe, it sounds like you did have a problem with Kratom. You just swapped out one addiction for another. I hope you find help for that.
BTW, the government isn’t evil in this case – they just don’t want to legalize another addictive chemical compound That’s why more research needs to be done.
I don’t use Kratom every day – only when I get a flare-up. So far, it’s helped a lot ..
A bit judgemental about it don’t you think? Just because it’s not a daily thing for you, surely doesn’t make you able to throw stones. Needs differ. Duh
I have to take a oral swab test Thursday. The companies website says it tests for âsynthetic Kratomâ which I donât know if thatâs a different kind of if theyâre referring to what I take. Has any of this information changed? Can they test orally now? Thanks!
Does anyone know if they can test for kratom orally?
My pain management clinic started sending off urine to test for Kratom even tho it isnât illegal in my state. I tested positive for Kratom 17days after my last dose. The test showed âtrace levelsâ.
You shouldn’t need your pain clinic when using kratom, which in my experience works better than opioids (see my comment below). At least for me kratom works better than methadone, which I’d been on for over 20 years, after a lifetime of opioid addiction/dependence.
How many grams per day were you taking and for how long?
I see people are testing positive for methadone, which leads me to believe they are methadone clinic patients. I was on methadone for over 20 years, after a lifetime of opioid abuse, and some alcohol abuse in between my addiction to opioids. The pain clinic went out of business, and I knew from previous experience the horrible consequences of getting methadone at a clinic for addicts, where the employees are often (usually?) control freak psychopaths. I went in to pickup my last prescription of methadone, because it was 30 days from the previous prescription being filled, which is lawful and legal. Unfortunately, the doctor calculated wrong, and the date was for the next day. So there I was out of methadone, after just taking a horrible fall, and breaking my shoulder, which caused excruciating pain. I was in so much pain and withdrawal syndrome, that heroin seemed like the only solution, but then I remembered kratom supposedly works. I went straight to the herb shop, and got some red Bali, which to my amazement not only eased the pain, but totally got rid of the withdrawal syndrome. The next day I filled the methadone prescription, but still have some left six months later, because kratom works BETTER than methadone for pain and withdrawal. I also get a mild endorphin high, which never happened with methadone, so it satisfies the addict in me, BUT taking too much causes negative side-effects. I learned to take the right amount, which is about 10 grams four times every day, about five hours apart. I have no negative side effects taking it that way, and will likely continue the rest of my life. I had an operation after birth in 1955, an esophageal atresia, and was medicated with an opiate the first few days of life in the incubator. That likely damaged my pituitary gland, because even the mother taking an opate as an epidural can cause damage to the baby’s pituitary gland, making them prone to opiate addiction later in life. I never felt “normal” without opiates, and while methadone saved my life from heroin and hydrocodone addiction, getting it was become problematic and expensive. Kratom costs about $150 per kilo, which lasts me about a month, so $5 daily. Kratom is a godsend for me, giving me my life back, and now I can get out of the city, which I hate living in. Medicinal cannabis potentiates opioids, including kratom, and I’ve used medicinal cannabis most of my life too. I want a self-sustaining life without needing money, which I’ll be able to do now, thanks to Kratom!
Damn dude long ass speech. I like kratom too I had a false positive for fentanyl and benzos with it though
Weâre you currently taking kratom at the time ?
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âDamn dude. Long ass speechâ
I am dead đ€Ł
Me as well
Was the lab able to determine it was a false positive
i want to add that i have had several drug tests and never shown positive for kratom or anything else
Thanks for sharing your experience. I don’t mind reading in depth things so a “long *** speech” is just an in depth take on the subject and not a bad thing. I’m glad you’ve gotten your life back.
I have had many lab drug tests and have never had a false positive with kratom even burning directly before the test and after being a daily user for years
I failed for kratom 500 ng/ml for 47 days. In my body the half life is more like 40 hours not 24. All the articles and comments I have been reading say it takes a week mine took almost 7 weeks to test under 500 some tests are even 300 ng so I would stay fail at 50 days plus. Does anyone know what the MAT clinic cut off is for sure thatâs the suboxone clinic please write me if you see this
I was testing weekly for a drug program, I took a few grams a couple days in a row and it showed up for over 2 weeks
To test for kratom is exp, most test dont show it, i take them all the time through work and reg use extracts and caps everyday and nothing shows, wouldnt worry about it and its a 12 panel, yall are good.
I’ve been taking it for 6 yrs. Never failed a drug test- hair test, urinalysis, psychiatrist, police test at a hospital due to a minor infraction đ
I’m tested via urine analysis for opiates and opioids (this includes pain pills and methadone), and always test negative, if that helps anyone. My doctor doesn’t use a specific kratom panel. Most places don’t test for it specifically. Usually that would be done if in pain management, where they know if you even took some over the counter cold meds lol.
what states have banned Kratom? We live in New Jersey.
I took a 16 panel drug test yesterday after taking Kratom yellow and red 7 hours before all 16 we’re negative…