Kratom has long been used in place of opioids as a way to reduce pain and discomfort.
In recent years, its popularity as a prescription painkiller alternative soared as for many people, it eases opioid withdrawal and the symptoms that come with it but many want to know – will Kratom show on a drug test?
This is a great question – and one you should know the answer to if you have a drug test soon arriving.
If you used it or plan to and want to know how long Kratom stays in the body this is the guide for you!
Read as we cover the test detection window for this plant that is more popular now than ever before!
What is Kratom?
Native to Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia, this tropical tree has mood-enhancing compounds and pain-easing, anti-inflammatory properties. For centuries, it was used by our ancestors to treat pain and diarrhea but now, it is often used to relieve symptoms of opioid withdrawal.
How is Kratom taken, you ask? Some eat the leaves whole while others simply put them in brewed tea.
However, some buy Kratom powder or capsules as they are more convenient and can be had on the go.
This psychoactive plant is widely popular in the United States and abroad given its stimulating and pain-ridding ability. In fact, a study by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health showed nearly two million people used Kratom in 2021. This figure is higher than in prior years, but with so many taking it, more and more wonder if Kratom will show up on standard drug tests; let us waste no time and answer this below.
Note: Small doses of K can bring uplifting vibes while larger ones may have sedative, opioid-like effects.
Does Kratom Show On a Drug Test?
Does Kratom show on a standard drug test?
The answer varies on the type of test taken.
On standard five-panel drug tests, Kratom does not show as these only search for PCP, opiates, cocaine, marijuana, and amphetamines. However, employers giving a ten-panel test can detect other drugs and compounds in the system, including Kratom traces and alkaloids that have not fully left the body. Such traces can show in urine or blood tests too so hold this in mind if you used or want to consume Kratom.
Does Kratom Show On a Saliva Drug Test?
Saliva drug tests are more common now than ever before, but good news for Kratom users, they rarely detect this substance, even if it is specifically looking for the compound!
Does Kratom Show On a Blood Drug Test?
Some blood tests can detect Kratom but not all of them. If an employer gives a blood test that is able to detect the substance, a positive result may return if Kratom was taken in the past two or three days. If it has been a week or longer since it was consumed, it is rather unlikely to be detected by blood drug tests.
Does Kratom Show On a Urine Drug Test?
If one is given that can detect the presence of Kratom, like the 10-panel test, it can show up in a urine test if K was taken within the past five to seven days. This said, the detection window can vary based on things like dose size and usage frequency, as well as the height, weight, and metabolism rate of the user.
Does Kratom Show On a Hair Drug Test?
Of all drug test types, this is most effective at detecting drugs as it can detect ones taken in the past ninety days. However, there is yet to be evidence to suggest Kratom can be detected by hair follicle samples but there is a chance it can be.
Is Kratom Legal?
It is legal in some states, but not all as few have bans on the plant in place. At the federal level, Kratom is deemed a drug of concern by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration based on reports and studies having conflicting results on its effects and safety.
According to the American Kratom Association, the DEA has not banned it. Instead, it monitors reports of adverse incidents to identify potential risks. This said, their stance on Kratom may change over time.
In total, there are six states where Kratom is banned and illegal to use, these include:
- Indiana
- Vermont
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Wisconsin
- Tennessee
In total, eleven states passed the Kratom Consumer Protection Act with support by the American Kratom Association. This means residents in the below states need to be at least eighteen years of age to buy it:
- Utah
- Texas
- Florida
- Arizona
- Georgia
- Nevada
- Oregon
- Virginia
- Colorado
- Oklahoma
- West Virginia
What Types of Drug Tests Can Detect Kratom?
Its controversial status led many to wonder if Kratom can be detected by routine drug tests but to put your mind at ease, know Kratom is not detectable by most blood tests. However, in isolated cases, a specialized drug test that can detect it may be used. If so, it may be able to detect mitragynine and 7-hydroxy mitragynine.
These are main active ingredients of Kratom, as well as alkaloids that can yield a positive result if detected. However, five- and ten-panel tests rarely detect such alkaloids as most times, they are designed to detect more serious drugs such as opiates, cocaine, marijuana, and amphetamines.
Will Kratom Show Up on a Standard Drug Test?
Kratom will not show up on regular drug tests as the 5-panel drug test, which is the one most commonly used, only checks for the below drugs and compounds:
- Opiates.
- Cocaine.
- Amphetamines.
- PCP, or Phencyclidine.
- THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol.
Up next we have ten-panel drug tests.
These too are unable to detect Kratom.
This one is designed to find and detect:
- Opioids.
- Cocaine.
- Cannabis.
- Tramadol.
- Barbituates.
- Buprenorphine.
- Amphetamines.
- Benzodiazepines.
- PCP, or Phencyclidine.
- Dollies, or Methadone.
- Ludes, or Methaqualone.
- Darvon, or Propozyphene.
Will Kratom Show Up on Specialized Drug Tests?
In-depth, highly specialized drug or urine screenings may be able to detect mitragynine and 7-hydroxy mitragynine but given the higher costs of these tests, it is rare employers administer them. As such, a routine, standardized drug test is not going to detect Kratom as it is not a compound it is searching for.
Does Kratom Show as an Opioid on Drug Tests?
Despite it having opioid-like traits and properties, Kratom will not show up as an opioid on standardized drug tests as five- and ten-panel drug tests are designed to detect specific metabolites from opioids like heroin, codeine, and morphine.
Mitragynine and 7-hydroxy mitragynine – the main active compounds found in Kratom – are indeed opioid agonists that engage opioid receptors but since these alkaloids have chemical makeups that distinct them from other opioids, they will not cause a person to test positive for opioids on a drug test.
