Kratom, a botanical substance derived from a Southeast Asian tree, generally does not appear on standard drug tests. While most routine screenings are not designed to detect its compounds, specialized tests can identify its presence.
What Kratom Is
Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical evergreen tree indigenous to Southeast Asian countries like Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Its leaves have been used in traditional practices for centuries. The primary active compounds found in kratom are alkaloids, specifically mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. These alkaloids are responsible for the plant’s distinct effects, acting on various receptors in the body.
Common Drug Testing Methods
Drug tests are commonly administered using various biological samples to detect the presence of specific substances or their metabolic byproducts. Urine drug tests are the most frequent, valued for their convenience and cost-effectiveness. These tests typically identify drug metabolites excreted in the urine.
Blood tests offer real-time information about drug presence but are less common due to their invasive nature and higher cost. Hair follicle tests can provide a detection window of up to 90 days, making them highly effective for identifying past substance use. Saliva tests, involving a swab of the mouth, are quick and can detect recent drug use, typically within a few hours or up to 48 hours.
Most standard drug screenings, such as 5-panel or 10-panel tests, are designed to detect commonly abused substances, including cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines, phencyclidine (PCP), and opioids. These panels focus on substances that are often federally controlled or have a high potential for abuse.
Kratom Detection on Standard Tests
Kratom and its unique alkaloids, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, are generally not included in standard drug screening panels. This means that routine 5-panel or 10-panel drug tests, commonly used for employment or probation, are not designed to identify kratom’s presence. The reason for this exclusion is that kratom is not a federally controlled substance in the United States, unlike the substances typically targeted by these tests. Therefore, most conventional drug tests do not look for kratom’s specific chemical compounds.
Specialized Kratom Testing
While standard drug tests do not typically detect kratom, specialized laboratory tests can identify its presence. These advanced tests specifically look for kratom’s primary alkaloids, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. Techniques such as liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) are often employed for this purpose, offering high sensitivity and specificity in detecting kratom alkaloids. These specialized screenings are not routine and are usually more expensive. They are typically performed only when there is a specific reason or suspicion warranting kratom detection, such as in certain medical evaluations or in-depth investigations.
Factors Affecting Detection Time
Several factors can influence how long kratom’s alkaloids remain detectable in the body when specialized tests are used. The dosage and frequency of kratom use are important; higher doses and more frequent consumption generally lead to longer detection windows. An individual’s metabolism also plays a role, as faster metabolic rates lead to quicker elimination. Body fat percentage can affect detection time, with higher body fat potentially leading to longer retention of kratom. Hydration levels and overall health also contribute to how quickly the body processes and eliminates kratom.
For urine tests, kratom can typically be detected for a few days, potentially up to a week. Blood tests offer a shorter detection window, usually up to 24 hours or a few days, primarily identifying very recent use. Hair follicle tests have the longest detection window, potentially identifying kratom use for up to 90 days. Saliva tests may detect kratom for a few days, generally between one to four days. These timeframes are estimates and can vary significantly based on individual physiological differences and usage patterns.