Part of the complete guide to understanding addiction
Table of Contents
- What is Kratom?
- The Elimination Half-Life of Kratom
- Factors that Affect the Metabolic Rate of Kratom
- Does Kratom Show Up on Drug Tests?
- How Long Does Kratom Stay in Your Blood?
- How Long Does Kratom Stay in Your Urine?
- Does Kratom show up on Hair or Saliva Tests?
- Clear Kratom from Your System
Kratom can remain in one’s body for anywhere between two to seven days. The half-life of Kratom depends on a variety of factors, including the size of the dosage. Elimination half-life is the amount of time it takes for 50% of the alkaloid content to be cleared from your body system. Based on its half-life, we can determine the amount of time it will stay in your system.
One must also take into consideration that there are different types and concentrations of kratom drugs on the market. Each strain of kratom offers a different effect. The different types have different elimination half-lives. Some elimination half-lives of kratoms involve just a few hours, whereas others can remain in your system for several days. Additionally, other components influence the amount of time Kratom stays in one’s blood. Here is what you need to know about how fast this drug metabolizes.
What is Kratom?
Kratom, also known as mitragyna speciosa, has recently stepped into the spotlight of addiction. Although it has been used in Asian countries for many years, Kratom was first introduced to America in late 2004. The psychoactive properties of the kratom alkaloid, mitragynine, quickly caused a rapid rise in popularity.
The drug can be consumed in various ways. Both dried or fresh kratom leaves can be chewed, smoked, snorted, or used to steep tea. The leaves contain over 40 different psychoactive compounds [1] that cause the user to experience pleasing, opiate-like effects.
Kratom can influence one’s mood and cause feelings of Euphoria. Furthermore, its diverse alkaloid profile can effectively treat an array of medical conditions and diseases. Kratom can also enhance cognitive function, lower blood sugar levels, relieve pain, reduce anxiety, minimize depression, and treat insomnia as well as other sleep conditions.
The effects of kratom usually kick in within 10 to 15 minutes and can last for up to two hours. With higher doses of kratom, the effects can last up to eight hours. In these situations, the effects of the drug will peak within 1.5 to 2.5 hours.
Those who are taking kratom usually believe that the drug is safe. After all, it’s a herb that many cultures have used for centuries. While this is true, misuse can lead to addiction, which can lead to much greater consequences. In fact, over 50% of frequent users who abused this drug for 6 months developed a dependence on it.
Levels of mitragynine will remain in your system for some time after taking the drug. Here’s what you need to know about the elimination half-life of kratom.
The Elimination Half-Life of Kratom
The half-life of this drug isn’t fully understood. Therefore, no one can tell for sure how long the drug may have stayed in your system. However, some scientists have researched the elimination half-life of mitragynine, the most prevalent alkaloid in Kratom leaves.
According to PubMed Central, Mitragynine is believed to have an elimination half-life of around 23 to 24 hours [2]. In other words, it takes about one day for half of the mitragynine found in Kratom to leave the system. That means that it takes about 6-7 days for mitragynine to leave your system entirely.
There are other alkaloids to worry about as well. While the fastest half-life of alkaloids found in kratom is around seven hours, the longer-lasting alkaloids can take days to remove.
Four Pivotal Factors that Affect the Metabolic Rate of Kratom
Many factors influence how long kratom will stay in the body. Some of these factors include:
- Age: For those who are older, the half-life of kratom stays in their body for a much longer time. The reason behind this is that the renal function of older individuals tends to be worse than the renal function of younger people. Therefore, it takes longer for the substances to be eliminated as wastes in their urine.
- Body Fat Ratio and Content: Mitragynine is very fat-soluble. The body stores this primary alkaloid in fatty tissues. Someone with a higher body fat ratio will likely retain kratom molecules and metabolites for a much longer period than someone with a low body fat ratio. A low body-fat ratio means that kratom is excreted much more quickly from the body.
- Genetics: Some genetic markers and enzymes are responsible for speeding up the metabolic rate of kratom. If you produce more of these enzymes, your body will break down kratom within a much shorter length of time.
- Food and Water Intake: If you take this drug on an empty stomach, the drug may not be absorbed as quickly by the body as if you were to consume the drug with a fatty meal. In addition, the amount of water that you consume will also influence how long the drug stays in your body. The more water you drink, the quicker you will urinate.
In summary, when determining how long kratom will remain in your body, various factors come into play. Not everyone will metabolize kratom in the same way. Some people will simply store the active ingredients of the herbal supplement for a longer time in their bodies. Others may find that kratom is cleared from their system within a relatively short time.
Does Kratom Show Up on Drug Tests?
One of the main reasons why drug abusers use kratom is because it doesn’t show up on many drug tests. Standard drug tests, like the SAMHSA-5, do not test for kratom alkaloids at all. Many employers also won’t test for kratom. It’s simply not a common drug or a drug many people know about. Nevertheless, users may be concerned that this opioid-like substance may appear on drug tests.
At the moment, there aren’t any specialized kratom drug tests on the market. Therefore, it’s difficult to test for kratom. Although many tests don’t even test for this drug, they may detect the metabolites and flag them as another drug. Additionally, a 10-panel drug test may be able to. Here’s a look at the detection window of various kratom drug tests.
How Long Does Kratom Stay in Your Blood?
Blood tests can show concentration levels of mitragynine. The metabolite could appear for several days after the last use.
How Long Does Kratom Stay in Your Urine?
Trace amounts of kratom are detectable in urine tests for over a week. This type of testing is non-invasive and also inexpensive. It’s the most popular way of testing kratom.
Does Kratom show up on Hair or Saliva Tests?
Both hair tests and saliva tests usually don’t apply to kratom. This is because kratom doesn’t usually show up on hair samples. In addition, saliva tests don’t offer reliable results.
Clear Kratom from Your System
Kratom is one of the many illicit drugs making its round in America right now. The opioid-like charms of the drug and the pleasing kratom effects suck in many Americans. If you or someone you know has been abusing this drug, it’s important to remember that misuse can lead to dependence and addiction. Kratom is an effective drug, which means that it can also lead to some unwanted side effects. It’s best to stop while you’re ahead.
There are plenty of ways to clear kratom from your system. If you’re interested in seeking addiction treatment for this drug, speak with one of our addiction specialists immediately. Although kratom is still a fairly new drug, our team is already quite familiar with it. We can provide you with the information and resources you need to make an informed decision. There are plenty of treatment options available. Take a look at what’s available right now and learn more about the most recent research by giving us a call. For more information on Kratom or any other substance, be sure to visit Avenues Recovery for a complete guide on drugs and addiction.