How Long Does Kratom Stay In the System?

How Long Does Kratom Stay in Your System?

Regarding drug testing, kratom is generally detectable for six to seven days.

It really depends on what type of test you’re given, though.

For instance, the standard 5-panel test will not detect the presence of kratom. It’s detectable in certain blood and urine tests, as well as in the 10-panel test.

Factors that influence the amount of time kratom stays in the system:  

1. The amount taken
2. Your age (the older you are, the slower it will metabolize)
3. Your body weight and fat percentage
4. Other substances you may have taken
5. Liver disease may slow down your metabolism
6. Existing health issues
7. Intake of food and water
8. Genetics

With the wide variety of things that can affect how kratom passes through your system, it’s probably best to give yourself a minimum of seven days to detox kratom entirely.

To be even safer, you may want to be off of kratom for 14 or more days before taking a test.

If you know you’ll be taking a blood test, everything changes. Because of what blood tests look for, they’re only able to detect kratom for a maximum of two to three days.

Again, to be safe, you may wish to wait five days.

How Long Does it Take For Kratom to Kick In?

Any kratom user can tell you that the experience varies from strain to strain. It also depends on whether or not the kratom is ultra-enhanced or an extract.

Speaking generally, though, kratom tends to kick in about 10 to 30 minutes after you take it.

From there, kratom takes approximately two to eight hours to fully abate, although the average amount is about three hours.

Kratom usually hits its peak around one hour after taking it, but it may take up to two hours.

Kratom Capsules & Edibles Take Longer

Kratom capsules may take about 15 minutes longer to kick in.

The active ingredients need to first pass through the stomach and into the small intestine before they’re absorbed. This takes about 45 minutes or so.

If you eat food with kratom, this could delay absorption even further.

If you want kratom to kick in faster, take it on an empty stomach and then follow up with some food about 30 minutes or more after eating.

Will Kratom Make Me Fail a Drug Test?

Kratom is unlikely to make you fail a drug test.

This is because most drug tests don’t look for kratom because it’s entirely legal in the United States and most of the world.

Drug tests will only find what they’re looking for, and there’s no reason for companies, organizations, or governments to test for substances that aren’t problematic, to begin with.

With that said, kratom is illegal in some parts of the world, such as France. Organizations may want to include kratom on the test in these cases.

If a test is set up to identify kratom use, it can usually detect if kratom was used within the past week. In heavy kratom users, these tests could detect kratom up to two weeks later.

Estimated Detection Windows For Kratom In Drug Tests

Urine Test	Six to seven days
Blood Test	Up to three days
Hair Test	Up to 90 days
Saliva Test	No testing is currently available

What’s The Half-Life of Kratom?

Research indicates that kratom has a half-life of 23-24 hours [2].

This means that you’d eliminate half of the kratom from your body within one day. The other 50 percent of the kratom will be more slowly eliminated. In other words, you can’t take a test two to three days after using kratom and expect to pass.

To understand how the half-life of a substance works, let’s look at coffee. Mitragyna speciosa (the scientific name for kratom) is part of the coffee family. The caffeine in your morning cup of joe has a half-life of approximately six hours. However, it peaks around the 45-minute mark.

After an hour or two, the effects of caffeine begin to fade away. Most users will not be able to detect the presence of caffeine in their bodies at the six-hour mark, but it’s not entirely gone. Instead, the effects are greatly diminished.

Kratom works the same way. Your experience may only last two to eight hours, but some kratom will still be left in your body.

How to Eliminate Kratom From The Body Faster

Let’s say you find out today that you’ll be taking a drug test tomorrow.

The problem is that you took kratom yesterday. A few methods may help, but there are no guarantees.

It’s also important to note that some of these methods may not be safe for everyone. If you choose to use one or more of them, you’ll do so at your own risk.

Exercise Frequently

The higher your body fat percentage, the better chance that exercising may remove some of the kratom from your system. Either way, exercising frequently is a good idea as it speeds up your metabolism.

Take Calcium-D-Glucarate

There is some limited evidence to suggest that taking this supplement may help. It acts on your body as an active beta-glucuronidase inhibitor, which may help detox your system.

Drink Plenty of Water

Drinking more water than normal will increase your urination, along with boosting the digestive and renal systems. This should make kratom metabolites leave your body more quickly.

Take Milk Thistle Extract

Milk thistle extract has antioxidant properties and upregulates both, phase I and phase II, liver detox pathways. Phase I detox is responsible for converting the active components of kratom into an inactive, more water-soluble form where they can then be eliminated from the body through the kidneys.

What is Stagnant Strain Syndrome?

Whether it takes you a couple of days or a couple of weeks, you’ll eventually run into stagnant strain syndrome.

This is where it’s necessary to take more kratom to get the same effects as your previously smaller dose.

When you reach this point, it’s wise to take a couple of days off of kratom. If you need to increase the kratom dose, your body is adapting to its effects. It will take longer to eliminate from the body, and you’ll need higher doses to get the same intensity of effects.

Related: How Long Should I Wait Between Kratom Doses?

What’s the Dose of Kratom?

Getting the proper dose of kratom is essential. The higher the dose, the longer it remains detectable in the body.

Here’s some general information on dosing. For a more comprehensive guide, check out our kratom dosage calculator to find the optimal dose for your body weight.

How do you know if you’re going too far? This should help:

• 2-4 grams = Subtle effects, recommended for beginners
• 4-6 grams = Moderate effects, recommended for most users
• 6-12 grams = Strong effects, too strong for most users
• 12+ grams = Very strong effects, not recommended

Cycling through kratom should make it much easier to remain in the 4-6 grams category.

Not only should you take a break every so often, but you should also change your strain. By doing this, you’ll allow the effects of kratom to remain moderate without being at as much risk. 

Is Kratom Harmful?

Back in 2016, the DEA announced its intent to ban kratom. The reason given was simple: “SE Asian drug is an imminent hazard to public safety.”

But a funny thing happened between announcing this and actually following through.

Met by much public opposition, the agency withdrew kratom from Schedule I consideration in October 2016.

Since then, they haven’t taken any further action. In fact, in 2020, the DEA said, “Kratom is not controlled under the Controlled Substances Act.”

Many people believe that Big Pharma caused attempts to control kratom.

Whether or not there’s any truth to that, the fact that the DEA has backed off of kratom is a reason to celebrate. Unfortunately, this still doesn’t mean that your employer can’t find kratom in your system. And if they do, it’ll be up to them to decide if they fire you or not.

Related: The FDA is trying to ban kratom: What does this mean for users?

What Are the Benefits of Kratom?

If taken responsibly and in the right amount, kratom may offer many benefits.

Pain Relief

White, red, and green strains all have the potential to relieve pain.

Unlike opioids, kratom also inactivates some signals, which helps explain why it can help people without getting them addicted.

Related: What are the best kratom strains for pain?

Please note that people who abuse kratom do have the possibility of getting addicted. Be mindful about why you’re using kratom and its impact on your life.

Libido-Enhancer

Scientific studies back up anecdotal evidence to prove it can work as a libido enhancer [1].

At the same time, if you use too much kratom, it may produce the opposite effect.

Related: Best kratom for sex.

Mood-Enhancer

Some users have said they felt at ease and carefree after taking kratom.

There have also been two animal studies that show some evidence for kratom’s ability to reduce depression [3,4].

Related: Most euphoric kratom strains.

Boosts Focus & Productivity

In lower doses, kratom is a stimulant similar to coffee. It increases neurotransmitters in the brain associated with the fight or flight system to increase focus, attention, mental acuity, and reflex speed.

One of the traditional uses of this plant was to boost energy while performing manual labor. Today, it’s used just as much for mental energy as it is for physical energy. It’s a popular supplement among students and busy entrepreneurs for this application.

Related: Best kratom strains for boosting energy.

There’s even some evidence to suggest kratom may offer a safer, legal alternative for managing symptoms of ADHD (in adults).

Kratom Side Effects

Just like anything else, kratom can have some side effects.

These are generally tolerable, and most users do not seem to experience them. The more kratom you take, however, the higher your risk will be of experiencing side effects.

Side effects of kratom include:

• Appetite loss
• Diarrhea
• Difficulty sleeping
• Headaches
• Heart palpitations
• Fever
• Mood swings
• Nervousness
• Sadness

Final Thoughts: How Long Does Kratom Remain in the Body?

It’s important to note that kratom kicks in around 10 to 30 minutes after you take it. Although the effects of kratom will be gone in three to eight hours, it takes approximately 3 days for levels to drop below detection limits on standard blood tests or up to a week for urine analysis testing.

With that said, it’s rare for a company to test for kratom, but it’s not unheard of.

The longer you can abstain from using kratom before your upcoming test, the better. Other measures like exercising regularly, drinking plenty of water, and using supplements like calcium-d-gluconate or milk thistle can go a long way in eliminating kratom from the body sooner.