Kratom is a plant medicine that is used by millions of Americans to manage pain or boost mood and focus. It is derived from an evergreen shrub in the coffee family native to Southeast Asia and has a long history of use in traditional medicine. Kratom is not a drug, opiate, or synthetic substance and has been safely used for decades in the United States. Despite facing criticism from the FDA due to its lack of prescription status, many people in the United States are turning to kratom to alleviate chronic pain, break free from drug dependencies, or increase energy. Some even claim that kratom has saved their lives by providing relief from constant pain.
Many people worry about whether kratom will show up on a drug test required by their employer. While most standard drug tests do not test for kratom or its active ingredients, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, some specialized tests such as mass spectrometry or liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry may be able to detect kratom in the body.
It is also possible that kratom could potentially cause a false positive on some drug tests. For example, a case report published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology in 2018 described a woman who tested positive for opioids on a drug test after consuming a kratom supplement. In this case, the positive result was likely due to cross-reactivity between the test and the kratom, rather than the presence of actual opioids in the woman’s body.
False positives can occur when a substance in the body is mistaken for a drug. This can be due to cross-reactivity, which is when a substance in the body reacts with the test in a way that produces a positive result for a drug. False positives can also be caused by laboratory error or contamination.
If you are concerned about kratom showing up on a drug test, it is important to consider all of the factors involved. This may mean avoiding use of kratom for a certain period of time. Kratom has a half-life of about 3-4 hours, meaning it is quickly metabolized and eliminated from the body. However, the active ingredients in kratom can remain detectable in the body for longer periods, depending on the test being used. For instance, kratom may be detectable in urine for up to one week after the last use, and it may be detectable in hair for several months.
In conclusion, it is possible for kratom to show up on drug tests, depending on the type of test. If you are concerned about kratom showing up on a drug test, it is important to consider the half-life of kratom and the specific test being used, as well as the potential for false positives.