A very common question many kratom advocates get asked is if kratom shows up on drug tests. Well, first of all, we do NOT support or condone taking kratom if it is illegal in your state/country. Nor does Ketum sell to areas where kratom is illegal.
That being said, even states where marijuana is legal, many business will not hire employees that take marijuana (regardless of it being legal). Therefore, if you are in a similar situation with kratom, will kratom show up on a drug/pee test?
When someone takes kratom, the effects usually begin around 10 to 15 minutes later. The effects of a small dose of kratom can last for around two hours, and with higher doses, effects may last as long as eight hours. For someone to have somewhat potent effects that last for about two hours, the dosage is usually four to five hours, and for longer effects, seven to eight grams. The peak effects of using kratom are believed to be around 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours after someone takes it.
The effects of kratom are heighten if someone takes it on an empty stomach, while if someone eats before taking it, the effects might not occur for an hour or more. If someone takes the capsule form of kratom, this can also take longer for the effects to take hold because it has to dissolve in the stomach of the user.
Half-Life of Kratom
Based on the research that’s been done thus far, it’s believed that the primary alkaloid found in kratom, mitragynine, is believed to have a half-life of around 23.24 hours.
Based on that information, it would take around a full day for someone to eliminate 50% of the kratom in their body. It would take just over five days for kratom to be fully cleared from the system of the user, based on this half-life information.
Based on current research, the fastest half-life of kratom alkaloids could be just over seven hours, which would put full elimination at around 1.6 days. However, on the slower end of the half-life spectrum, it could take around 9 days for all of the kratom to be eliminated from a person’s system.
There is evidence that points to the fact that someone who has used kratom less frequently or uses lower doses would eliminate the substance more quickly than long-term or habitual users.
Some of the factors that can determine the elimination time of half-life and, ultimately, how long it will stay in your system include:
Age: Older people tend to have a longer elimination half-life than younger kratom users. This is the case with kratom as well as with most substances. In elderly people, most substances that are ingested orally will have a longer elimination half-life than in younger adults. This is usually due to factors such as renal function, age-related physical changes, and the use of other medications. It’s safe to assume that if you’re older, and particularly over the age of 65, kratom will stay in your system longer than it would in a younger person.
Body Fat: Another personal characteristic that can play a role in how long it takes kratom alkaloids to be eliminated is the person’s percentage of body fat. The mitagynine in kratom is very fat soluble, which means that if you have a high percentage of body fat, you will likely retain the kratom metabolites longer than someone with a lower body fat percentage. If you have less body fat, you may be able to excrete kratom more quickly on the other hand, since it wouldn’t be stored in fat.
Genetics: There are certain genetic markers and enzymes that may play a role in the speed at which kratom is eliminated from the user’s body.
Food and Water Intake: If you were to take kratom with a meal that was high in fat, it could lead to faster absorption, which could also speed up how long it would take the substance to reach its peak concentration levels. If you’re well hydrated, it can also play a role in how long it takes for kratom to be excreted via urine.
Other personal factors that can play a role in how long kratom stays in your system includes your renal function, urinary pH and your metabolic rate. These aren’t factors that are exclusive to kratom. This is the case with many substances.
Additional information on this topic can be found HERE.
