The answer to the question, “does kratom show up on drug tests?” depends on what type of test you’re taking. If your employer has ordered a drug test for you, or you’re ordering one yourself, you probably want to know whether or not Kratom will cause a false positive.
Drug tests are designed to detect certain substances in the body based on their molecular structure. While most commonly used drugs have been well-studied over time by experts in the field, there are still many unknowns regarding kratom—especially its metabolites.
Because of this lack of research, some studies suggest that Kratom may be detectable in urine up to 12 hours after ingestion (but note that other sources say 48 hours).
One of the most common questions is, “Does Kratom show up on a drug test?”
The answer is no. Kratom is not included in the typical 5-panel screening with GC/MS confirmation. In addition, it isn’t detected by any standard urine drug screen (UDS).
Drug test vs employer
If your employer has ordered a drug test for you, or you’re ordering one yourself, you probably want to know whether or not Kratom will cause a false positive.
First, if you’re using Kratom legally and responsibly, the answer is almost certainly no. That’s because drug tests can only detect the things on their list of substances (usually limited to marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines/methamphetamine, PCP, and other hallucinogens).
They don’t test for every possible substance. Also — most states don’t require employers to test their employees; they have to post signs indicating that they do random screenings in specific industries (such as truck drivers).
So even if something like kratom were included on those lists of standard screening panels, it wouldn’t affect most people who aren’t subject to mandatory testing.
Most drug tests don’t screen for Kratom.
Most drug tests don’t screen for Kratom, but it is possible to test for it.
The only way to test for Kratom use is through medical toxicology tests. Medical toxicology tests screen urine and blood samples for specific toxins, and if they detect Kratom in the system, they will report it as a positive result. You can try the kratom drug testing kit at home.
This can be done by doctors or law enforcement officials who have access to these specialized facilities.
Kratom is not detected by any standard urine drug screen (UDS).
Kratom is not included in UDS tests, so if you’re looking to test for Kratom, you’ll need a more expensive and time-consuming process.
Some employers use hair follicle drug testing to see if their employees have used drugs. Hair follicle testing can detect drug use up to three months before the test is taken. If you have been using kratom for over three months, it may appear on your hair follicle test!
It is also not included in the typical 5-panel screening with GC/MS confirmation.
Kratom is never used in a standard 5-panel screening. This makes it hard to test for because the tests used are not sensitive enough to pick up on the kratom metabolites.
However, some other types of drug testing use more advanced methods and can detect kratom use. These tests exist outside your standard 5-panel drug test and may be more expensive or require specialized equipment (like GC/MS confirmation).
However, it is possible to test for Kratom.
If you are interested in finding out if a urine or hair sample contains Kratom, you can send it to a lab performing mass spectrometry (MS). The MS will analyze the sample and tell you what compounds are present in the specimen.
In this case, any compounds that match kratom will appear “positive” on your drug test result. This method is generally only used by medical toxicology labs and not by most employers or drug testing companies.
Medical Toxicology tests must be used to test if someone has taken Kratom.
Medical Toxicology tests must be used to test if someone has taken Kratom. These tests are expensive and not regularly used in most hospitals, clinics, or urgent care centers. Doctors may order them on occasion for people who are suspected of having overdosed on an unknown substance.
There is no way for the average Joe to get these tests done at a routine doctor’s visit or even at an emergency room without paying out of pocket for these services.
Drug testing method
Drug testing on kratom involves highly sensitive and specific methods based on mass spectrometry. You may have heard about this type of technology before, but what does it mean?
Mass spectrometry can detect the presence of chemicals in small samples. It is one of the most common forms of chemical analysis used in drug testing and medical toxicology.
In fact, GC/MS is considered one of the most sensitive methods available for detecting drugs in urine samples and other biological fluids like blood and hair follicles.
The following are the few drugs detectable through mass spec (GC/MS):
Mitragynine, speciogynine, and paynantheine. These are three of over 40 alkaloids found in kratom leaves.
GC/MS is a widely used method in medical toxicology as it is highly sensitive and can detect drugs in blood, urine, and hair samples. GC/MS testing is often used for kratom and other drugs.
The following are the few drugs detectable through mass spec (GC/MS): mitragynine, speciogynine, and paynantheine. These are three of over 40 alkaloids found in kratom leaves.
Only specific medical toxicology tests can detect kratom use.
If you are undergoing a medical toxicology test, such as a urine, blood, or hair test, it is unlikely that your kratom usage will show up on the results. This is because drug tests look for specific metabolites of drugs in your system, and kratom doesn’t produce any. The liver metabolizes kratom into two primary active chemicals: mitragynine and 7-hydroxy mitragynine (7-HMG)
Unfortunately, for those who use kratom recreationally, this means that GC/MS testing will be unable to detect their use of the drug.
Conclusion
Whether or not Kratom shows up on a drug test depends on the test used. The most common drug tests don’t screen for Kratom, so you shouldn’t worry about it appearing when using one of these tests.
However, if your employer has ordered a medical toxicology test for you, then there’s a chance that they could detect kratom use with this method.
