Drug tests are common these days than ever before. From sports, military, constructions, transportation, banking, to health, several industries are now drug-screening all their new recruits. So, failing any kind of drug test due to a false positive can be devastating.
But should you be worried if you are a Kratom user? Well, here is a quick and short answer: Kratom will not show in drug tests that have not been formulated to pick Kratom alkaloids. However, there are chances that it can create a false positive on some drug tests.
What Is A False Positive Drug Test?
Before we dig deeper, it is vital to understand what is meant by a false positive drug test. A false-positive test is simply a drug test that returns a positive result due to inaccurate identification. This means that you may test positive for a drug that you haven’t taken. Further tests may be performed to verify the results.
Several factors can trigger false positives, including sleep pills, diet pills, prescription medications, and a host of OTC medications. Chances of getting false positives also depend on the quality of the lab where the tests are carried.
How long can Kratom (or any other substance) stay in your body?
The amount of time that any drug or substance stays in your body varies, and often depend on factors such as your body weight, age, fats, height, and overall health.
The average terminal half-life of Kratom (or the amount of time that’s necessary for the concentration of Kratom in your body to be lowered by half) is estimated to be 23.24±16.07 hours. So, it will take about 1 day for the herb to be cleared from your system.
However, certain Kratom strains may have longer terminal half-lives. Additionally, traces of Kratom alkaloids may remain in your body for up to 14 days if your body’s metabolism rate is slower.
Can Kratom show a false positive on a drug test?
Generally, Kratom won’t show on most drug tests because they seldom test for alkaloids present in Kratom. Most SAHMSA-5 urine drug tests use antibodies that are designed to interact with certain molecules in opiates. Considering that Kratom is not an opiate (and doesn’t contain similar molecules), it won’t show up on such drug tests. However, it is important to note that some tests may contain antibodies that can interact with Kratom molecules, creating false positive results.
Something else you should be worried about is the fact that Kratom may sometimes give positive results as methadone. Accordingly, a 10-panel drug test that’s designed for methadone may turn positive for a Kratom user.
What should you do if a Kratom shows a false positive on a drug test?
You should stay calm as it may be another substance or even food showing up on the drug test. Furthermore, if Kratom is legal in your country, you shouldn’t worry. The only issue is that there is a lot of negative press around Kratom and your recruiter may not favor it.
And if your recruiter has not requested it, you can ask the tests to be confirmed with other accurate mechanisms such as LC-MS and GC-MS-based drug tests. These tests are super-accurate and are less likely to cause false positives.
Pro Tip: If you are a Kratom connoisseur and you suspect that you are going to be subjected to a Kratom drug test, you need to devise ways to pass the test. Here are a few tips you can use:
- Stop using Kratom 1-2 weeks before the D-day of the test.
- Use detox drinks laced with pre-rid tablets to eliminate Kratom from your system. Remember to take the drinks early enough for them to work.
Bottom-line
Although Kratom may be safe from most common drug tests, it can show in others, especially those designed to detect its active alkaloids—7 -Hydroxymitragynine and Mitragynine. The only thing that you should be worried about is false-positive results for other drugs which are only common when you combine Kratom with other medications rather than using the herb itself. And as highlighted, you can still request for more accurate tests (such as LC-MS and GC-MS-based drug tests) to be sure of the outcome.
0 Comments