Is kratom all it’s cracked up to be? Well, it depends on what you’re hoping to get out of using it. You might have heard about its pain-reducing or fatigue-fighting abilities. On the other hand, you might have heard that it’s a great tool for chilling out, going to sleep, or even getting off of opioids once and for all.

These effects probably sound pretty great. But how do you know how much kratom to take to get the intended effect? How long does kratom stay in your system? Does it even matter if kratom shows up on a drug test? 

Those are all reasonable questions for someone who might be interested in using kratom for its benefits but may want more information about the substance’s effects. We’ll answer those questions and provide a lot more information below so you can have a better understanding of the pros and cons of kratom.

What is Kratom?

Kratom is the popularized term for a tree—the Mitragyna speciosa tree, more specifically, which is native to Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, and other places in Southeast Asia. It might not surprise you to hear that people living in those areas have used kratom for hundreds (if not thousands) of years.

The best part of the kratom tree is its leaves. A popular way of consuming the plant is by crushing its leaves into kratom powder and putting it into food, beverages, and capsules. Some retailers also sell kratom extract products. 

Before the substance made landfall in the Western Hemisphere, it was often consumed in the form of kratom tea during spiritual ceremonies and rituals. Manual laborers have long consumed kratom to help them stay energized and alert. The painkilling effects of kratom only intensified the plant’s popularity. 

The effects you feel from a kratom product largely depend on the vein variety:

• Red kratom comes from mature leaves and is more likely to result in sedating and relaxing effects.

• Green kratom is a bit of a mixed bag. It may provide a boost of energy, analgesic (painkilling) effects, increased focus, and improved mood.

• White kratom comes from immature leaves and is closely associated with stimulating effects similar to coffee.

What Does Kratom Do to the Body?

Kratom’s physiological interactions with the body aren’t fully understood, but the most reliable information we have focuses on two alkaloid compounds: mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. These psychoactive ingredients appear to react with a handful of opioid receptors in the body. They can bind to receptors to activate their effects in some situations and block the receptors in other cases.

That might seem contradictory, but it simply underscores the varied effects of kratom. It can get a little complicated, especially when you consider kratom’s interactions with dopamine, serotonin, and other feel-good brain chemicals.

Kratom Effects

The effects of kratom on your body have more to do with the vein variety, though. You’re more likely to experience stimulating and energizing effects if you take a smaller dosage; say, up to five grams. Users who consume more than five grams at a time usually feel relaxed, calm, and a little sleepy. It’s not recommended to take more than 15 grams of kratom at one time.

The kratom benefits you experience might be different than the effects someone else experiences using the same dosage, vein variety, and strain. Depending on what you consumed (and how much), you may feel:

• Physically energized

• Mentally alert

• Relaxed

• More sociable

• Decreased physical pain

• A greater sense of sexual satisfaction

Kratom Side Effects

We’re sorry to be Debbie Downers, but kratom has a few potential downsides. Like almost any substance, synthetic or natural, kratom is known to cause a few side effects. 

Kratom’s side effects somewhat differ based on acute or chronic use. Acute kratom side effects are sensations you feel within a few minutes or hours of consuming kratom, while chronic side effects can surface after several weeks or months of continuous use.

Some of the most common kratom side effects include:

• Profuse sweating

• Insomnia

• Tachycardia (rapid heartbeat)

• Constipation

• Excessive drowsiness

• Seizures

• Decreased appetite and weight loss

• Erectile dysfunction

• Confusion

• Hallucinations

Potential for Dependence

One of the most pressing concerns of long-term kratom use is the possibility of dependence and addiction. Over time, your body may start to get accustomed to having kratom in its system and “forget” how to function without it. 

Stopping kratom use in this situation may result in some of the unpleasant symptoms we just covered in the bulleted list. Users who consume large amounts of kratom multiple times per day may be more likely to experience dependence or addiction.

How Long Does Kratom Stay in Your System?

Users often start feeling the effects of kratom within a few minutes of ingestion and almost always within a half-hour. 

Kratom’s effects peak around an hour to an hour and a half after consumption, and most people stop feeling kratom’s sensations after two or three hours. It can last for as long as six hours, though, depending on the dose, vein variety, strain, and other factors.

Kratom can be detected in a user’s urine or blood well after its effects subside, however.

How long does kratom stay in your urine?

It’s difficult, if not impossible, to say how long kratom stays in your urine after consumption. Some sources claim that urine tests can show kratom usage up to seven days afterward, while others claim the window might be a bit longer or shorter. It depends on what, exactly, the urine test is designed to detect.

Does kratom show up on a drug test?

Because kratom is illegal in six states, a common question among users is: how long does kratom stay in your system for a drug test, if it even shows up?

To answer the second question, yes, kratom can show up on some drug tests. However, it’s unlikely that it will show up on 5-panel tests, which is what many employers use. Some employers may use more thorough 10-panel tests, which might detect kratom.

Factors that Affect Kratom Retention

Without knowing some of the details of your kratom use, there’s no telling how long the substance will remain detectable from a blood or urine sample. Some of the factors that affect kratom retention among users are:

• Dosage: Taking an amount of kratom that’s associated with sedating effects (greater than five grams) may result in longer periods of detectability.

• Age: Younger people’s bodies, on average, get rid of substances quicker than older people’s.

• Weight: Mitragynine, one of the two most prominent psychoactive compounds in kratom, is soluble in body fat. That means it likes to be stored in body fat; as a result, heavier individuals might hold onto kratom a bit longer.

Learn More About Kratom & Shop Reputable Products

Kratom carries a wide range of benefits for users, but those benefits don’t come without the potential for a host of side effects. Using kratom sparingly and in smaller doses may help you reap the rewards while minimizing the risks, but there are numerous other considerations you should address.

What better place to start your kratom journey than by window shopping Gold Dragon’s array of products? We’ve got gummies, capsules, powder, extract shots (not the ouchie/stabby kind), liquid extracts, and a lot more. If you want some more information on kratom products, get in touch with our team to put all your worries to rest.