Kratom is an herbal extract that comes from the leaves of an evergreen tree (Mitragyna speciosa) grown in Southeast Asia. Kratom leaves can be chewed, and dry kratom can be swallowed or brewed. It is one of those plants that you might assume is a safer, natural alternative to other drugs. The question many people ask is : how long does Kratom stay in your system. This article will explore everything you need to know about Kratom.

What is Kratom?

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical evergreen tree in the coffee family and is native to Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
In the US, kratom has been used as an alternative agent for muscle pain relief, diarrhea, and as a treatment for opiate addiction and withdrawal.

Why people use Kratom?

Since kratom interacts with the brain’s opioid receptors, some people use it for the following:

1. Treatment for muscle pain
2. To suppress appetite and stop cramps and diarrhea.
3. Kratom is sold as a treatment for panic attacks.
4. Kratom is believed to act on opioid receptors.
5. At low doses, kratom acts as a stimulant, making users feel more energetic.
6. At very high doses, it acts as a sedative, making users quiet and perhaps sleepy.

Side effects of Kratom

Depending on what is in the plant and the health of the user, taking too much kratom may be very dangerous. Kratom has a number of known side effects, including:

• Aggression.
• Altered mental status.
• Anxiety and irritability.
• Constipation.
• Delusion and hallucination.
• Drowsiness and sedation.
• Dry mouth.
• Frequent urination.
• Itching.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Tongue numbness.

Other serious kratom side effects include:

• Cardiac issues, such as heart attack, abnormal heart rhythms and high blood pressure.  
• Encephalopathy (brain disease).
• Hallucination.
• Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid).
• Insomnia.
• Liver damage and liver failure.
• Rhabdomyolysis
• Respiratory depression (difficulty breathing).
• Seizure.

Long-term kratom users may also experience:

• Increased cheek pigmentation.
• Loss of appetite.
• Tremor.
• Psychosis.
• Weight loss

How is kratom used?

The leaves of kratom are consumed either by chewing, or by drying and smoking, putting into capsules, tablets, bulk liquids, or extract, or by boiling into a tea. Kratom can also be found in resins, extracts and tinctures. On the street, you may find kratom in pills, capsules, powders or even drinks. In Thailand, for example, you can buy a concoction made with kratom leaves, cough syrup, cola and ice. 

How Long Does It Take for Kratom to Take Effect?

A high from kratom occurs within five to 10 minutes, and euphoria from the drug can last anywhere from two to five hours.
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.

How Long Does Kratom Stay in Your blood System

A blood test could be used to determine and calculate how much they could have taken if someone took kratom.
It is easy to detect in kratom in a person’s blood. If someone is a heavy or long-term user of kratom, there would likely be metabolites that could show up in blood tests for several days following use. However, since blood tests only provide a short detection window — usually just a few hours or up to a couple of days after substance use — urine tests are more likely to be used.

How Long Does Kratom Stay in Urine system

Some kratom alkaloids may show up on certain specialized urine tests. While research is limited on how long kratom would be detectable in a user’s urine, there could be trace amounts detected in a urine test for over a week. For an average kratom user, it probably would be detectable in their urine within a five-day period after use. Some kratom metabolites might be detectable in the urine for over a week.