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How Long Does Kratom Stay In Your System?

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical evergreen tree in the coffee family (Rubiaceae) native to Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia.  Due to the fact that its leaves contain an array of therapeutic alkaloids, kratom leaves are commonly ingested orally via chewing or in a tea-like preparation for medicinal purposes.  Various alkaloids derived from kratom include: mitragynine, paynantheine, speciogynine, and 7-hydroxymitragynine.

Of the aforementioned alkaloids, the most prominent is mitragynine, which upon ingestion, functions as a partial mu-opioid receptor (MOR) agonist.  This agonism of the mu-opioid receptor yields potent analgesic effects similar to drugs like buprenorphine.  It is therefore no surprise that many individuals purchase Kratom as a means of: treating chronic pain and/or inflammation, ameliorating Suboxone withdrawal symptoms, and/or to use recreationally.

In recent years, the popularity of Kratom has continued to increase largely because its medicinal properties are becoming more well known, and it is legal within 48 states in the U.S.  It is also an appealing drug to many for the fact that it is unlikely to be detected on a standardized drug test (e.g. SAMHSA-5 panel).  That said, specialized tests have been engineered to detect Kratom metabolites, leading many users to contemplate how long Kratom stays in their system after discontinuation.

How long does Kratom stay in your system?

If you’ve recently stopped using this drug, there’s a chance that you may experience some Kratom withdrawal symptoms.  That said, withdrawal symptoms are usually indicative of the fact that the alkaloids within Kratom are leaving your system (or have already left).  To determine how long Kratom is likely to stay in your system after your last dose, it is necessary to consider its elimination half-life.

The elimination half-life of Kratom isn’t fully understood in humans, and in fact, its pharmacokinetics were only studied in animals until 2015.  A recent study published in 2015 suggests that the elimination half-life of Kratom’s primary alkaloid “mitragynine” was approximately 23.24 hours (+/- 16.07 hours).  However, it is necessary to state that this study included a small sample size of 10 males that had abused Kratom for 1 to 2 years.

Based on this information though, we can estimate that it’ll take around a full day to eliminate 50% of Kratom alkaloids from systemic circulation, and around 5.33 days to completely clear Kratom from a person’s system.  However, when considering the variation and small sample size of the group examined in the pharmacokinetic report, it may be helpful to understand the variation in potential elimination half-life times.

On the fastest end of the spectrum, the half-life of Kratom alkaloids is 7.17 hours, indicating that it is likely to be out of a person’s system in 1.64 days.  Comparatively, the slower elimination half-life of Kratom alkaloids is 39.31, indicating that it could take 9 days to completely clear Kratom from a person’s system.  When considering the fact that the participants in the Kratom pharmacokinetic study had abused the drug for over a year, it may be logical to suspect that the elimination time among those who use Kratom at lower doses or less frequently, would be near the faster end of the elimination spectrum.

  • Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25995615

Variables that influence how long Kratom stays in your system

Information suggests that it’ll take an average long-term Kratom abuser approximately 5.33 days to clear the alkaloids from his/her system.  That said, there appears to be significant variation in systemic elimination times.  For this reason, it is necessary to consider variables such as: specific kratom source, the individual using kratom, dosage ingested, frequency of usage, and co-administered drugs – when contemplating how long Kratom is likely to remain in your system.

  1. Kratom alkaloid content

It is important to understand that the alkaloid contents within kratom leaves may be subject to significant variation based on the particular plant from which they were collected.  Though mitragynine is universally regarded as the predominant alkaloid within kratom leaves, the amount of mitragynine within a particular set of leaves is subject to variation based on the plant.  Research suggests that kratom grown in Southeast Asia tend to have the highest levels of mitragynine.

On the other hand, kratom grown in greenhouses or locations other than Southeast Asia tend to have modest, negligible, or nonexistent levels of mitragynine.  It should be suspected that kratom leaves with greater quantities of mitragynine will be more potent in their effect, and mitragynine (along with its metabolites) should remain in systemic circulation for a longer duration.  Leaves with minimal mitragynine content may contain greater amounts of 40+ other alkaloids, but these are unlikely to be assessed for (or detected) on a drug screening.

In addition to alkaloid content of the kratom leaves, it may also be necessary to consider the specific source from which the kratom was obtained.  If the kratom is sold from an untrustworthy supplier and/or has been laced with “Spice” or additional laboratory chemicals, it is possible that these chemicals will be detected on a drug test.  For example, one woman ingested a particular blend of Kratom laced with prescription analgesic Tramadol, and the metabolite O-desmethyltramadol was detected on a drug screening.

  • Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22133323
  • Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21112167
  1. Individual factors

Hypothetically, two individuals could simultaneously ingest an equal amount of kratom with identical mitragynine and alkaloid content, yet one individual would likely eliminate the drug faster from his/her system than the other.  The difference in systemic elimination speed between the two individuals may be contingent upon individual factors including: age, body mass, genetics, and hepatic function.

Age: The age of the individual using kratom may affect its pharmacokinetics, particularly its metabolism, disposition, clearance, and half-life.  A majority of orally ingested substances end up exhibiting longer elimination half-lives among elderly (individuals over 65) compared to younger adults.  This is likely a result of poorer hepatic and renal function, usage of medications that may prolong elimination, as well as age-related physiologic changes.  If you are elderly, it is possible that kratom (and its metabolites) stay in your system for longer than a younger person.

Body Fat %: A user’s body fat percentage may affect how long kratom alkaloids such as mitragynine stay in their system after cessation.  It is understood that mitragynine within kratom is highly lipophilic and hydrophobic, meaning it is soluble in fat rather than water.  Individuals with a high percentage of body fat therefore are more likely to retain mitragynine and its metabolites for a longer duration after discontinuation.

It is possible that mitragynine may accumulate in fat stores throughout the body with repeated usage.  If a person doesn’t have a significant number of fat stores for accumulation, the drug should be excreted timely and efficiently.  On the other hand, if someone is obese with a high percentage of body fat, the disposition of mitragynine alkaloid may be altered, and it may be retained in fat stores for a longer duration prior to elimination.

  • Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23206666
  • Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25793541

Genetics: Though the exact kinetics of kratom aren’t fully elucidated, preliminary evidence suggests that it is metabolized by CYP450 enzymes, mainly CYP2D6 isoenzyme.  It is known that CYP2D6 is a highly polymorphic gene, meaning individuals may have alleles that facilitate poor function of CYP2D6 isoenzyme or enhanced function.  An individual with certain alleles associated with the CYP2D6 gene may have a difficult time efficiently metabolizing mitragynine within kratom.

A CYP2D6 poor metabolizer may exhibit a significantly longer than average elimination half-life of mitragynine within kratom.  Oppositely, a user with optimal expression of CYP2D6 alleles may be considered a CYP2D6 ultrarapid metabolizer, leading to fast metabolism of mitragynine and quicker-than-average elimination.  When estimating how long kratom is likely to remain in your system, consider your CYP2D6 alleles.

  • Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24174816

Food intake/Hydration: Some speculate that taking kratom along with high-fat meal can affect its absorption, facilitating faster absorption and increasing the bioavailability of mitragynine.  Whether this is true is up for debate and necessitates further scientific investigation.  However, it could be thought that food may alter the speed by which kratom is absorbed as well as the time it takes to reach peak concentrations.

Additionally, another component to consider is that of hydration.  Individuals that are well-hydrated while taking kratom could indirectly influence how long mitragynine (and its metabolites) remain in the system prior to renal excretion.  Hydration is known to increase urinary flow rate, which could have modest implications for its excretion speed.

Hepatic function: It is likely that individuals with severe forms of hepatic impairment will exhibit higher-than-usual plasma concentrations of mitragynine than those with normative hepatic function.  This suspicion is based on preliminary evidence suggesting the role of CYP2D6 isoenzyme in the metabolism of mitragynine.  It is likely that hepatic impairment prolongs the elimination half-life of mitragynine (and possibly other alkaloids).

  • Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24174816

Metabolic rate: A person’s basal metabolic rate (BMR) dictates how much energy their body is burning at rest.  Typically the higher a person’s BMR, the quicker they’re likely to eliminate various drugs, whereas the lower a person’s BMR, the slower they’re likely to eliminate various drugs.  It could therefore be hypothesized that an exceptionally high BMR may slightly expedite the elimination of kratom’s alkaloids.

Renal function: Research suggests that kratom alkaloids (and their metabolites) can be detected via urinalyses (analyses of a user’s urine).  Therefore we know that a significant percentage of mitragynine is likely eliminated via renal excretion.  Severe forms of renal impairment are known to decrease the efficiency by which drugs are eliminated, often leading to accumulation in the kidneys and recirculation.  For this reason, if you have renal impairment, the half-life of mitragynine may increase in direct proportion to the extent to which your kidneys are impaired.

Urinary pH: Researchers have determined that the alkaloid mitragynine is acid labile, meaning it is easily destroyed in a highly acidic environment.  The pH of your urine may therefore dictate how long mitragynine (and possibly other kratom alkaloids) linger in your system.  If you’re eating foods that increase the alkalinity of your urine, expect the half-life of mitragynine to increase.  If you eat a diet primarily of acidic foods, the elimination of mitragynine may be expedited.

  • Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25793541
  1. Co-administered drugs (CYP2D6)

Since mitragynine is metabolized primarily by CYP2D6 isoenzymes in the liver, if you’re taking another drug (or supplement) that affects CYP2D6 function, it is likely to affect the half-life of mitragynine.  Drugs that interfere with CYP2D6 isoenzyme function are classified as “CYP2D6 inhibitors.”  Examples of such CYP2D6 inhibitors include: Bupropion, Cinacalcet, Fluoxetine, Paroxetine, Quinidine, and Ritonavir.

Co-administration of a CYP2D6 inhibitor is likely to prolong the elimination of mitragynine due to the fact that these drugs compromise enzymatic CYP2D6 function.  Alternatively, it is possible that a kratom user is taking a drug that enhances CYP2D6 isoenzyme function.  Drugs that optimize CYP2D6 function are classified as “CYP2D6 inducers.”

Examples of some known CYP2D6 inducers include: Dexamethasone, Glutethimide, and Rifampicin.  If you’ve been taking any of these drugs along with kratom, expect that the mitragynine will likely be metabolized faster and eliminated with greater efficiency.  That said, keep in mind that the certain inhibitors/inducers vary in potency based on the specific drug and its dosage.

  • Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24174816
  1. Dosage (Mitragynine)

The amount of kratom that you consume can affect how long it stays in your system.  Obviously it is necessary to consider its potency, which is why the variable of “kratom alkaloid content” was already mentioned.  Assuming users are administered equipotent kratom leaves with identical percentages of alkaloids, the dosage each user ingests may differ.

One individual may decide to ingest a threshold dosage of 2 to 4 grams dried kratom leaves, while another may take a heavy dose of 10 grams.  Due to the fact that larger doses contain greater amounts of alkaloids, it is likely that mitragynine levels will be significantly greater in the plasma, as well as linger in the body (possibly accumulate) for a longer duration.  Medical literature suggests that recreational users exhibit plasma concentrations of mitragynine spanning from 10 to 50 micrograms per liter.

However, when dosages increase such as among individuals who overdose, plasma concentrations exceed 300 micrograms per liter.  This elevated dosage places greater burden on hepatic enzymes (e.g. CYP2D6), resulting in less efficient metabolism.  Additionally, it is likely that high dose users of kratom will accumulate greater levels of mitragynine within fat stores, increasing its elimination half-life, and further decrease efficiency of renal excretion.

  1. Frequency of administration

How frequently a kratom user ingests the drug may also affect how long it stays in his/her system, as well as its detectability on a drug test.  A single-dose user of kratom may ingest just 5 grams, whereas a frequent multi-dose user may ingest 4 grams three times per day (t.i.d.).  In daily total, the frequent user will have consumed 12 grams, whereas the infrequent (single-dose) user will have consumed just 5 grams; less than half the quantity.

When administered at greater frequency, any drug is likely to reach greater plasma concentrations and get eliminated at a slower rate.  The frequent user will be quicker to reach peak plasma concentrations and steady state levels.  On the other hand, the single dose (or less frequent user) will be unlikely to attain steady state concentrations and peak plasma concentrations.

With each successive ingestion among frequent users, the lipophilic kratom alkaloids can accumulate within fat stores throughout the body.  The accumulation among less frequent users is unlikely to be significant by comparison.  Furthermore, it is likely that a frequent user will have developed tolerance to lower doses of kratom, resulting in upward titrations in dosing; these dosage increases were already mentioned as a variable in potentially increasing the time kratom stays in your system.

Kratom: Absorption, Metabolism, Excretion (Details)

Following administration of kratom, its primary alkaloid mitragynine is thought to be absorbed via the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and reach peak plasma concentrations within 50 minutes.  Its absorption may be affected by food, specifically in the presence of  a high-fat meal.  After absorption, it is believed to undergo CYP450 (cytochrome P450) metabolism in the liver, but the extent of its metabolism isn’t well-known.

Some sources suggest that due to mitragynine’s intermediate lipophilicity, it is highly effective in penetrating the blood-brain barrier (BBB).  However, the extent to which the alkaloid binds to plasma proteins isn’t fully understood.  Since mitragynine is highly basic, its effect may be subject to variation based on a user’s intestinal pH.  Researchers have noted that when exposed to an acidic pH of “4,” it degrades.

Hepatic metabolism is likely facilitated by CYP2D6 isoenzymes, with other isoenzymes such as CYP2C9 and CYP3A4 contributing to a minor extent.  Metabolism of mitragynine is believed to yield two metabolites including: 5-desmethylmitragynine and 17-desmethyldihydromitragynine.  The degree to which these metabolites are pharmacologically active and the extent to which they’re subject to additional metabolism isn’t fully understood.

It is thought that mitragynine may be subject to hydrolysis of the methylester in position 16, O-demethylation of the 9-methoxy group and 17-methyoxy group, and oxidation to carboxylic acids.  Human research suggests that mitragynine metabolites undergo glucuronidation and sulfation, with excretion consisting of 3 mitragynine glucuronides and 3 mitragynine sulfates.  Additionally, the second most abundant alkaloid within kratom known as “paynantheine,” is thought to be metabolized via similar pathways as mitragynine.

Metabolites from paynantheine tend to include several glucuronides and sulfates.  Researchers suspect that trace amounts of the alkaloid “speciociliatine” should be detectable in urine as well following metabolism.  Based on the approximate 24 hour elimination half-life of mitragynine, and similar hypothesized metabolic pathways of other alkaloids, it is likely that kratom will be fully cleared from a user’s system within 6 days (on average) post-ingestion; most of which will undergo renal excretion, appearing as metabolites in the urine.

  • Source: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/mitragynine
  • Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24174816
  • Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25793541
  • Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23024321

Types of Kratom Drug Tests

If you are using kratom, you may be worried about drug testing.  Standard drug tests such as the SAMHSA-5 will not assess for the presence of kratom alkaloids such as mitragynine.  However, it is important to realize that kratom alkaloids such as mitragynine, paynantheine, and possibly speciociliatine could be detectable on certain assays.  Types of tests for kratom include: urine tests, blood tests, saliva tests, and hair tests.

Urine tests: Collection of a fresh urine sample from a kratom user is a viable way to test for a recent ingestion.  It is unclear as to how long kratom will remain detectable in urine, but there is likely significant interindividual variability.  Since it takes the average abuser approximately 5.33 days to eliminate kratom alkaloids from systemic circulation, trace quantities of alkaloid metabolites may be detectable in urinary excretion for over a week among abusers.

If you are using the drug infrequently and/or at low doses, it is unlikely to be detectable in your urine after a week.  Usage of techniques such as liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) for a urinalysis should effectively reveal concentrations of mitragynine metabolites such as: 5-desmethylmitragynine and 17-desmethyldihydromitragynine.

Other alkaloids that may yield metabolites in urine include: paynantheine, speciociliatine, and 7-hydroxy-mitragynine.  Should kratom become illegal in the United States, urine testing for its alkaloids may become increasingly common.  Since urine testing is cheap, feasible, and likely to provide an adequate window of detection post-kratom ingestion, it may be a preferred modality of kratom testing.

  • Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23024321
  • Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21112167

Blood tests: A blood sample can be collected from a kratom user to hypothesize how much kratom the individual ingested and/or its potency.  In cases of kratom overdose, blood concentrations of kratom’s chief alkaloid mitragynine, tend to exceed 300 micrograms per liter.  Among recreational users, concentrations of mitragynine may only reach 10 to 50 micrograms per liter, and among those experiencing kratom intoxication, mitragynine levels may exceed 100 micrograms per liter.

Since kratom’s chief alkaloid is of intermediate lipophilicity, it is likely that mitragynine (and its metabolites) will be readily detectable in the blood during the first 24 hours of ingestion.  It is likely that in frequent users, the metabolites will remain detectable for several days post-ingestion.  That said, blood tests are relatively invasive and compared to urine testing and provide a shorter window of detection, therefore are less likely to be used for purposes other than scientific research.

Hair tests: Currently there is no evidence of hair testing being conducted to detect kratom alkaloids such as mitragynine (or its metabolites).  However, just because there’s no scientific testing currently in the works to detect mitragynine within the hair of kratom users does not mean that a hair test cannot be conducted.  It is very likely that mitragynine metabolites would appear in hair follicle outgrowths of kratom users.

An advantage associated with hair testing over urine tests and blood tests is that hair tests are believed to provide an even longer window of detection.  It is likely that among kratom users, mitragynine would appear within hair for at least 1 month after ingestion, likely 2 to 3 months in small quantities.  Should kratom continue to gain mainstream popularity, expect scientific testing of users’ hair samples to ensue.

Saliva tests: Another possible way in which mitragynine could be detected is via a saliva (oral fluid) sample.  Oral fluid devices are commonly used to assess for the presence of illicit drugs and the technology associated with these devices continues to improve.  It should be suspected that in future years, saliva tests will accurately determine whether someone has ingested kratom.

Law enforcement agents may use a device to collect oral fluid from individuals that are believed to be intoxicated.  The device will then confirm intoxication of kratom (or any other illicit substances).  Because kratom is legal in most states within the U.S., saliva testing devices and confirmation with HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography) isn’t common.

Who may be tested for Kratom?

It is highly unlikely that individuals in the United States would be subject to a drug test specifically aimed at detecting kratom alkaloids such as mitragynine.  That said, there are various subgroups of the population such as: criminals, individuals in rehab, employees [of occupations requiring optimal vigilance], and military personnel – that may be more likely than average to get tested for kratom alkaloids.

  • Criminals: In the event that someone is detained for criminal activity, that individual may be tested for the presence of drugs. Though kratom is technically legal in most of the U.S., there are a couple of states where it is illegal to possess or ingest.  In these states, a criminal found to have ingested kratom as evidenced by a drug test may be subject to severe legal penalization.
  • Drug rehab clients: A person in rehabilitation for abuse of drugs, especially opioids, may attempt to use kratom to curb the harsh opiate withdrawal symptoms that they’re experiencing in rehab. Should a rehab client start using kratom as a means of attaining an opioidergic intoxication, they may be subject to extensive drug testing.  If alkaloids are detected in their system, additional rehabilitation time may be advised.
  • Employees: Though kratom is legal, it can depress activity in the CNS at certain doses as a result of its mu-receptor partial agonism, thereby reducing vigilance, alertness, and fine motor control. For this reason, employees of certain occupations that require peak alertness/vigilance may be tested for an array of depressants.  Employees hired as pilots, truck drivers, bus drivers, or to operate heavy machinery – may be tested for kratom alkaloids.
  • Military personnel: Individuals in the military are instructed to remain sober due to the fact that drug usage may compromise their own safety, as well as the safety of other troops. Military members frequently use high-powered weaponry and are involved in operations requiring peak mental vigilance.  For this reason, if a person is suspected to be intoxicated, they may be subject to advanced drug panel screenings, some of which could detect mitragynine metabolites.

Tips to clear Kratom from your system

If you’ve recently ingested kratom, but want to get the mitragynine metabolites out of your system as soon as possible, there may be some methods to expedite elimination.  Understand that the methods listed below are unlikely effective nor safe for everyone, so always confirm safety and alleged efficacy with a medical professional prior to implementation.  Also keep in mind that the only surefire way to guarantee that kratom is out of your system is to refrain from using it for a couple weeks.

  1. Acidify pH: Reports suggest that mitragynine (kratom’s primary alkaloid) is acid labile, meaning it degrades quickly in the presence of high acidity. Therefore if you switch from eating mostly alkaline foods to acidic ones, the speed by which you excrete mitragynine is likely to increase. Specifically, acidification of urine via foods and beverages is likely to reduce the half-life of mitragynine, perhaps to a significant extent.
  2. Exercise: If you have a high body fat percentage, it may pay to get some additional exercise if you want kratom alkaloids and their metabolites to clear from your system. Kratom is of intermediate lipophilicity, meaning it may have a propensity to accumulate in fat stores throughout the body. Individuals that are obese may therefore expedite mitragynine excretion by burning the fat in which it may have accumulated.
  3. Activated charcoal: If you ingest kratom and immediately regret taking it, you may benefit from rapidly taking some activated charcoal. Charcoal will bind to the kratom alkaloids via adsorption prior to hepatic metabolism, thereby helping eliminate some of the drug before it has a psychoactive effect. Furthermore, even if you already took kratom, activated charcoal can be an effective supplement for detox.
  4. Calcium-D-Glucarate: Preliminary evidence suggests that kratom alkaloids such as mitragynine are likely to undergo hepatic metabolism and renal excretion. To aid with the renal excretion, you may want to consider taking calcium-d-glucarate. This is a supplement that clears detoxification pathways in the kidneys by acting as a beta-glucuronidase inhibitor.

How long has Kratom stayed in your system after stopping?

If you’ve recently stopped taking kratom, discuss how long you believe it stayed in your system after your most recent ingestion.  Do you think that you eliminated the kratom alkaloids from your system in under 6 days?  Or do you believe that alkaloids such as mitragynine lingered in your system for a longer duration?

Discuss factors that may have influenced elimination speed such as the specific strain of kratom  and dosage ingested, whether you were taking other medications/drugs that may have affected its metabolism, and how frequently you used kratom.  Understand that there is significant interindividual variability in regards to mitragynine’s half-life.  However, most users should have eliminated the alkaloids (and metabolites) of kratom within 2 weeks of discontinuation.

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6 thoughts on “How Long Does Kratom Stay In Your System?”

  1. My son is in a Drug Court program and has been jailed because his urine came back with a .1 Kratom. He is well into the program, working, engaged and doing great. He is aware they test for Kratom and while he used it for awhile over a year ago prior to the court making it illegal for them to use, he’s never mentioned it again and only tried it for awhile to ease his arthritis pain.

    At any rate, he has gotten them to send the sample back for re-testing as he swears he has not used any Kratom and he’s very upset. Said he knows they test for it and if he was going to use something to get sent to jail for it he would have done Meth! My question is: Can there even be a very low false-positive for this? My research says NO? Any input would be appreciated!

    Reply
  2. Thank you for the precious knowledge… I was a heavy dose user for almost 13 years with out a day break. I did not know exactly how much I took everyday. But I used to drink 0.75litre of boiled kratom that made from 1 kg of fresh leaves. I live in northern part of Malaysia close border to Thailand. Right now I manage to temporary get away from kratom. It has been 2 weeks now.

    What seanjsullivan 5 said is whole true. When the pain come you will feel like cutting off your legs. I had tried cold turkey. Only able to hold for 8-9 days. This is my 2nd attempt. I consulted a doctor 10 days ago. He prescribed me with 1 tablet 300mg of gabapentin, 2 tablets 100mg tramadol, 2 tablets 5mg diazepam and 2 tablets of vitamin b forte to be taken daily. He told me this is the first method to quit kratom.

    If I fail then he will give me suboxone. To share my experience it is just the substitute to kratom either gabapentin or subuxone. Although it works well but I do not want to fully rely on these medicines. So I decided to throw away all these medicines after 10 days after I felt little bit stronger. The reason I did that was I cannot allow my brain to modify itself to every kind of these drugs anymore.

    There is no recreational drug. That absolutely nonsense. It will ruin your normal life. Just envy to other people who are still able to enjoy every moments of their life with out any drugs in their body. Live free from drugs.

    Reply
  3. Thanks for this article. I’ve noticed that after the initial Kratom effects wear off, there is still some lingering effect for 2-3 days.

    Reply
  4. The last time I tried to quit “cold turkey” I experienced withdrawal for 8 days until I began taking it again. The 8th day was as bad as the first day. I ingest about 42 grams per day and have been for about 2 years. Withdrawal symptoms are onset in approximately 10 hours. Symptoms consist of extreme manic depression, restless limbs, sneezing, water eyes, flu like aches, chills (I had goose bumps for all 8 days), inability to regulate body temperature, irritability, all tasks (menial or otherwise) are extremely arduous, inability to sleep, blurred vision, etc.

    Reply
    • 42 grams daily use is a lot; how long, in your two years of usage, did it take to reach 42 grams a day? And were you still “getting high” at that daily dosage or were you just maintaining a “normal” state to prevent withdrawal symptoms? If you still want to quit, cold turkey is certainly the quickest but not necessarily the best, due to severity of withdrawal symptoms. Also, were you taking any enhanced kratom extracts?

      Extracts change everything, as they more resemble full-agonist true opiates and do not contain the other tolerance-preventing, nmda-antogonist alkaloids that regular kratom contains. Do not ever use extracts regularly or even at all; they have none of the forgiving properties of natural kratom, and out of anything that touches opioid receptors kratom is the most forgiving hands down.

      If you went through 8 days of acute withdrawal while having access to more kratom and/or other opiates, then that suggests you have significant willpower; however this level of acute withdrawal renders one nonfunctional, which is no good if you have other responsibilities that must be met. If you still want to quit, taper down and alternate strains; do not use the same strain more than once in a 24-hour period and reduce each dose throughout the day by one gram per week (assuming you are starting at 42 grams daily taken 3 times a day at 14 g per dose; then take take 13 g 3x daily for the next week, and continue at 12 g the next, etc.)

      This is also assuming that 42 g a day is just what you need to function and avoid withdrawal, but if otherwise you should immediately reduce your dosing to only what you need to avoid withdrawal. This is best achieved by taking smaller, more frequent doses so one does not “get high”. Since different strains have different alkaloid profiles, it’s like they are slightly different drugs and your body will not be down-regulating your opoid receptors at the same rate as it would if you were on a single strain.

      Continue tapering down to two grams and then shave off 0.2-0.3g of your dosage for one week, then ~0.3g more the next week and so on. At any point you can jump off cold turkey and have shorter acute withdrawals based on how high you’re jumping from. Or you can taper down to nothing, and have one bad day followed by a few foggy days before your brain has repaired itself. You must of course eat very healthy (smoothies, fruits/veggies,yogurt, and protein supplements with amino acid formulas for neurotransmitter production). Good luck!

      Reply

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