For one reason or another, you may be interested in how to shed the stubborn THC that remains in your body. This can come as the result of a much-needed T-break or as a requirement to pass a drug screening. Whatever your motivation to learn more about how the body reserves THC in the system and how to get it out of you, this article sheds some light on the subject. Keep reading to learn more about THC and your body as well as some myths, facts, and remedies for clearing THC from your system.
Without getting too deep into the weeds with what cannabis metabolites and other chemicals are in the system when consuming marijuana, we’ll focus on delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its presence within the structures of the human body.
THC remains in the system for a set time. That period is determined by several factors that vary from individual to individual. Apart from that, structures in and outside of the body can be used as indicators to detect the presence of THC. These structures are used as the basis of modern drug testing and cannabis metabolite identification.
The most common testing methods revolve around several structures produced by the body. These include
Urine – detectable within the timeframe of 30-45 days for a daily consumer
Blood – detectable within the timeframe of 45-60 days for a daily consumer
Hair – detectable within the timeframe of 90-120 days for a daily consumer
Saliva – detectable within the timeframe of 7-10 days for a daily consumer
Skin (residue) – detectable within the timeframe of your last good scrubbing
Sweat (patch) – detectable within the timeframe of 4-7 days for a daily consumer
As you can see, there are some wide-ranging timeframes associated with each of these structures and how long they are viable for detecting the presence of THC and other cannabis metabolites. So, at this point, you may be asking, what determines the “lifespan” of THC in the body? There are a few main determinants that inform how long traces of cannabis remain in the body. These are:
Body Mass (BMI) – the ratio of a person’s weight to their height.
Body composition – The proportion of major components of the body. More specifically, it refers to the proportion of lean body mass to fat.
Metabolism – anabolic and catabolic metabolism are the chemical and physical processes that govern how and the rate at which substances are built up and broken down in the body.
As with most substances we consume, there is a rate at which the body can process it, break it down, and turn it into energy or expel it. The above data points are a general means of determining the rates of those processes. That said, two people with similar measurements of each will not have an equal rate by which THC is processed in the body.
As a general rule, one can expect to have detectable levels of THC and cannabis metabolites in the body structures for 1 to 2 months following the cessation of consumption. This is true for all but blood. Blood can retain traces of THC and other cannabis metabolites for up to four months because that is the lifespan of a red blood cell. Once the body has shed it’s all its red blood cells present during the time of last consumption, the body’s new red blood cells will have no trace of cannabinoids.
Now that you know a bit about how THC and cannabinoid metabolites interact, reside, and pass through the body, we can touch on how to clean our systems of THC.
There is a considerable industry surrounding the detoxing process, especially around drugs. Whatever your personal motivation may be to cleanse your system of THC, here are a few methods based on myth, reality, and science.
The easiest way to cleanse THC from the body naturally is to just stop consuming cannabis. For a moderate to a low-frequency consumer, this process can be completed in 30-60 days of cannabis abstinence. This, of course, is highly dependent on the individual. It can take as long as 120 to fully clear your system of THC for heavy users or those who have a considerable body fat percentage. This is due to THC being stored in fat cells.
If naturally detoxing your system is simply not an option, there are a few methods one can leverage to speed up the process. Keep in mind, you may open yourself to legal liability if utilizing these methods or falsifying verification regarding drug testing.
Detox Drinks
These concoctions are designed with a very particular set of directions which will need to be adhered to strictly for them to work. One drawback to detox drinks is they can potentially flush the system of more than just THC. This will result in a suspicious test result and likely require a second test at another date. These indicators include natural color, temperature, ph, and uric acid. Bear in mind that these methods have a narrow window of effectiveness, usually only a few hours. So, they need to be administered relatively close to the testing period. As you can imagine, there is plenty of room for human error with these types of detox methods.
Detox Kits
Much pricier than the detox drinks mentioned above, a comprehensive detox kit goes further than just a drink and utilizes a series of dietary supplements to cleanse the body of THC and other unwanted chemicals. These kits generally come in regimens that span 5-10 days and include personal testing kits that allow you to verify your level of cleansing before submitting to cannabis screening. It is important to note that while these systems may cleanse your body in the prescribed time, they are only as good as your willpower. For that reason, you should avoid all consumption of cannabis before and following your detox through to the completion of your test.
Synthetic and Second-Hand Urine
In the case of utilizing fake urine to pass a drug screening test, we can pretty much rule this out. It may have worked in decades gone by, it does not appear that these methods can fool modern laboratory equipment. If you pass along fake urine as part of your test, you can rest assured it’ll be flagged and you’ll likely fail.
Utilizing non-consumers urine may be viable, but there are markers in our urine that indicate sex, such as hormones, that could prove suspect following lab results. Another hurdle in this option is how to keep the sample’s temperature as close to a freshly produced sample as possible. If you have to go into a doctor’s office or lab to produce your sample and end up waiting for an extended period, this may throw a wrench in your plan. In all likelihood, it may prove to be your downfall and should likely be avoided.
Home Remedies
We’ve all likely heard stories of downing a gallon of cranberry juice or taking shots of apple cider vinegar before a drug test will lead to a clean result. However, these methods are not detox options. What they do is throw off the reading of lab tests and just mask the presence of THC or lead to inconclusive results. This is not what you don’t want. Not only this, it’s just not healthy to consume such large amounts of substances meant to be taken in moderation. Don’t stress your body unnecessarily and do your best to get clean the natural way.
If you cannot detox holistically, your best bet is to utilize a reputable comprehensive detox kit. Do your research and make your selection based on what makes you feel comfortable, is backed by satisfied customers, and proven science. A detox kit that comes with a guarantee will at least make you whole in the event of a failure, though you shouldn’t need one if using a reputable brand and following the directions correctly.
