Though there are many ideas that are thought to help flush marijuana out of your system, none of these methods have been proven with scientific research. However, if you are looking to try some strategies that will help speed the process of detoxification, most of the suggestions will not harm you and may actually help improve your health.
9 Methods to Clear Your System
Some of the most common methods thought to help flush marijuana out of your system include drinking fluids, eating a healthy diet, herbal supplements, exercise, sweating, niacin, and allowing enough time to pass.
1. Drink Fluids
Increasing your fluid intake could help. While it is not known if water will help expedite flushing out THC (the chemical component of marijuana that is stored in your fat cells) the excess water can dilute the metabolite count in your system.
Creatine is recommended as a supplement for this method because creatine levels are lowered when too much water is consumed. Cranberry juice is also used in detoxification programs as an agent for cleansing the body.
2. Eat Healthy
Eat more vegetables and stay away from fatty foods. High-fat foods make the digestive system less effective, which can inhibit the detoxification process.
3. Use Herbal Supplements
Some herbal supplements are used to enhance the detoxification process, such as psyllium seeds, milk thistle, and cayenne.
Green tea or an herbal tea can also be excellent detoxifiers. These compounds support the liver in detoxifying the body of chemical substances, as well as aiding with elimination. While these supplements are great for your health and improving your health can aid the detoxification process, they will most likely not help you speed up the time it will take for your body to be rid of the THC stored in your system.
4. Exercise
Because THC is stored in fat cells, it is believed burning fat through heavy aerobic exercise, such as jogging or fast walking, biking, or swimming laps, will help the body process and release THC stored in your fat cells. Exercise will also encourage you to consume more water after heavy workouts. However, limit exercise for at least 24 hours before your test. Exercise can cause a spike in THC metabolite levels, according to Colorado Pot Guide. If you have short notice, skip this detox method. Have a week or more before your drug test? Exercise could help.
5. Sweating
Excessive sweating is another method for flushing marijuana out of your system. Sweating is one method the body uses to rid itself of toxins. Heavy exercise or a sauna helps induce sweating.
6. Niacin
Some people find taking the over-the-counter vitamin niacin is helpful in flushing out the body. Niacin, or vitamin B3, is a supplement that improves skin health and the nervous system and promotes your metabolism to work harder. However, niacin should be used with caution since it has side effects including itching, rash, nausea, and vomiting.
7. Time
Because the body stores THC in the fat cells, clearing it out takes time, between seven and 100 days, depending on the amount of usage. Your body will cleanse itself naturally once you stop smoking pot.
8. Mid-Stream Urine Sample
Don't give the sample from the beginning or end of your urine stream, Colorado Pot Guide recommends. There will be fewer THC metabolites mid-stream. If you have a choice to provide the sample later in the day as opposed to first thing in the morning, do that.
9. Use a Special Detox Product
Products like TestClear can help flush marijuana out of your system fast. They also offer cleansing drinks, shampoos, and detoxes of various lengths (ranging in price from around $40.00 to just under $200.00) to help you pass a urine test.
The 4 Quickest Methods
There are several ways to get marijuana out of your system, but sometimes you need something that works fast. The quickest methods are:
- Detox products and kits, like the ones from TestClear: Though they have some kits that take as little as one to three days, keep in mind, these kits are for those who only have light to moderate exposure to marijuana. The more exposure you've had, the longer it will take to detox. These kits are a mix of herbs, minerals, and vitamins that work to push the traces of THC out of your body so you'll be able to pass a blood, saliva, or urine test. Ultra Clear shampoo is an option if you have a hair test and costs about $40.00. It has good reviews (five stars based on eight reviews on the site and three stars on Amazon with over 500 reviews), and you'll have the option to purchase your own hair testing kit for an additional fee of around $60.00 to $90.00).
- Herb.co recommends dilution, which combines drinking lots of water with creatine or B vitamins (niacin). Admittedly, there's no guarantee this will flush all traces out of your body, but it's worth a try. You can use this in combination with other methods.
- Fruit pectin is another Herb.co recommendation. This works by preventing the THC from passing into your blood, saliva, or urine. Similar to the psyllium husk in the list above, the fiber here encourages the THC to leave your body via bowel movement.
- Clean up your diet. Eat lots of fiber, leafy greens, fruits, and vegetables, but stay away from junk food, red meat, foods high in sodium, and sugar. These can slow down the detox process.
Flush Marijuana for Good
There is a lot of debate on how to flush marijuana from your body, and what methods work best. Usually, the sense of urgency is due to an upcoming, short notice drug test. However, the only surefire way to make sure there's no marijuana in your system is to not engage in using it at all. Speak to a medical professional before trying any of the above methods in an attempt to detoxify your body.
