Drug Detox and Saunas: Can You Sweat Out Drug Toxins?

Drug Detox and Saunas: Can You Sweat Out Drug Toxins?

Marijuana abuse disorder is treatable, but professional help is often the best solution. Detox teas are a popular diet product containing trace amounts of laxatives, designed to cause a person to go to the bathroom frequently. Some theorize that because these teas “flush out your system,” they may be helpful for a drug detox.

If there’s one topic I never thought I’d write about a few years ago, it’s the link between sweating, hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), and cannabis (marijuana, weed). Exercise helps burn body fat and since THC is stored in fat cells, it can help detox THC from your system more quickly, as it will accelerate the early stages of the whole process. Fasting is another way to burn body fat that could help when it comes to passing a drug test.

Heroin, Opioid, Methadone, and Tramadol Consumption

The most reliable way to pass a drug test is to cease cannabis use as early as possible and allow your body to naturally metabolize and eliminate the THC​. It’s possible to be in a situation where detoxing to pass is legally and personally the “smart” move (to keep your livelihood), even if some might question it ethically. If you choose to attempt a THC detox or any test-evasion technique, go in with full knowledge of the risks.

  • Some contain sensible components that support natural detox (vitamins, fiber, herbs), and structured programs that encourage you to abstain and flush your system.
  • A 27-year-old woman was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, autonomic nervous system dysfunction, and epilepsy.
  • Other molecules from our plasma can diffuse across the membranes of sweat gland and go into sweat as well.
  • The patient had significant improvement in her symptoms, and her palmar sweating decreased.
  • ToxinRid is a popular brand in the detox world, offering 5-day, 7-day, and 10-day detox programs.

Avoiding fatty, sugary foods

Soteria Screening Laboratories is a Third-Party Administration serving companies and individuals in need of drug and alcohol screening services, and effective drug testing programs. In the Indian study mentioned at the beginning of the article, 40% of heroin users reported having hyperhidrosis. This is a high figure compared to the 3% of hyperhidrosis in the general population. I don’t know anyone who quit cannabis primarily to treat their hyperhidrosis. But it can be beneficial for the impact of hyperhidrosis on daily life (more than for the amount of excreted sweat).

Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome and Sweating

30% of the 710 individuals included in the study reported having hyperhidrosis. However, when looking at the figures reported by individuals who only consumed cannabis, hyperhidrosis is not mentioned. It does not seem that cannabis consumption increases the risk of hyperhidrosis.

Even occasional users can be caught off guard if testing occurs before the body has had time to clear THC. Certified laboratories conduct the drug testing, which typically uses immunoassay for the initial testing and gas chromatography to determine the presence of marijuana. For anyone concerned about drug testing, it’s important to be cautious with cannabis consumption, especially products that might undergo decarboxylation. While sweating does release some toxins, the amount of THC eliminated through sweat is negligible. Studies show that only about 0.5% of cannabinoids are excreted this way. Therefore, relying on sweating as a primary detox method for THC is ineffective.

Fiber supplements (like psyllium husk) can also support this pathway. Plus, Walker says that CHS often gets misdiagnosed as other conditions when people aren’t forthcoming about their cannabis use. When you think about smoking weed or eating an edible, you might imagine a nice, euphoric experience where your blanket suddenly feels a million times softer and your music sounds more … The information in this article and any included images or charts are for educational purposes only.

Workplace drug testing policies

You can always talk with your doctor or a therapist if you’re struggling with staying away from the substance — they’re there to support you wherever you are on that journey. When your body sweats, it cycles out substances, including cannabis compounds. Getting some exercise is a great way to encourage your body to metabolize any cannabis still left in your system, so consider going for a jog or run. Spending some time in a sauna is another great way to encourage your body to sweat and get rid of any remaining THC.

Effect of 2×25 mg of CBD per day on hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)

If nothing else, remember that these tests do not measure impairment, only exposure, so there is a growing conversation about the appropriateness of such testing, particularly for THC. We won’t dive deep into that debate, but it’s worth acknowledging that the very need to detox to save one’s job raises questions about privacy and fairness. Legally, can u sweat out thc if you’re an employee (especially in the private sector in the U.S.), you often have limited rights to refuse drug testing. Hair tests will reflect usage over 90 days regardless of one’s pattern – meaning even a single use can show up in hair, but hair is usually used to flag habitual use and not a single incident. The above estimates primarily address urine tests, since those are most common for employment.

Ultimately, while being high can reduce anxiety and make the most mundane things hilarious, if you’re someone who is affected by CHS, it’s probably not worth these symptoms. Life can be just as fun and colorful without cannabis, pinky promise. In short, it’s not possible to predict exactly how long cannabis will stay in someone’s system. When preparing for a test, it’s best to play it safe and give yourself a time buffer.

Many companies market weed detox kits online, but the active ingredients in these kits vary massively between brands. The market for weed detox kits isn’t regulated, so the products aren’t tested, and there’s no clear evidence they’ll work. This advice is partially true — exercise can help release stored THC from fat tissue. So, sweating out THC (the psychoactive compound in cannabis) technically works, but the results will barely be noticeable. For example, you might get rid of all stored THC in 27 days rather than 30. Many people grapple with the ethics of detoxing specifically to pass a drug test.

Twenty-four hour medical surveillance while residing in the secure research unit prevented access to unauthorized licit or illicit drugs. Every employer could take the news differently, but maybe, coming clean could help avoid any negative outcomes of a failed test. These small studies suggest that exercise probably shouldn’t be your go-to method to pass a drug test tomorrow.

That said, there’s also an argument that workplace testing for cannabis (in places where it’s legal) is itself an ethical gray area – it might penalize responsible adults for legal behavior outside of work. On the other hand, attempting to cheat or manipulate a drug test can be viewed as dishonest or unethical. This might seem unfair to users in legal states, but as of now many places allow termination or discipline for cannabis use, legal or not, especially if the job is safety-sensitive. Water dilutes metabolite concentration and ensures frequent urination, which can marginally help reduce the buildup in your system. Moderation is key – excessive water intake won’t instantly clear THC and could even be dangerous (water intoxication) if taken to extremes​.

Measured plasma THC concentrations during this oral administration study were much lower than THC concentrations observed during cannabis smoking 23. Group 1 consisted of eleven healthy individuals (7 males, 4 females, 9 African Americans, 1 American Indian, 1 Hispanic) with histories of daily cannabis use. Subjects had body mass indices ranging from 18.6 to 32.9 kg/m2 and ages 21 to 32 years. PharmChek® sweat patches (PharmChem Inc., Ft Worth, TX, USA) were applied upon admission and collected weekly throughout the study for two to four weeks. Patches were applied to the chest or abdomen following manufacturer guidelines, which included thoroughly cleaning the skin with ethanol to remove residual THC prior to application 3. Specimens were stored at −20°C and shipped on dry ice to PharmChem Inc., Fort Worth, TX, USA, for THC testing using the procedure described in the GC/MS methods section.