Do THC Detox Drinks Really Work?

A couple of joints here, a few edibles there, a small THC-infused spritzer at the end of a busy day in the office – whatever your personal cannabis preferences may be, it's up to you to flush your body ahead of any looming drug tests. Enter THC detox drinks, which have been around for decades and are used by many to attempt to pass a drug test. 

Detox drinks for weed are emerging as must-have products, and for good reason. Cannabis is still a federally illegal substance, and therefore, many employers and organizations prohibit its use. Testing positive for THC may result in early job dismissal or disqualification from whatever program you are enrolled in, whether it's a college training course or a random athletic screening. 

Whatever the circumstances, failing a THC drug test will surely be a hard pill to swallow. Instead, why not swallow a few mouthfuls of the best detox drinks for THC to kickstart the body's natural detoxification process and eliminate THC metabolites faster?

Weed detox drinks are spilling into the mainstream market, and consumers are lapping up the benefits. Their emerging success stirs up curiosity, with many people wondering, "Do weed detox drinks work?" Gulp down the following info before you drink up. 

What are THC Detox Drinks?

The market for detox drinks is overflowing with options and is primarily fueled by the growing number of people with substance use disorders (SUDs) – estimated at 16.5% of the population. THC detox drinks are used by people from all walks of life who want to cleanse their bodies or prepare to pass a drug screening test (or both). 

Some products claim to rid the body of THC completely, and some product manufacturers lure in buyers by promising that they will pass a THC drug test if they knock back their concoction, so be cautious about unsubstantiated claims when purchasing these products. 

At the very least, detox drinks can be used to flush the body of harmful toxins, give your body a "reset," and may even prove handy for pressing the "restart" button on your THC tolerance level. Lower tolerance means that you can enjoy enhanced effects by consuming less, and when you think of it like that, everyone can benefit from using weed detox drinks occasionally. 

Weed detox drinks can jump-start the body’s natural detoxification process, with each brand bundling a range of carefully selected ingredients into their cleansing kits. Although detox drinks for weed are unlikely to be regulated — after all, if the cannabis plant itself is not federally legal and regulated, it's doubtful that testing kits will be — most will undergo rigorous testing. 

Examples of some typical ingredients listed on the packaging for the best detox drinks for THC include:

• Caffeine
• Ephedra
• Fruits
• Ginseng
• Ginkgo
• Green tea extract
• Herbs
• Kratom
• Spirulina
• Vegetables
• Water

The ingredients contained in THC detox drinks are usually chosen for their ability to work synergistically and promote the body's natural detoxification process. Typically, they work by enhancing liver functioning, increasing urine production (diuretics), replenishing lost nutrients, hydrating the body, etc. The efficacy of cannabis detox drinks depends on your metabolism, health, cannabis use, and what (if any) other strategies you are adopting.

Do THC Detox Drinks Work?

While that all sounds promising, do weed detox drinks work? The answer depends on how often you consume cannabis and which brand you shop from. To properly detox from weed, you ought to combine detox drinks with best practices for boosting metabolism. Drugs leave the body faster in people with a fast metabolism. The same applies to hydration, with research showing that, "Excess water ingestion (2 qt and up) can produce false-negative test results."¹ 

However, simply relying on this to pass a drug test is not recommended; some labs have methodologies to thwart attempts. The unfortunate truth is that the THC detox drinks market is plastered with unreliable and sometimes unsafe products. Many sellers wrongly market their products without providing consumers with any solid proof that the detox kit does what it says on the box. Although there is a lack of scientific data demonstrating that weed detox drinks can successfully eliminate cannabis metabolites from the body, it is possible to find products that can efficiently expel traces of the plant's active compounds. 

In-vivo adulteration (ingesting a detox substance that alters the urine) and in-vitro adulteration (adding chemicals to a substance to interact with urine) are two main manufacturing mechanisms upon which detox kits are based. Although effective, you should always remain cautious about using detox kits of this kind, since the drug test may appear to have been tampered with if the chemical composition of your urine is drastically altered. Going down the natural route by consuming healthy, fresh ingredients is the best advice for buying (or making) weed detox drinks. 

Interestingly, even if a detox product helps you pass a drug test, it doesn't mean that the body will expel the toxins in their entirety. A negative drug test may indicate that your body is cleansing successfully, but considering the time it typically takes for the body to get rid of alcohol, drugs, and other toxic substances (approximately 3-10 days for most substances), your body's fat cells will likely be clinging onto some toxins post-test. 

How Long Do THC Detox Drinks Take to Work?

The THC detoxification timeframe may be short for one person and lengthy for another. Consumption habits and frequency will affect how long THC stays in the system, but the shortest time that some non-daily users take to detox from THC is roughly 3-10 days, but it can be longer, with the average being around 30 days for most users. Cannabis may even be detectable in your system with drug screening tests for as long as 90 days post-consumption. 

THC metabolites can stay in the system for 4-10 hours after ingesting THC in fluid form, but likely longer in chronic users. Factors that will affect THC longevity in the system include:

• The specific method of testing for cannabis in your system, e.g., hair, saliva, urine, or blood
• Your original method of THC consumption, e.g., smoking, vaping, ingesting edibles, or oil-based tinctures
• How much cannabis you were previously using and how often you were using it
• Your body fat percentage, because THC lingers longer when more fat cells are present
• Your unique genetic composition and metabolic rate

The primary metabolite that is detectable via cannabis drug testing is tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid (THC-COOH). This lipid-soluble chemical binds to fat cells in large quantities, so there's a chance you'll banish it from the system quickly if you've been avoiding fatty foods and consuming a lot of the green stuff! If a drug test detects the presence of THC-COOH, it indicates THC exposure at some point within the last 3-30 days. 

It will typically take three days for single-use consumers to flush their system using weed detox drinks successfully. In contrast, moderate consumers (four times weekly or more) can usually detox in five days, heavy users (daily consumption) in 10 days, and chronic heavy users in approximately 30 days. With this in mind, you must plan ahead of time and use detox drinks for weed long before the actual drug screening.

Remember that different types of drug tests have different detection windows. Urine tests can detect cannabis metabolites for 1–30 days after use, saliva tests for 24-30 hours post-consumption, hair tests for up to 90 days, sweat tests for 7-14 days, and blood tests for just a few hours.

What are the Best Detox Drinks for THC?

Before you start shopping for THC detox drinks, research the supplier. Are they reputable, and can they provide customer testimonials? Do they test their products for safety purposes? Where are their ingredients sourced from? It would help to ask yourself these questions each time you stumble upon a seller. 

Save yourself some time by perusing the following list of the most popular and highly-rated THC detox drink kits:

• Pass Your Test Same-day Cleansers
• Pass Your Test Permanent Cleansers
• TestClear 5-Day Detox
• TestClear Old Style Aloe Toxin Rid Shampoo
• TestClear Mega Clean Detox Drink
• TestClear Toxin Rid Detox Mouthwash
• TestClear XXtra Clean Cleansing Drink
• TestClear Toxin Rid 7-Day Pills
• TestClear Urine Simulation Powdered Urine Kit
• Rescue Cleanse 32oz Detox Drink
• Macujo
• Quick Fix Synthetic Urine

Natural options include lemon juice, cranberry juice, turmeric and black pepper water, green tea, pink salt water, coffee, and water. A reliable provider of the best detox drinks for THC will be open to publishing customer testimonials, so be bold and ask for this.

Are There Any Risks or Interactions with Weed Detox Drinks?

There is always a chance that any substance you consume, whether natural or synthetic, may interact with other medications, ingredients, etc. While some drug interactions may be minor, others may be unpleasant and potentially dangerous. To prevent an interaction occurring with cannabis detox drinks, consult with a doctor before starting the detoxification process. By discussing your current medications (and dosages) with a doctor, they can advise whether or not you should be using that particular product.

Various dietary supplements can affect the rate of absorption and excretion of a medication and influence your metabolism. Just because a THC detox drink is advertised as a "natural" solution, it's essential to always be cautious. It's just as important to ponder the presence of natural ingredients as you would pharmacologically active compounds. Contrary to popular belief that the botanical ingredients and herbs contained in drug detox drinks are safe, some studies have highlighted herb-drug interactions. 

Drug interactions are not always dangerous, but specific reactions may result in increased or decreased product efficiency. The food and drink you eat also play a role in the detoxification process, which is why it's worth writing a complete list of the things you have been putting inside your body on a piece of paper. Showing this list to your healthcare practitioner will simplify the process of choosing the right weed detox drinks.

The potential side effects and risks of drug interactions include cardiovascular and respiratory distress, skin itchiness or rashes, sleeping disturbances, headaches, and nausea. Although further research in this area is needed, the existing scope of research indicates that bleeding may occur when warfarin is mixed with danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza), dong quai (Angelica sinensis), ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), garlic (Allium sativum). Furthermore, the combination of St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may trigger a case of mild serotonin syndrome.² 

Tips When Taking THC Detox Drinks

While some detoxification programs focus on a single process, others merge several strategies into one plan. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are clamping down on companies that falsely advertise detox drinks and cleansing kits, but this doesn't mean every option still available is safe. Obtain a COA and research company background to prevent buying products containing illegal, potentially toxic ingredients. Be suspicious of companies that make unsubstantiated claims that they can treat life-threatening diseases. 

Whether you opt for a fasting program, herbal cleanse, juice cleanse, colon cleanse (e.g., colonic irrigation or laxatives), pills, supplements, or food-focused THC detox, ensure the ingredients undergo pasteurization to remove harmful bacteria. Here are a few more tips:

• Maximize the effectiveness of weed detoxes by increasing metabolism with exercise. Physical activity will help you to flush THC metabolites from the body faster. 
• Avoid juices produced using foods high in oxalate, which may contribute to kidney stones in high quantities. 
• If a laxative effect occurs, load up on water to prevent dehydration. 
• Avoid detoxes that require you to cut calories since this is not necessary to flush THC from the system and may have detrimental health impacts.
• Consider taking niacin supplements to stimulate fat breakdown and thrust THC away from your fat cells. 
• Variable factors that can speed up your metabolic rate include diet (high-protein is ideal for detoxing purposes), sleep (allow yourself 8-10 hours per night), and physical activity (get active for 30 minutes, 2-3 times weekly.) 

Remember that no matter which detox avenue you venture down, the only effective way to flush out THC is time. Abstaining from cannabis during the detox phase is crucial to prevent more metabolites from inundating the body.

References

1. Cone EJ, Lange R, Darwin WD. In vivo adulteration: excess fluid ingestion causes false-negative marijuana and cocaine urine test results. J Anal Toxicol. 1998;22(6):460-473. doi:10.1093/jat/22.6.460 ↩︎
2. Fugh-Berman A. Herb-drug interactions. The Lancet. 2000;355(9198):134-138. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(99)06457-0 ↩︎

The information in this article and any included images or charts are for educational purposes only. This information is neither a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional legal advice or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about laws, regulations, or your health, you should always consult with an attorney, physician or other licensed professional.