Methamphetamine is used legally by many people, as a prescribed medication. It is more often used illegally, though, as a recreational drug. The short-term and long-term effects of meth can seriously impact your mental and physical health. You may be wondering how long meth stays in your system, particularly if you are ready to rid your body of the drug.

A Stimulant Drug

Meth is classified as a Schedule II drug, which means it has a high potential for misuse. It can be prescribed legally, as a medication most often used for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as well as a short-term obesity treatment. Even when legally obtained, the medication can be abused, with potential results being severe physical and psychological dependence on the drug.

The stimulant drug speeds up the body’s systems, and is often referred to as speed, as well as crank and crystal meth, depending on the form it takes. Meth is the second most popular illegally taken drug in the world.

Quick Acting Medication

How quickly the effects of meth take place in the body depends on how it is used. Legally prescribed methamphetamines and amphetamines, including the popular medication Adderall, can make a difference in how you feel in less than an hour after taking the pill. However, if you use meth recreationally, and illegally, it is actually difficult to predict how quickly you will feel its effects. What is often sold as methamphetamine on the street is of an unknown quality and potency. It could even include other substances.

How Long Meth Stays in Your System

What is known as the half-life of the drug averages about 10 hours. The half-life is determined by how long it takes for half of the ingested drug to be metabolized and then be eliminated from your bloodstream. However, that number also depends on how you take meth. If you take it orally, concentrations of the drug peak in your bloodstream at between 2.6 and 3.6 hours and the metabolism peak is 12 hours. If you take meth intravenously, the half-life is about 12.2 hours.

The half-life does not indicate the complete duration of the drug in your system. It can actually take up to four days for meth to completely leave your body. Tests for the drug can detect it months later, depending on which method is used.

Urine test: The drug is detectable in urine for one to four days after use. For heavy or chronic use, though, it can be detectable for up to a week later. Since the drug metabolizes and is eliminated through urine, this test typically shows a higher concentration of meth than other drug tests.

Blood test: This test will detect the drug more quickly after it’s been used and can continue to detect it for one to three days after last use.

Saliva test: A test of your saliva will reveal the presence of meth for one to four days after you last used it.

Hair follicle test: This type of test is able to detect meth in your system up to three months after you used the drug last.

The Effects of Combining Substances

Since many people combine methamphetamine with other substances, that can affect how long meth stays in your system as well as how you feel when you take the drug. For example, people often drink alcohol when they take meth to reduce the jittery effects that the drug has on their body. Alcohol inhibits the metabolism of meth, which means it will take longer for the drug to leave your system.

People may also combine meth with other drugs, including stimulants like cocaine or opiates like heroin. Combining meth with any other substances can have unpredictable and harmful effects on your body. It can also extend the time it takes for all the drugs to leave your system.

Makana Path Offers Medically Supervised Detox

At Makana Path, we help you safely stop the use of stimulants such as methamphetamine. Our medically supervised detoxification program is your first step to holistic healing and recovery. We help you cleanse your body of the addictive substances while monitoring your health and safety. Makana Path’s intensive healing approach will help you regain control over your life. To learn more about our Medical Detox Program, contact Makana Path today by calling 1-866-313-0978.