This article was created with Verdant Herbal. 

Cannabis is one of the most difficult substances to clear from your system. In fact, in moderate to heavy consumers, it can take between 14 days to a whole month to test clean from THC, the primary psychoactive in cannabis. With such high stakes, it’s no wonder consumers go to great lengths to detox. However, before you start downing vitamins and hit the treadmill, there are a few things you should know.

Don’t Drink Too Much Water

It turns out that one of the most common pieces of advice given to those plagued by a drug test is not true. Drinking boatloads of water in the days leading your test will not remove excess THC metabolites from your body. While it’s true that drinking water a few hours before a test will help dilute your sample, drinking excessive amounts of water days before your test probably won’t help you.

Why? Cannabis compounds are fat-soluble, which means that they do not mix well with water-laden liquids like urine. Instead, the majority of the psychoactive is removed from the body via stool. That’s right—after you inhale, most THC metabolites will make a slow exit through method number two.

In fact, only an estimated 15 to 20 percent of THC metabolites are actually removed via urine. Drinking too much water before a test can even be dangerous. Drinking water in excess can cause water intoxication, meaning that levels of electrolytes like sodium and potassium to drop to hazardously low levels in the blood.   

So, what do you do?

Drink your recommended daily dose. For women, the Institute of Medicine recommends two to three liters of water per day. For men, that number increases to between three and four. Though, the more active you are, the more you water you should drink.

However, dilution alone still may not be strong enough to protect against a positive sample. As an added precaution, it may be beneficial to use a supplement like Verdant Detox in the 48 hours prior to the test. This detox supplement is formulated using pharmaceutical-grade natural extracts compounded to hasten the removal of THC from the body. When emergency strikes, having reliable detox capsules handy is always a safe bet.

Don’t Take High Doses of Vitamins

In an effort to home-detox, many consumers hit the supplement counter. Yet, contrary to what is often reported online, taking high doses of vitamins like niacin can cause some unpleasant side effects. Niacin, also known as vitamin B3, is one of the most common supplements suggested for DIY cannabis detoxes. Yet, when taken in excess, niacin can cause some serious problems, like flushing, itching, diarrhea, and vomiting. Not fun for anyone.

While it’s useful to get your daily dose of niacin through healthy foods or low-dose supplementation, there is no evidence that suggests that taking larger doses of the vitamin will help you detox fatty-compounds like THC more quickly. This is especially true with the vitamin is taken all at once. In fact, the Institutes of Medicine set the tolerable upper limit of niacin consumption at a mere 35 milligrams per day for an adult. A healthy intake is 16 milligrams per day for men and 14 for women. Much more than that and you risk toxicity with little reward.

Instead, it may be better to stick to your regular multivitamin and maintain a healthy diet in the two weeks before the test. Short on time? Those in need of extra support may want to consider picking up an herbal detox kit with no added niacin. While herbs and plants may naturally contain niacin, there’s no need to go overboard with high-dose supplements.

Avoid Detox Kits Without Ingredient Lists

In times of emergency, many consumers find themselves frantically perusing for the best detox supplements online. Many of these mysterious concoctions sell for upwards of $60, yet exactly what is in them or how they work remains a conundrum. Further, many detox remedies contain well beyond the daily dose of vitamins like niacin and other B compounds. While B vitamins are generally safe to consume, taking excessively high doses of these vitamins in a short period of time has not been proven to help detox the body from THC or other drugs.

When searching for a high-quality detox kit, transparency is important. For those hoping for something safe and effective, Verdant Herbals is an excellent brand. All of the ingredients in their 2-Day Herbal Detox Kit are listed on their website, meaning that consumers can rest assured that they are getting a reliable product. Further, Verdant Detox contains only helpful herbs, not high doses of added vitamins.

Taking a Midstream Sample May Not Matter.

It’s probably best not to schedule your urine test during your first pee of the day. However, the common claim that you need to collect a midstream or end-stream sample when taking a urine test may be a myth. While some testing facilities or medical professionals may ask that you collect a midstream sample for certain kinds of urine tests, this has more to do with the risk of bacterial contamination than with the concentration of solutes in your urine.

If you drank plenty of water and have urinated two or three times before your test, then the concentrations of THC metabolites in your urine will likely be as diluted as they are going to get. However, there are some exceptions that might make your urine more concentrated before your test, including:

• Dehydration
• Sweating
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Prolonged periods with no urination

During these instances, there has been more opportunity for cannabis products to accumulate in your urine. However, the idea that you need to take a midstream sample may be more superstition than fact.

No Need to Exercise Right Before a Test

While getting adequate exercise in the two weeks prior to a drug test is always a good idea, it’s probably better not to stress over getting an extra mile in the day before or the day of your test. In fact, if you want to pass a THC urine test, it might be best to make your test day a rest day. Some evidence suggests that small amounts of THC is re-released into the bloodstream as fat burns during exercise.