Do Drug Detox Kits Work? The Best Ways to Cleanse Before a Test
Knowing you have an upcoming drug test can be a bit nerve-wracking. There are so many unknowns to consider. Those unknowns become even more terrifying when you realize you have used an illegal or controlled substance that can be detected in your upcoming screening. So, what do you do? If you’re most people, you start hunting for a drug detox kit.
There are thousands of drug detox kits on the market, each claiming to clear your system of drugs in as little as 24 hours. Some even claim to erase a month’s worth of drug use. These detox kits make a lot of claims, but do they actually work? When preparing for a drug test, you want to be sure your system is clean and that you can pass the panel. You’ll be surprised to know that using a drug detox kit isn’t necessarily your best option.
Let’s discuss how drug detox kits work and look at the best ways to prepare for an upcoming drug test.
How Do Drug Detox Kits Work?
The most popular detox solutions are designed to eliminate THC from your system. This makes perfect sense because cannabis is most people’s recreational drug of choice, and it stays in your body the longest, giving it a longer detection time for screenings. Cannabis drug detox kits typically come in liquid form and claim to flush your system in as little as five hours, depending on the cost of the test.
The idea behind most drug detox kits is to boost your metabolism, helping you pass urine faster and rid your body of metabolites before testing. Although this seems like a sound strategy, there is no scientific proof that detox drinks can alter your metabolite levels enough to impact your results.
Other tests attempt to help you pass your screening using chemicals to mask drugs or the metabolites in your system so tests can’t pick them up. Unfortunately, laboratories are well aware of this method and the chemicals used. That means, when you submit your sample, they may also test for those chemicals, which can lead to you failing your test anyway.
How Do I Prepare for An Upcoming Test?
The first step in preparing for an upcoming test is to stop taking any substances you might get tested for. This includes cannabis, even if it’s legal in the state you live in. Just because it is legal in your area does not mean your company or probation officer will turn a blind eye to their policy on drug use.
So, immediately stop taking anything, including any opiates, methamphetamines, THC, and cocaine. If you have a prescription for opiates like oxycodone, you may continue taking those under a physician’s guidance. Be sure to tell your tester of any medications that might show up in your panel and prepared to validate with proof from a licensed physician. A few other methods for preparation include:
Stay Hydrated
Many detox kits claim to dilute your urine quicker so you can pass a test. While this isn’t scientifically proven to work, staying hydrated can help minimally. Most drugs, especially cannabis, ultimately pass your system through your urine. The best way to do this is to stay hydrated and urinate as much as possible. However, don’t over hydrate. Laboratories can detect individuals that are trying to dilute their urine with water.
Take an At-Home Test
What’s the best way to know you are clean and won’t fail your upcoming test? Test yourself at home. Doing so allows you to see what your screening result might be for a similar test. For example, a urine at-home test, which comes in various options, will enable you to test for a few drugs or up to 14 drugs at once. However, at-home testing should never replace good old-fashioned lab testing.
If you’re interested in taking an at-home test, our team at Countrywide Testing has you covered. We offer various at-home tests, including urine, saliva, and hair follicle tests. Our ezHome Hair Follicle Test has been reviewed by numerous customers and can provide you results within seven days.
A thing to keep in mind, though, an at-home test isn’t 100% accurate. There is a possibility an at-home test and a lab test will give you conflicting results. A few reasons for this include having an expired test or a low-quality at-home test.
See a Doctor
While most people who want to pass a drug test aren’t chronic users or addicted to illegal substances, it does happen. It is especially common with cocaine and opiates. If you are a regular user, the worst thing you can do is try to detox at home just to pass a drug test. Taking things into your own hands can have potentially life-threatening results.
Drug detoxing should be handled under the care and supervision of a licensed doctor, often with prescription medications designed to safely allow your body to pass the drugs without medically affecting you. If you are unsure where to start, Countrywide Testing offers a host of resources designed to help you recover from drug addiction. Contact us so we can point you in the right direction and you get started on the path to recovery.
How to Prepare for Future Tests
The prevalence of legalized cannabis in dozens of states across the country has created difficulty for those who take drug tests for employment and other reasons. While it may be legal to use cannabis in your state, it is still considered a Schedule I drug, according to the federal government.
The best thing you can do is completely abstain from substances, including cannabis, but if you still choose to partake occasionally, you can take the best steps to prepare for drug tests in the future. Here are a few things to remember:
- Chronic users of drugs test positive for substances on tests even longer. According to the Mayo Clinic, chronic smokers will still test positive after 30 days of no drug use. For those who occasionally use substances, the detection time gets significantly reduced. Avoid chronic use.
- Take-home tests before scheduled tests to increase the likelihood of a negative result.
- Stay hydrated, so your metabolism works at total capacity.
- Avoid at-home drug detox kits that could negatively impact your health and cause you to fail your drug tests.
Countrywide Testing
Drug tests can be complicated and concerning when a positive result can affect your career and your future. If you have an upcoming drug test or want to ensure your system is free of illegal substances, Countrywide Testing can help.
We are an online retailer of drug and alcohol testing and lab services. Our products include pregnancy tests, medical supplies, multi-panel drug tests, and more. We also work with a SAMHSA, ISO, CLIA, and CAP licensed laboratory, which means you can rest easy knowing your samples get processed by a government-trusted facility.
Shop our store now or call us at (469) 356-8607 to find the right product.
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