Amphetamine is a synthetic narcotic substance whose action is aimed at stimulating the central nervous system by releasing the stores of dopamine and norepinephrine in the human body. How much amphetamine is held in the blood and urine, as a rule, depends primarily on the amount of dose used. A narcotic intoxicating dose can be excreted from the body within 8-10 days from the last dose.
Factors affecting the excretion time of a substance
The calculation of how much amphetamine is held in urine should begin by collecting some information about the person who used the drug. The main factors in this situation are considered to be the dosage of the drug, the general state of human health and his experience with amphetamine.
In addition, the duration and frequency of recent use is important. The rate of excretion is strongly influenced by this particular factor: a single episode or use for a certain number of days, weeks or months.
Amphetamine toxicokinetics for different uses
The oral administration of the drug is accompanied by its almost instant absorption in the gastrointestinal tract and subsequent penetration into organs and tissues. Amphetamine gets to the brain in about 15 seconds if the substance is administered intravenously, and the action begins after another 15 seconds.
Intranasal and oral administration delays the onset of drug action on average from 5 to 15 minutes. The pharmacological effect is achieved after about 30-45 minutes from the time of administration, the maximum is observed after 1-1.5 hours, and the total duration of action is from 3 to 10 hours.
Biotransformation and half-life of amphetamine
To understand how much amphetamine leaves urine, we should consider in more detail the processes of biotransformation of a substance in the human body. The main process is deamination, there are also processes of the aromatic cycle and hydroxylation. Due to N-demethylation, metabolites are conjugated with sulfuric and glucuronic acids.
All these processes lead to the fact that the half-life of amphetamine from the body as a result is usually from 8 to 12 hours. The alkaline reaction of urine increases the half-life of the substance to 18-34 hours, and the acid reaction changes this interval to 7-14 hours. The half-life of MDMA is 7 hours 36 minutes.
Features of interaction with the body when consumed
The chemical structure of the psychostimulant is somewhat similar to the structure of the stress hormones adrenaline, norepinephrine and dopamine. Norepinephrine is often called the hormone of courage and rage, and dopamine is called the hormone of happiness. To explain how much amphetamine is held in urine, and to understand how to more accurately determine the elimination period, some facts about its interaction with the human body will allow in more detail:
- Amphetamine group drugs have significant resistance. Destroying them with enzymes is not as simple as the naturally produced dopamine and norepinephrine.
- Amphetamine is present in the blood longer than natural stress hormones. It also has the ability to accumulate (accumulate) in the body.
- Another difference between this substance and stress hormones is its ability to easily cross the barriers between blood and nerve tissues in the body.
- The drug is not susceptible to rapid disintegration in the digestive tract, it confidently penetrates the bloodstream and begins to act in a matter of minutes.
- Amphetamine in therapeutic doses prescribed by the attending physician is effective within 2-8 hours and is excreted much faster than any use of this substance for non-medical purposes.
Average drug withdrawal time
Sooner or later, a narcotic substance will completely leave the body in any case without any action on the part of the person who has taken it or with the help of specialists. Experts believe that its complete elimination from the body is possible in about one month with a healthy lifestyle.
It is worth noting that the complete elimination of the drug does not coincide with the prospect of its detection when passing the test in the hospital. This means that the drug still present in the body after a certain period of time will not be detected by special tests. Doctors developed tests based on how long amphetamine stays in urine on average. Most tests are recommended to be done no later than three days after the last dose.
Nevertheless, with a single use, the drug can stay in the urine for 4 days, and with prolonged use, a positive analysis can also be a week later from the last episode. In saliva, traces of a stimulant can be detected within 5 days with a single use. However, knowing how much amphetamine is held in urine is not the most important thing, because the substance remains in the nails and hair for the longest time: it will take about 3-4 months to completely remove the drug from these skin derivatives.
How to speed up amphetamine excretion
If it was decided not to seek help, then speeding up the withdrawal process will be very useful. It will also affect how much amphetamine is held in the urine. The first remedy is plain or mineral water. Abundant drinking regimen of 3 liters per day. You can also drink milk and strong green tea. Diuretic drugs will help speed up the elimination of the drug.
Another way to influence how many days amphetamine is held in the urine is moderate exercise. Walking, jogging and light workouts combined with heavy drinking will speed up the metabolism, thereby reducing the drug withdrawal time. Do not overload the body with workouts for problems with the stomach, liver, kidneys or heart. In chronic diseases of any of the listed organs, it is better to dwell only on compliance with the drinking regime.