How Long Does Ecstasy Stay in Your System?

How long does ecstasy stay in your system? The answer can vary based on the person and circumstances involved.

Known as Molly or ecstasy, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a potent stimulant and hallucinogen. While MDMA is known as a “party” drug, those who find themselves in its grip can feel like the party is long over. There’s a lot about MDMA that people don’t know after being offered a pill. However, there’s one question that is asked most frequently.

How Long Does Ecstasy Stay in Your System?

Multiple forms of drug testing are used to detect ecstasy in a person’s system. The testing form that is used can impact whether or not the drug is still detectable. While results can vary on a case-by-case basis, here’s a look at general timelines for How long ecstasy stays in your system using common drug-testing methods.

Blood Tests

MDMA is absorbed in the bloodstream quickly. After circulating in the bloodstream, the drug is then transported to the liver to be broken down. In general, MDMA can be detected in blood drug tests for one to two days following ingestion.

Saliva Tests

When taken orally, MDMA can be detected in saliva quickly. After reaching a peak somewhere between the two-hour mark and four-hour mark, concentration begins to diminish even though MDMA levels in saliva peak quickly, the drug is still detectable in saliva drug testing for one to two days following ingestion.

Urine Tests

In general, urine testing for MDMA can detect the drug for a larger window of time compared to blood and saliva tests. The window for testing positive for Molly is anywhere from 25 minutes to four days following ingestion.

Hair Tests

MDMA is detectable in scalp hair samples for exponentially longer than in blood, saliva, and urine. After moving through the bloodstream, MDMA settles in tiny blood vessels that are attached to the scalp’s hair follicles. Due to the relatively slow growth speed of human scalp hair, MDMA is detectable in hair samples for up to three months. Interestingly, it’s possible to pinpoint the date of ingestion based on the portion of a hair follicle that tests positive using a basic formula for average hair growth per month.

What Factors Impact the Length of MDMA's Detectability in Drug Tests?

In general, your body’s ability to metabolize MDMA plays a big role in determining the drug’s window of detectability in drug tests. Following ingestion, Molly is metabolized in the stomach and intestines before moving into the bloodstream. The liver is ultimately responsible for breaking down the metabolites in MDMA in order to filter traces of the drug from the body. The “flushing” of the drug is completed when metabolites pass from the kidneys to the bladder to leave the body through urine. Additionally, some metabolites are excreted from the body through sweat and feces. Several factors can influence a person’s drug metabolism. These include:

Overall metabolism
Kidney health and function
Liver function
Age
Weight

Dosage and frequency can also impact how long MDMA stays in a person’s system. As you might expect, smaller doses can be metabolized faster. Additionally, someone who frequently uses MDMA is more likely to have the drug remain detectable for a longer period of time compared to a single-time user. Finally, the way that MDMA is consumed factors into its detectability on drug tests.

The general rule is that any method that causes the drug to be absorbed into the bloodstream quickly will also cause it to be metabolized quickly. Snorting ecstasy instead of ingesting it orally can lead to a more immediate effect because the drug rushes through the bloodstream much faster compared to MDMA pills that must be digested.

How Long Do MDMA Effects Last?

MDMA’s half-life is eight hours. Half-life refers to the amount of time it takes for a substance to be processed and removed by the body. However, half-life does not take into account lingering metabolites that can still be detectable from one to 90 days following ingestion.

The physical effects of Molly typically kick in anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes following ingestion. While some people may experience a “high” for up to six hours, the drug’s effects generally peak after two to three hours. While under the influence of ecstasy, a person may experience:

Euphoria and happiness
Feelings of intense excitement
Feelings of confidence and outgoingness
High energy
Heightened senses

While those are the “positive” effects of ecstasy, it’s also common for people to experience uncomfortable or unpleasant side effects after consuming MDMA. Negative side effects of ecstasy can include sweating, chills, depression, anxiety, paranoia, confusion, increased heart rate, escalated blood pressure, blurred vision, cramping, nausea, and dehydration. When taken in high doses, ecstasy poses risks for kidney failure, heart failure, and death.

Mixing Ecstasy With Other Drugs

The standard lifespan of ecstasy can be disrupted when it’s taken with other drugs. In some cases, this occurs because a person knowingly consumes additional drugs alongside MDMA. In other cases, it happens because a person has unknowingly consumed MDMA that has been laced with other drugs. In addition to being incredibly dangerous, mixing ecstasy with other drugs lengthens the elimination process for both MDMA and any additional drugs to prolong the potential window for testing positive.

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Understanding Ecstasy Withdrawal

Research shows that Molly is potentially addictive. Like other addictive substances that chemically alter the brain, MDMA can lead to withdrawal when consumption is stopped. People who enter MDMA withdrawal after being unable to take the substance either by choice or circumstance may experience the following Molly withdrawal symptoms:

Headaches
Increased heart rate
Excessive sweating
Irritability, agitation, anxiety, and panic attacks
Depression
Strong cravings
Nausea and vomiting

Feeling that you’re addicted to MDMA can be overwhelming. MDMA can produce confusion, depression, sleep problems, drug craving, and severe anxiety that can be triggered anywhere from immediately after you take the drug to several weeks later. Chronic MDMA use is also linked with poor cognitive performance and memory.

One of the first steps of walking away from the grip of MDMA is undergoing a safe, carefully controlled detox program. From there, intensive therapy and support can help you to understand the root causes of your relationship with substances. If you’re ready to start a journey to recovery, contact Footprints to Recovery to learn about our simple three-step admission process.